In the Current Issue: "Strangely Familiar: Liturgy in a Post-Pandemic World"
The issue of Liturgy entitled “How the Pandemic has Changed Worship” guest-edited by Taylor Burton-Edwards contains articles that look at survey data from pre- and post-pandemic worship both in-person and on-line. This excerpt is from “Strangely Familiar: Liturgy in a Post-Pandemic World” by Adrianne Burgess, the senior pastor of a Black United Methodist church in Georgia. She describes the unfamiliarity of worship during the pandemic of 2020–2022 and the liturgical changes required to continue offering God’s comforting word in a time when people were stressed by both being separated by Covid and having to contend with racial violence. The full essay is accessible through institutional and individual subscriptions–– Melinda Quivik
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What is it about liturgy that brings comfort to its people? Comfort implies the familiarity of the worn pages in a favorite book, the warmth of a well-loved blanket, or the assurance in the caring embrace of a trusted friend.
We often think about liturgy as the words in a book of worship. The words guide our prayers, relay our salvific hope, and teach our theological doctrines. The chosen words can be high and lofty or more modern in tone. And the words of the liturgy can shape the vibe of the entire worship service.
We also use the term liturgy to describe the order of communal worship, the flow or format of the worship service. Does worship begin with dynamic music and an energetic entrance? Or does worship end with a solemn call for both reflection and action? What elements of the worship service will help tell the story of Jesus Christ, and how will we guide the people in worship at this moment?
Liturgy gives the participants “markers” in the worship service. It helps us pray together, have holy participation in our faith in call and response to each other. The liturgy reminds us of “what we believe.” With the uncertainties of life, we often need to be reminded.
In all these ways liturgy brings . . . the familiarity of a ritual during times when our lives don’t look so recognizable. It offers the warmth of comforting scriptures and reassures us of God’s saving grace and presence.. . .
The years of the pandemic and immediately afterwards didn’t just bring about a medical crisis but a cultural and racial crisis. In 2020, the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the protests that followed all over the nation rocked our communities. Conversations of race that we thought we were dead or resolved were quickly resurrected in the most painful light. The resilience of the Black community was wearing thin under the oppressive weight of the witnessed brutality. Ahmad Arbury’s death in Brunswick, in our home state of Georgia, hit home hard.
The unrest sparked more than just conversations of cultural and racial identity. The community’s hurt and anger also pushed the church to reflect on its role in fostering healing and reconciliation according to the gospel. About twelve congregations of diverse backgrounds in the city of Columbus came together to prayerfully seek ways to be the light of Christ in such a contentious racial crisis. The church leaders decided to pair off for a Bible study called Be the Bridge: Pursuing God’s Heart for Racial Reconciliation by Latasha Morrison. We hoped that the ten-week Bible study would strengthen our relationships and understanding of each other as a community. We could then faithfully engage in the same transformative conversations with others in our community. Our congregation was paired with a predominantly white Presbyterian congregation. The study was transformative for both congregations, and our renewed connection was sealed in liturgy. We participated in a Sunday morning pulpit swap, and both congregations were blessed by it.
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Adriane M. Burgess is senior pastor of St. Mary’s Road United Methodist Church, Columbus, Georgia. Her DMin research at Candler School of Theology looked at the intersection of pastoral care and proclamation. See her at dessertdevotion.com.