Defining some terms

Here are a few notes from the seminar I have presented on the Selah service -

What does it mean to Wait for the Lord?
The Biblical idea of “waiting for the Lord” can be summed up in the phrase: “Surely to God only is my soul dumb.” This idea conveys that I am subject to God Almighty. He has a right to lay on me what he pleases; and what he lays on me is much less than I deserve: therefore am I dumb before God. The Vulgate, and almost all the Versions, have understood it in this sense: Nonne Deo subjecta erit anima mea? Shall not my soul be subject to God? In other words, God alone has a right to dispose of my life as he pleases.

God anticipates us, and Himself arranges the words and form of prayer for us, and places them upon our lips as to how and what we should pray, that we may see how heartily he pities us in our distress. . . Therefore God also requires that you lament and plead such necessities and wants, not because He does not know them, but that you may kindle your heart to stronger and greater desires, and make wide and open your cloak to receive much.
– Martin Luther (1483–1546)

What is Contemplation?
To contemplate is to consider with continued attention; to ponder or meditate on. Part of its Latin origination is com - templum – which is where we also get our word for temple, the ‘sacred precinct’ or space marked out for the observation of auguries – the prophetic divining of the future by observing birds and other animals and their entrails and other parts.

“Finding God” means much more than just abandoning all things that are not God, and emptying oneself of images and desires.

If you succeed in emptying your mind of every thought and every desire, you may indeed withdraw into the center of yourself and concentrate everything within you upon the imaginary point where your life springs out of God:  yet you will not really find God. No natural exercise can bring you into vital contact with Him. Unless he utters Himself in you, speaks His own name in the center of your soul, you will no more know Him than a stone knows the ground upon which it rests in its inertia.

Our discovery of God is, in a way, God’s discovery of us. We cannot go to heaven to find Him because we have no way of knowing where heaven is or what it is. He comes down from heaven and finds us. He looks at us from the depths of His own infinite actuality, which is everywhere, and His seeing us gives us a new being and a new mind in which we also discover Him. We only know Him in so far as we are known by Him, and our contemplation of Him is a participation in His contemplation of Himself.
– From “New Seeds of Contemplation” by Thomas Merton

What is Meditation?
To meditate is to enter a process of organizing one’s thoughts on a particular subject. The word has its origins in the same words that spawned medicine or medical. There are two streams of meditation – similar, yet subtle in their differences. One form emphasizes the intuition and trusts that what one is seeking can be found within themselves. The other emphasizes a process of ordering one’s thoughts on the basis of that which is already known through reading and learning. The Biblical form of meditation seems to combine the two through a process that considers and ponders (“waiting on the Lord”) based on that which has been revealed to us by God in direct and natural revelation.

While both contemplation and meditation are often practiced individually and in private, there is much to be gained and nurtured when they are encouraged corporately in worship with others. One of the major components of Selah and approaches like it is providing ample time for silence and prayer.

What is Prayer?
Prayer is the natural outcome of contemplation and meditation. Its origins imply to entreat or implore. It is the logical response of adoration, confession, supplication and thanksgiving that results from a true consideration of the true reality of God, the creator and author of all.

So when we use the term “contemplative worship,” we are not suggesting a practice that is new to our Christian tradition. Indeed, while many of the acts of worship found in Scripture are celebratory in content and tone, there are many more examples that focus on the contemplation of the heart – as reflected in a pondering of our own standing before a Holy Creator, the contrition of the heart, a faltering of our spirit all leading to the cry of supplication and mercy. To arrive at this true view of reality, is to arrive at what it is to worship.

What is Worship?
Worship, which originates from words meaning to revere that which is worthy of our most true and genuine respect. It is not just singing praises or reciting a creed or ritual but rather a description of the complete process of contemplation, meditation and prayer, as previously defined. In this understanding of the term, true worship is not limited to a period of time set aside during the week, but rather a moment to moment, faith and life-sustaining activity of our minds, hearts and souls.

