During our time at the College of the Transfiguration (COTT) we were assigned to formation groups. These groups are similar VTS’s Friday morning worship groups, but also have to plan a worship service once a semester. Well it turns out that the time at COTT was to be worship planning for the formation group I was assigned to. Now, I don’t know about you, but for me one of the most consistently frustrating experiences is worship planning by committee. Other contextual theology students were enjoying Braais (A South African BBQ) and trips to the beach with their formation groups. Meanwhile, I was stuck planning a worship service that no one could agree on or even find motivation for. So like most things that lack motivation, it floundered to the last available moment (the night before) to do any real planning.
On the eve of this service, tension was high. Group members were arguing and disagreeing about the form, subject, and even the time of the service. As the meeting began, the service was planned for the following evening and because I had another obligation that would prevent me from participating, I tuned out for a while as the students argued. After about twenty minutes I looked up to realize that everyone was looking at me.
Someone repeated the question that I had apparently completely missed. “Would you like to preach?”
Of course, my reaction was, “uh, what?”
It turns out that as I was dazing they had not only decided to move the service to the morning, but also that since I would then available I should preach. They had come up with a concept for Women’s Day where men would show penance for their treatment of women and I would preach on the Transfiguration and somehow tie that in to the penitential theme. Oh, and did I mention, all in less than eight hours. I stammered a reluctant, “yes” , while glancing about the room hoping someone else would volunteer. No one did.The next morning, I presented a brief homily on how Jesus was changed before the disciple’s eyes, yet all they could see was the same old patriarchs of Moses and Elijah. I wanted to show that we can limit the transforming power of Christ when we perceive it within our previous experience. It seemed to go over well and I receive some compliments. But, as I was preaching without text, at some point I called Jesus a “rock star” and I am still trying to figure out what that means.
-Dean
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