Hopes for Meeting for Worship
July 9, 2022 § 3 Comments
What do we hope for when we gather for worship?
I hope that I will sink down into my depths where there awaits a promise of peace and fullness and wholeness, of openness to God’s calling, and of quiet and sublime joy in the presence of my Guide.
But I can have all of that in my private meditation. I join others in worship in the hope of something more. I hope for the gathered meeting. I hope that the wings of the Holy Spirit will cover us with its peace and fullness and wholeness, and fill us together with a deep and sublime joy.
I hope that, when I reach my own depths, I will be joined there by my fellow worshippers and we will find ourselves in the presence of—well, that is a Mystery, for all that it is also a Reality.
I hope that we will find ourselves together beside the well of the Spirit that lies at the mystical center of our little gathering, and that we will share there the cup that quenches all our spiritual thirst.
In that holy communion, we will know. We will know that we do not hope in vain, that the Presence in our Midst is no phantom, however we might understand it or name it. And in that Presence, we will be present to each other; we will know each other “in that which is eternal”.
I will know that the promise has been fulfilled. You will know the same. And I will know that you know the promise has been fulfilled. And you will know that I know. And I will know that you know that I know. And you will know that I know that you know. And we will all know such joy!
And from this well of living water, someone may draw up some truth and pass the cup around in vocal ministry. And its sweet savor will sink us even deeper into the Truth.
The communion may remain until, reluctantly, we press each other’s hands in meeting’s closing; or it may fade somewhat before we close, as a dream does upon waking. But in that returning moment, we will look upon each other in wonder and amazement. Joy and gratitude will shine upon our faces as we confirm that, yes, I was there, too, and so were you.
We will find it hard to speak, for the silence will still lay upon us and the Presence will still be calling us from the depths. But the everyday will return anew, as it always does. Yet we will carry away that knowledge of each other and of the Spirit in which we were gathered. Our faith will be renewed, and we will carry a new measure of peace and strength and joy into the world from which we came and into which we step.
Through the Flaming Sword 
He Stephen,
This does not need to published on the blog
Just writing to say thank you 🙏
Dan Davenport
Sent from my iPhone
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Amen. And I am grateful to the Source of that ministry.
Reblogged this on As Light Is Sown and commented:
A wonderful description of the experience of traditional Quaker “open worship.”