 

YouthFront Contemplative Retreat Selah

Introduction –
The word “selah” is found inserted throughout the Psalms. It was most likely a musical term delineating a pause or rest. It is the intention of this service to offer the opportunity to pause and rest together in prayer, song, reflection and worship before God. The ten minute silent prayer towards the end of the service is a time to reflect on the songs and readings that have preceded it, to bring our concerns and petitions to the Lord and to rest in God’s mercy and grace towards us as the Body of Christ.

                     ~

THE LORD’S PRAYER (Solo)
-Arrangement by Jeff Johnson
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come – thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our sins,
Forgive us our sins,
Forgive us our sins as we forgive…
Lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Thine is the kingdom and the power,
Thine is the glory now forever.
Amen.

PSALM 105:1-6
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;
make known his deeds among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing praises to him,
and speak of all his marvelous works.
Glory in his holy Name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Search for the Lord and his strength;
continually seek his face.
Remember the marvels he has done,
his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,
O offspring of Abraham his servant,
O children of Jacob his chosen.

BLESS THE LORD (All sing)
-Taizé
Bless the Lord, my soul,
And bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul,
Who leads me into life.

CHRIST BEFORE ME (All sing)
-Jeff Johnson
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I rise.
Christ in my journey,
Christ in my heart.

Christ go before me,
Christ be my shield.
Christ deep within me,
Christ in my heart.

PSALM 63:1-8
O God, you are my God, I seek you,
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips
when I think of you on my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

COME, THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING (All sing)
-Wyeth / Robinson
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of Thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for Thy courts above.

GETHSEMANE (Instrumental)
-Jeff Johnson

REMEMBER (All sing)
-Brian Moss
Remember the body, remember the blood,
Remember the grace divine.
Remember the Father, remember the Son,
His Spirit is with us.

PRAYER
-St. Columba
Almighty God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
to me the least of saints,
to me allow that I may keep even the smallest door,
the farthest, darkest, coldest door,
the door that is least used, the stiffest door.
If only it be in Your house, O God,
that I can see Your glory even afar,
and hear Your voice,
and know that I am with You, O God.

JESUS, REMEMBER ME (Taizé)
Jesus, remember me,
When you come into Your kingdom
Jesus, remember me,
When you come into Your kingdom

SILENT PRAYER (10 minutes)

PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS (Solo)
-Jeff Johnson
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, let me show faith.
Where there’s despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, let me bring light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
It is in giving that we receive,
In dying we’re born to life.
Make me a vessel of your peace, Lord.

TRUTH & GRACE (All sing)
-Brian Moss
He is the King of all truth,
Paying the high cost of grace.
His kingdom is not of this world,
See how He’s taken our place.

CLOSING PRAYER
-Glenstal Abbey
Christ, be with us this night.
Be within us to purify us,
Above us to draw us up,
Below us to sustain us,
All around us to protect us,
Christ, be with us this night.
Amen.

BENEDICTION (All sing)
-Jeff Johnson
May your heart find grace,
May your soul know peace,
May your mind be renewed.

And may your eyes see the light,
May your ears hear the glory,
Of Jesus Christ in our midst.

 

October 12, 2007 St. Aidan’s Episcopal Selah

12 October 2007
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church
Camano Island, WA

AWAKE, AWAKE TO LOVE & WORK (Prelude)
– Owens

IN THE LORD (All sing)
– Taizé
In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful,
In the Lord, I will rejoice.
Look to God, do not be afraid,
Lift up your voices, the Lord is near,
Lift up your voices, the Lord is near.

RESPONSIVE READING -
Leader:
The day is passed, work is ended, light fades.
People:
The strong love of God is not diminished.

Leader:
Earth has turned, time has rolled, night is upon us.
People:
The strong love of God never fails.

Leader:
Praise the Lord, all the earth!
Extol God, all the people!
For great is God’s steadfast love towards us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
People:
Praise the Lord!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son and to the
Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning,
is now, and shall be forever. Amen.

