Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Missio Lux Test Pilot Celebration Service


Sunday we took the plunge and held Missio Lux' first Celebration Service.

We plan to do two over the summer to figure out what works and what changes need to happen. Despite some pretty big scheduling obstacles, we had a great crowd of enthusastic worshippers. Young and old came to be participants, not spectators!

We opened with kids and teens going to the living room setting and lighting a candle. It was moving to see the older kids helping the younger ones light their light. This is a picture of how God wants us to move: whether we are further along spiritually or in number of years, we should always be looking for whom we can encourage in life, brightening up the room!

Our theme was identity, knowing who we are so that we can live into the unique dreams God has designed for us so that we are experiencing and able to share the freedom and hope Jesus offers with everyone. We did this through many avenues: some videos--one with two people strugglign to know who they are and another through movies that speak to the challenge.

Did you see Blood Diamond? There is such a moving scene where the son was kidnapped from his father. The Father commits the rest of his life to pursue his son, trying to bring him home. He finds his son, but the son has a gun pointed at him. The Father says to him, "You are Dia, my son, the one that I love. You are a good boy" as he inches closer and closer to his son. Finally, his son falls into his arms.

This Father is the picture of God. He spends his life pursuing us, willing to sacrifice everything so that we can know who we are and how much we are loved, so we can come home.

Instead of preaching, I did a dialogue with my nephew Scot. I've always wanted to teach this way because it gives a chance to hear from different voices, and in our case, it is the voice of different life stages and genders. It is a more balanced way of presenting God to others. It was really well received and very rewarding for me to do.

There was more, but that's enough for you to get a picture if you weren't able to attend. Keep praying that Missio Lux will fulfill the missio God designed for it~

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW! What a complete shift for me from the way I was raised to "worship". It has taken quite a lot of prayerful study in God's LIVING Word and being in step with Jesus to realize that there are so many ways to worship our Living God, our Savior and Holy Spirit.

I can't remember having so much fun in "church". I felt alive and I got to worship in this manner with my son. What was so awesome was we had my son's friend whom we have been inviting to come to church with us for several years and he refused after attending one church service with us before. He finally acquiesced to come with us this past Sunday. After Missio Lux's first Celebration Service, my Son's friend stated that he would like to attend "church" again if it was "going to be like that again - interesting and fun."

The music was incredible! The dialog was moving. And I liked the interaction between all of the ages. The breaking of chains involved both the visual and physical senses and applied to every one of us who was in the service. At first, I was hesitant as to whether some of the “material” was age appropriate for all ages, but then I clearly heard "Be still and know that I am God. All things work together for good, to them that love the Lord." So, okay. I got the message. Let go, and let God do His thing. I was able to relax and dance and get the message into my very soul.

We are Missio Lux – reaching out into our community to bring the message of Jesus’ great gift of Love – bridging generational gaps, cultures, and languages.

The house definitely rocked.

Tamara Buchan said...

HI AJM<

I am so thrilled about your son's friend, that is what it is all about! I am glad that you are going to Jesus and hearing his direction for your life, that is such an awesome way to make decisions.

T