CapeConversation

[UPDATE 3 july 2008] : This event is postponed indefinately.

Last night we were chatting around the idea of hosting a get-together for people we know interested in exploring alternative worship.

We are facing an essential shift in society from modernism/modernity to postmodernism/postmodernity. We’re speaking about one basic principle, “If one is in Rome then do as the Romans do but if one is in Gaul then do as the Gauls do.” Given that we’re not in Rome anymore, what do we do and how do we do it?

There appears to be one key shift – we’re moving responsibilty from the stage to the community. This results in two significant areas of discussion for us:

• Teaching: There is a shift from the presentation of information as primary vehicle for teaching to the shared process of transformation. This may be accomplished via role play, story-telling, meditation, dialogue, blogging, etc. all of which validly fulfill the goal of teaching and learning. There is a shift from learning as being focused on information to learning as being focused on transformation. More and more people aren’t relating sermons as their desired means of learning. What possibilities are there for a more immersive learning experiences?
• Worship: There is a shift from being led in worship to facilitated creative expression as worship. This may be accomplished via movement and dance, chanting and meditation, singing and drumming, etc. all of which fulfill the goals of worship. Just as rock based worship replaced hymns and can be fantastic vehicle for worship so too are there other options for worship. What are they?

I suggest, as a first-time get-together, that we do a brief intro session and then explore teaching in the morning and worship in the early afternoon.

What thinks you?