Leader:
The day has passed and the night looms before us: let us pray with one heart and mind. Let us reflect on the day that has passed and hold our activities before the light of God.

Silence

Leader:
Let us reflect on the night ahead and hold our resting before the light of God.

Silence

Leader:
Let us reflect on the call of Christ and hold our needing and our giving before the light of God.

Silence

Leader:
Holding ourselves before the light of God, we pray:
People:
Light of God lead us.
Mercy of God wash us.
Peace of God ground us.
Love of God hold us.
Cross of God go before us.
Word of God speak.

ALLELUIA (Solo chant)
- Gouzes

BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD / ALLELUIA (All sing)
– Bell / Johnson
Behold the Lamb of God,
Behold the Lamb of God.
He takes away the sin,
The sin of the world.
Alleluia!

REMEMBER (All sing)
– Moss
Remember the body, remember the blood,
Remember the grace divine.
Remember the Father, remember the Son,
His Spirit is with us.

OPEN THE GATES OF THE TEMPLE (Instrumental)
– Knapp

JOHN 1: 1 – 14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

CREATOR OF THE STARRY HEIGHT (All sing)
– Music by Moss / Johnson ~ Words 7th cent.
Creator of the starry height,
Thy people’s everlasting Light;
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear thy servants when they call.

At Thy great name, exalted now,
All knees in lowly homage bow;
All things in heaven and earth adore,
And own Thee King forever more.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Praise, honor, might and glory be,
From age to age eternally.

I CALL TO YOU / KYRIE (Solo)
– Johnson / Ronning
When my eyes cannot see,
And my heart cannot feel.
When my soul longs for mercy,
I call to You.

Take my eyes, take my heart,
Take my soul – make them whole.
I am lost if I you won’t hear my prayer.

Kyrie eleison,
Christe eleison,
Dona nobis pacem.

PRAYER
– J. Philip Newell
A shade are You in the heat, O God
A shelter are You in the cold.
Eyes are You to the blind, O God
A staff are you to the weak.
An island are You at sea, O God
A rock are you on land.
O my soul’s healer
Keep me at evening
Keep me at morning
keep me at noon.
I am tired, astray and stumbling
Shield me from sin.
O my soul’s healer
Shield me from sin.

O LORD, HEAR MY PRAYER (All sing)
– Taizé
O Lord, hear my prayer,
O Lord, hear my prayer.
When I call answer me.
O Lord, hear my prayer,
Lord, hear my prayer.
Come and listen to me.

The Lord is my song,
The Lord is my praise:
All my hope comes from God.
The Lord is my song,
The Lord is my praise:
God, the well-spring of life.

JESUS, REMEMBER ME (All sing)
– Taizé
Jesus, remember me,
When you come into Your kingdom
Jesus, remember me,
When you come into Your kingdom

THE LORD’S PRAYER & SILENT PRAYER (10 minutes)

EVEN IF (Instrumental)
– Johnson

TRUTH AND GRACE (All sing)
– Moss
He is the King of all truth,
Paying the high cost of grace.
His kingdome is not of this world,
See how He’s taken our place.

WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS? (All sing)
– American folk hymn
What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this
That caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down,
sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down
Beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul for my soul,
Christ laid aside His crown for my soul.

To God and to the Lamb I will sing, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb,
Who is the great I AM,
While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing,
While millions join the theme, I will sing.

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on.
And when from death I’m free
I’ll sing His love for me,
And through eternity I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on,
And through eternity I’ll sing on.

ALLELUIA (Reprise)
– Johnson

ZECHARIAH’S SONG (From Luke 1: 68 – 79)
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us—
to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days…

The way was preached by John the Baptist.
and is now revealed in the life, death and resurrection
of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Who gave his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.

GRANT US YOUR PEACE, O LORD (All sing)
– Taizé
Grant us Your peace, O Lord,
Grant us Your peace, O Lord,
May it fill all our days.

