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Hebrews 9:6-10

BY CAROL WHITNEY

Hebrews 9:6-10 lifts up details of the sacrifices necessary to cleanse the people from their sins each year. These rituals applied before Christ's one-time sacrifice for all people in all times.

But too often today we forget to focus our worship on Christ as the only mediator we need.

Instead, we spend our energies worried about the building, the organ, the style of cross, the color of the draperies or the placement of the flags and banners - thinking these things might bring us closer to God.

However, none of these material things are necessary for true worship.

In fact, sometimes the most Christ-centered worship does not occur in a church sanctuary.

Do you remember how close to God you felt when you worshiped in an outdoor setting, perhaps at a camp, like Manidokan? I remember a special sense of awe and wonder at God's creation when I was up early one morning to sit beside an Adirondack lake and watch a loon floating on the surface.

If worship is a time to come close to God, then this reminder that we are both special parts of God's creation was true worship.

Or think of the responses of people who have lost their church buildings due to fire, tornadoes or hurricanes. They continue to worship, often with greater fervor than before.

One of my most memorable childhood worship experiences occurred on a Sunday morning in a high school auditorium, less than 12 hours after a fire burned our church to the ground. I was amazed to hear the hymns sung, using just a few borrowed hymnals.

The Scripture was read and proclaimed, prayers were lifted and there was a small cross on a table serving as an altar. We worshiped Christ from our hearts without the need of material trappings.

The buildings which we call churches should be used to draw others to Christ; they are not to be used for entertainment. However, as our congregational sizes have decreased, the maintenance of our buildings has become a larger percentage of our budgets.

Many small congregations are now worshiping in large churches built when the congregation was also large. Are these buildings being used to draw others to Christ or are they being used by members "just the way we always have?" Do we expect seekers to find the one unlocked door on Sunday mornings so they can join us?

Or do we use our buildings as starting points to reach into the community to share the Good News? It should be Christ's good news of hope for the lost, healing for the sick and fellowship for the lonely that draws people to come to the church for true worship.

Let us focus our church life, not on the building, but on the Good News of Christ's redeeming love for all.

Let's share with those outside how Christ's one-time sacrifice is all that is necessary for each of us to approach the throne of God in true worship. Then perhaps we can again fill our sanctuaries with people who worship in gratitude for all that Christ has done in their lives.

Carol Whitney is a parish nurse and member of Hughes UMC in Wheaton.