We  were  glad  to  welcome  two  new members last Sunday. Sara Cathers is Kelly Nossokoff's  mom,  and  came  to  move  her membership  from another Lexington church so  that  she  can  worship  regularly  with  her daughter.   Collin Bentley has been meeting with Holly  for  several months now,  learning about  the  meaning  of  baptism  and  the church  membership.    He  will  be  baptized this  Sunday  after  worship.  This  makes  17 new members    this year.  I  wonder who will be next.
 
Our Worship Team meets every  two weeks to talk about all things worship. Over the last several  meetings,  we  have  drafted  some alternate  worship  formats.  Most  of  them have only slight differences, but the one this Sunday will  be  noticeably  different. We will observe  Communion  as  the  very  last  thing we  do  before  the    benediction.   Theologically,  this alternate worship service emphasizes  the  prominence  that  our denomination places on  communion. I have often  heard Disciples  say,  "It would  still  be church  without  the  sermon,  but  it  just wouldn't be church without Communion."  
 
Communion  is  at  the  heart  of  Disciples worship.  I suspect that many of us grew up with  Communion  occurring   before  the sermon.  The  theological  emphasis  of  that order  places  prominence  on  the  preaching of the Word of God and our response in the invitation.  Some  time  ago,  many  Disciples churches  moved  Communion  to  the  spot after the sermon as a way of making that the real focus of worship. 

Our  current  practice  places  the  offering, doxology,  prayer,  and  invitation  hymn before the benediction.   The Worship Team wants everyone to know that we are experimenting with  the worship order to see what works best. You may have noticed  small  changes  over  the  past  few weeks.  And  this  coming  Sunday,  you  will really  notice  the  change.   But  do  not worry that  this  new  format will  be  the  permanent and  only  order  of  worship.  Our  goal  is  to have several orders of worship  that we  feel work  well.  Then  we  will  mix  them  up occasionally  as  according  to   different worship themes.
 
One  thing  I  personally  want  to  avoid  is getting in a rut. I don't want worship to be so predictable  that  there  is no  surprise and no room  for  the  Spirit.  I  suppose  there  are thousands of ways of worship. Most of those do  not  fit  who  we  are  at  South  Elkhorn Christian Church.  But I do think there has to be more than just one way that fits.
 
Most people approach worship changes with great fear and trembling, usually fearful that we  are  going  to  radically   change  our worship  style.  That  is  not  in  the  works here.  We  are  committed  to  a  blended worship and have no  plans to change that.  I trust that these changes in worship order on occasion  will  stimulate  your  worship experience,   make  you  think  deeply  about priorities  in  worship,  and  bring  us  together as a worshipping people of God. 

Mickey