Instructions for Worship.

So this time around, I have TWO days worth of thought to comment on. Luckily for you all, the first day's worth was very shallow and actually has nothing to do with the title; you won't really have to think till the second day comes around. Here goes!





Day 1- Sunday: In which Maggie goes to a polo match.


Indeed, I spent my Sunday afternoon at the polo grounds in Carpenteria, CA watching Team Audi and Team Grant's Farm duke it out in the Pacific Coast Open. This was supposedly the match to see of the season- how could I pass it up!? My friend Alex who can pretty much be best friends with anyone 3 minutes after being introduced scored us (my roommate Cassie, she, and I) wristbands which put us a class above the 'general admission' crowd. Really all it meant was that we could go into the clubhouse to use the restroom instead of the porta-potty (which we used anyways because, no joke, it was the nicest porta-potty I will probably ever have the pleasure of using. Separate men's and women's sides, 3 stalls, porcelin sink and toilets, wood paneling- only for polo.).


Let me tell you, it is an interesting crowd that attends polo games. Not the upper class caucasian business man sort that Pretty Woman implies, but more of a slick, foriegn money genre. We all donned our widebrimmed hats but I would not say that we quite fit in. I would however, say that it rivaled Disneyland for it's excelence in people watching.


Also- Bravo channel was filming a documentary on the polo circut and we were sitting RIGHT next to them. We were definitly in more than a few camera angles.


Day 2- Monday: In Which Maggie has an Enjoyable Chapel Experience
Today, like every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I went to chapel. The speaker, Dr. Michael Schasberger- a music professor at Westmont- was speaking on 'the worship experience.' As I am still trying to sort out what I want out of a worship/church service, I was quite enthralled. He made two comments that really stood out to me. The first:

"You can't worship passively, you have to worship actively."

While I think that "can't" is a strong word, I do think that you need to be actively participating to get the most out of the act. There isn't anything wrong with being an innocent observer, but to come away, having given God your all, it is probably better to have been intimately involved. I know that worship means different things to different people, but where I find the most benefit is through song. I love saying prayers and listening to readings but its really hard for me to keep my focus, even if I am saying the prayers out loud or following along with the readings in my leaflet. But with music, it is next to impossible to be thinking about other things and still be able to get the words and the melody right- it demands 100% of your focus. Unfortunately, I was not graced by genetics with the voice of a songbird, but I like to think that I can carry tune (mostly) and singing just really helps me to get into the mindset of praising God and preparing to spend focus time in his presence.
At school, where the primary audience in chapel comes from evangelical backgrounds, modern worship and praise music goes over really well. We have a full chapel band and booming sound system and I get great enjoyment out of the 3 or 4 songs that we sing throughout. It's very easy for me to participate actively because the music drowns out everyone else- I just close my eyes and sing to and with God. In other places, this is environment is harder to capture. While Anglicanism encompasses the theological and liturgical principles that I most agree with and benefit from, I do walk away from mass, often feeling like I'm lacking something- which brings me to quote #2.

"Sing lustily and with good courage."

That's a quote from John Wesley's Directions for Singing. He only quoted that one line in chapel so I came home and read the rest of the directions and thoroughly enjoyed them. Wesley warns against 'singing as if you were half-dead, or half asleep.' For those of you concerned with your singing voices, he offers these words, "Let not a single degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing." If your voice is a concern for you, just try it out- you'll be surprised at how good you feel afterwords. But he also warns, "Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together." This is where I believe that a vicious circle begins- alot of the congregation sings timidly, so those who would sing out, overpower and therefor drop back down. Then everyone is singing meakly and it just kind of keeps getting quiter and quiter because noone wants to stand out or be heard-especially if they are nervous about their singing voice.

Soooo all this to say- I have made a promise to myself- as of today- to never deny myself the act of singing as a means for worship- regardless of my surroundings and I would challenge you all- songbirds or seagulls- to think about how you like to worship and make sure that you are able to get the most out of it every time.