More Air Supply

As people enter the venue for the music concert, we are separate individuals, with our own issues, wounds, current concerns, and we sit down in our parade seats.  We know in our heads that we are all there for a common purpose, but we as do not feel like a community bonded in that purpose.  Then Air Supply comes on stage and performs.  As the evening moves along, we begin to sing the familiar songs along with the performers.  We begin to stand, move together to the music.  We become a community of a shared experience that fills our bodies.  Afterwards we talk about and share our experience of the evening.  Unfortunately, church worship gatherings lack most of this.  These are too often non-communal experiences of singular people, staying separate from one another, each in their individual space.  They do not sing much at all, even if they know the words.  When the people file out no one talks much about the wonderful liturgy experience that they all shared.  That is why Christmas Eve services are so special because people feel some communal sense of one another together in some bonded fashion with familiar songs they all sing together.  I have experienced great communal church worship services and they are wow moments.  But they are rare in institutional religion for me.