THE PEACE OF LORD
Greet one another with the Peace of Christ.

Musicians–
Billie Jensen: Piano
Steve Jensen: Voice
Chuck Mander: Trumpet
Jeff Johnson: Keys & voice
Jinhyuk Jang: Violin
Gwen Franz: Viola
Jacob Kauffmann: Bassoon

 

Summer Solstice Selah Service (Vespers)

Here is the Selah sequence from 2007’s Selah Service at St. Aidan’s church on Camano Island, Washington on the evening of the Summer Solstice. The church traditional Vespers service which usually begins at 7PM was a good foundation to build on for this service…

A Vespers Selah Service ~ 6.20.2007

CIRCLE ME (Johnson) Solo
Circle me, O God, let Your arms enfold me,
Circle me, O God, let Your love surround.
Circle me, O God, let Your light shine brightly,
Circle me, Circle me, O God.

Circle me, O God, when I’m weak and weary,
Circle me, O God, when despair is near.
Circle me, O God, let Your peace surround me,
Circle me, Circle me, O God.

Circle me, O God, when I’m tired and restless,
Circle me, O God, be my hope, my strength.
Circle me, O God, let Your presence guide me,
Circle me, Circle me, O God.

PROCLAMATION
Leader: Light and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.

DON’T BE AFRAID (Iona Community) All sing
Don’t be afraid,
My love is stronger,
My love is stronger than your fear.

Don’t be afraid,
My love is stronger,
For I have promised,
Promised to be always near.

IN GOD ALONE (Taizé) All sing
In God alone my soul can find rest and peace,
In God my peace and joy.
Only in God my soul can find it’s rest,
Find it’s rest and peace.

FROM PSALM 139
Lord, you have searched me out and known me;
you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You trace my journeys and my resting-places
and are acquainted with all my ways.
Indeed, there is not a word on my lips,
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.
You press upon me behind and before
and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
it is so high that I cannot attain to it.
Where can I go then from your Spirit?
where can I flee from your presence?
If I climb up to heaven, you are there;
if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.
If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there your hand will lead me
and your right hand hold me fast.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will cover me,
and the light around me turn to night’,
Darkness is not dark to you;
the night is as bright as the day;
darkness and light to you are both alike.

STAY WITH US (Taizé) All sing
Stay with us O Lord Jesus Christ,
Night will soon fall.
Then stay with us, O Lord Jesus Christ,
Light in our darkness.

EVEN IF (Johnson) Instrumental

DOXOLOGY (Bourgeois / Ken) All sing
All praise to thee, my God, this night
for all the blessings of the light.
Keep me, oh keep me, King of Kings,
beneath Thine own almighty wings.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

GREATER (Moss) All sing
Father become greater, greater,
So we become less.
You are the King of all that is holy. Amen.

Jesus become greater, greater,
So we become less.
You are the Way of all that is worthy. Amen.

Spirit become greater, greater,
So we become less.
You are the breath of all that is living. Amen

FROM 2 CORINTHIANS 4
It is not ourselves that we proclaim; we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants, for Jesus’ sake. For the same God who said, “Out of darkness let light shine,” has caused his light to shine within us, to give the light of revelation — the revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

OUR DARKNESS (Taizé) All sing
Our darkness is never darkness in Your sight:
The deepest night is clear as the daylight.

THE LORD’S PRAYER
followed by SILENT PRAYER

PIPE ORGAN SOLO (JS Bach)

KYRIE / I CALL TO YOU (Ronning/Johnson) Solo
Kyrie eleison,
Christe eleison,
Dona nobis pacem.

When my eyes cannot see,
And my heart cannot feel,
When my soul longs for mercy,
I call to You.
Take my eyes, take my heart,
Take my soul – make they whole.
I am lost if You won’t hear my prayer.

Kyrie eleison,
Christe eleison,
Dona nobis pacem.

