May 23, 2007

A sea of red

Students, faculty, and staff were all dressed in red as they streamed into our seminary’s chapel for the Pentecost worship service. Red banners billowed in the wind in the chancel. Red tribal weavings done by the mother of one of our students were hanging on the chapel pillars.

The service began with discordant organ music. One of the teachers leaned toward me and said that he didn’t like the sound. I replied that we intended to begin with music that brings unease, not peace. Then a student sang a call to worship. Another student read the biblical passage of the Tower of Babel, when the Lord scatters the people of the earth. One by one during the reading, students, staff, and teachers stood and shouted different labels: aboriginal, non-aboriginal, foreigner, recent immigrant, loves praise music, loves traditional hymns, charismatic, Reformed, woman, man, youth, senior citizen. Then they all said in unison, “I’m right, and you’re wrong.”

A faculty member then led us in prayer, asking for the Holy Spirit to make us one. As we sang a hymn, black-clad students walked slowly to the chancel and lay down in front of the church. Then another student read the passage from Ezekiel 37 about the valley of dry bones. The students then did a liturgical dance of the bones coming to life. A second teacher prayed for new life for our school and our church. Then we sang, “We are One in the Spirit.”

Next a student read of the coming of the Holy Spirit on that first Pentecost. A drama followed with four students enacting what it might have been like. “Fear,” “worry,” “lock the door,” “what’s happening?” they shouted.  “Wind,” “fire,” “understanding,” “don’t worry,” “don’t fear,” “God is with us,” “the Spirit has come!” Special instruments were used to make the sound of the Holy Spirit’s wind. A third teacher prayed that we would be open to the coming of the Spirit. Then we sang a Taiwanese hymn.

Two seminary students take on the roles of Peter and his wife for a Pentecost worship service.

Then we heard of Peter’s preaching in Jerusalem and three-thousand coming to know Christ. Two of our third-year students played Peter and his wife. As Peter returns home from Jerusalem full of the Holy Spirit, his wife has heard rumors of his drinking. She tells him that she has had just about enough of Peter’s relationship with Jesus. But slowly, with humor, Peter encourages his wife to listen once again to his strange and wonderful experience of God. A fourth teacher prayed that the Holy Spirit would use all of us as God’s agents of good news.

Then a praise band led us in a time of song. Drums, a base guitar, a flute, piano, and violin accompanied us as we sang our praise to God. Another third-year student led us in prayer with everyone praying out loud at the same time.

Over sixty people had a part in this worship service. As in the early church, there has been some conflict in Taiwan over the years in understanding the work of the Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit has given each one of us gifts to use for the building up of the church. We ask the Holy Spirit for discernment in knowing God’s will and unity as we seek to live out God’s will.

Seminary students acting out dry bones coming to life during a Pentecost worship service.

It is a joy for me to be able to work with the seminary community in planning and carrying out vital and fresh worship that honors tradition. As I worked with the team of “dry bones” on Monday evening before the Tuesday worship, I again marveled at the opportunities God has given me in this land. As I saw women and men, aboriginal and non-aboriginal students joining hands as one body, I gave thanks for the unity that the Holy Spirit brings. Thank you for helping to make it possible.

Gratefully,

John McCall

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 253