Trinity and My Blues Ain't Your Blues

I know I've said this before, yet I think it warrants stating again: if your in Chicago - attend worship at Trinity United Church of Christ! Again this year a group of ten of us made our way to the South Side of Chicago for a 2.5 hour service that felt like 45 minutes. The 140-150 member choir was amazing. To hear a a group of 60-70 men sing harmonies is simply good for the soul. To hear 2300 voices in the congregation rise and blend with the harmonies of the choir and musicians, literally brought tears to my eyes. It was only as I listened to the sax player and the blues guitarist that I realized how close to burnout I cam this past year and the effect it had on me, my family and my ministry. Trinity is that kind of transformative Holy place. The sermon was all about the blues, including some blues guitar that was simply awesome! The essence of it was that while our sense of the blues is different, God is present in the harmonic resolution for all of us. The blues is one way that as a mature Christian we express our ability to lay the heavyness of life at God's feet right along side our praise and thanksgiving. In essence God sings the blues. It was an amazing and powerful sermon that lasted about 45 minutes. Read that again - 45 minutes! It felt like you were floating in the ocean with each successive wave of celebration being a larger and more emotive wave of experience. By the end of the sermon we were cresting a huge wave that resulted with everyone standing on their feet applauding and speaking agreement and encouragement to Ottis Moss. The whole call and response nature of African-American worship is so, so powerful. The energy that is invested by both preacher and community results in an experience much larger and deeper than either of the components in and of themselves. I wish there was a way to replicate in some way this aspect in my own congregation. I think it could be an amazing experience for people to feel free enough to participate in the sermon and worship in general in such a way. I'm not suggesting becoming a call and response congregation overnight as much as suggesting that people could be encouraged to express their agreement and support for what's being offered in worship beyond clapping. Trinity is always a high light of my residencies in Chicago. This year was no exception. The trip to Trinity is another gift that I've been very fortunate to receive.