Transcendence

I spent yesterday evening parading around York minster, wearing a white robey-thing and gold embroidered collarey-thing (you can tell I'm not well up on vestments, can't you?) and carrying a candle, next to somebody carrying a cross and following someone else with a censor (smelly thing, rather than editing tool!)

I'm not someone who usually takes part in- or enjoys- the sort of worship (sometimes called 'high church') which these things are usually features of. But having been asked by a friend to help out at Transcendence, I was happy to say yes and try something very different to my normal style of worship.

I've been to Transcendence a couple of times. It's a monthly service in York Minster, run as a joint project by the Minster and the Visions community, which is attached to my church, St Mike's. Transcendence is a mix of old and new, of ritual and freedom: there are old chants and hymns set to modern dance beats; there's communion given by priests in vestments from the Minster's old silverware, while the words are projected onto big screens and some people are sat on beanbags. There's a procession to another part of the church where the gospel is read and a short talk given (holding the candle up during that was probably good for building up my arm muscles!) after which people can go off to different 'prayer stations' where there are interactive things to do or to look at to help you pray, such as kneading dough or placing shards of pottery on an outline of a cup.

What I like about it is the sense of history, the ability to connect somehow with all the people who've worshiped in this building before you, who've taken communion from these chalices, who've stood and gazed at these windows. There's space and time to think about these things and to pray. And it's good to have a change sometimes, to get away from what we're used to and learn to look at things in another light.

Transcendence (well, Visions) is part of the Fresh Expressions movement in the Church of England- a group which is exploring different ways of 'doing church' or 'being church' in an effort to connect with people. Church can often seem weird or unwelcoming, or people can struggle to concentrate through long sermons- so new types of service are being developed to help people who maybe aren't used to 'traditional' services feel welcomed and part of the church.

There's an article in the Telegraph here about this- it mentions Sue Wallace, who's the person behind Transcendence. Although the article is good, it's a shame that they've managed to find someone who obviously disagrees with the whole idea. I don't quite see why, it's not intended as a replacement for traditional services, just an alternative for those who find that they don't help them to worship. The point is to worship God, and to learn from him. If a service does that, surely it's doing the right thing?

As for his comment that "it'll make people think that we're eccentric and silly..." Well, I've got news for him. That's what most people think about the church now, precisely because it so often hasn't changed with the times. I would hope that he's willing to visit a Fresh Expressions service, and see that there's plenty of depth there, and that it's not silly and is attracting people to Jesus- which is, after all, what the church is supposed to be for.

So I'd encourage you to come along next time Transcendence is on (12th July and 9th August are the next two in York Minster) and see what you think. It's probably not what you're used to, but whether you're a regular churchgoer or not, then I think you'll find something to think about.