CREATOR OF THE STARRY HEIGHT
(7th Century) All sing
Creator of the starry height,
Thy people’s everlasting Light;
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear thy servants when they call.

At Thy great name, exalted now,
All knees in lowly homage bow;
All things in heaven and earth adore,
And own Thee King forever more.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Praise, honor, might and glory be,
From age to age eternally. Amen.

LIVE IN CHARITY / UBI CARITAS (Taizé) All
Live in charity and steadfast love,
Live in charity;
God will dwell with you.

Ubi caritas et amor,
Ubi caritas,
Deus ibi est.

FROM MATTHEW 5
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one lights a lamp to put it under a bucket, but on a lamp-stand where it gives light for everyone in the house. And you, like the lamp, must shed light among your fellow men, so that they may see the good you do, and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

BENEDICTION (Johnson) All sing
May your heart find grace,
May your soul know peace,
May your mind be renewed.

And may your eyes see the light,
May your ears hear the glory,
Of Jesus Christ in our midst.

CLOSING PRAYER (Newell)
I lie down this night with God
And God will lie down with me.
I lie down this night with Christ
And Christ will lie down with me.
I lie down this night with the Spirit
And the Spirit will lie down with me.
The Three of my love
will be lying down with me.
I shall not lie down with sin
Nor shall sin or sin’s shadow
lie down with me.
I lie down this night with God
And God will lie down with me.

ALLELUIA (Gouzes) All sing

~
Musicians:
Jeff Johnson: Keys & voice
Gwen Franz: Viola
Billie Jensen: Pipe organ
Steve Jensen: Voice
Hailey Johnson: Voice

 

Celtic Selah Service

Here is the sequence from our 2007 Celtic Selah Service Tour

BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD / ALLELUIA
(Bell / Johnson)
Behold the Lamb of God,
Behold the Lamb of God.
He takes away the sin,
The sin of the world.

PRAYER (from the Orthodox tradition)
O Lord, we look upon thy Cross with both grief and hopefulness. For upon it, thou, the life of all, wast nailed. O Saviour, thou hast opened paradise to the thief who turned to thee in faith, and thou hast counted him worthy of blessedness when he confessed to thee crying, ‘O Lord remember me’. Accept us like him, as we cry: We all have sinned, in thy merciful kindness despise us not.

JESUS, REMEMBER ME (Taizé)
Jesus, remember me,
When you come into Your kingdom
Jesus, remember me,
When you come into Your kingdom

RESPONSIVE PRAYER (St. Patrick)
–From Psalm 8
Leader: Our God is the God of all.
People: The God of heaven and earth,
of the sea and of the rivers;
The God of the sun and of the moon and of all the stars;
The God of the lofty mountains and of the lowly valleys.

Leader: He has His dwelling around heaven and earth,
and sea, and all that in them is.
People: He inspires all,
He gives life to all,
He dominates all,
He supports all.
He lights the light of the sun.
He furnishes the light of the night.
He has made springs in dry land . . .

Leader: He is the God of heaven and earth,
of sea and rivers, of sun, moon and stars,
of the lofty mountain and the lowly valley,
All: He is the God above heaven,
and in heaven and under heaven. Amen.

CHRIST BEFORE ME (Johnson)
-From St. Patrick and Psalm 139
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I rise.
Christ in my journey,
Christ in my heart.

Christ go before me,
Christ be my shield.
Christ deep within me,
Christ in my heart.

A QUIET KNOWING Instrumental (Johnson)

BE THOU MY VISION (Irish)
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art-
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true child;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever be fall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

VOWS Instrumental (Johnson & Dunning)

PRAYER (St. Columba)
The path I walk, Christ walks it.
May the Land in which I am in be without sorrow.
May the Trinity protect me wherever I stay;
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Bright angels walk with me.
Dear presence – in every dealing…
May every path before me be smooth;
May man, woman and child welcome me.

THE KING OF LOVE (Irish)
The King of Love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness fails me never.
I nothing lack if I am His,
And He is mine forever.
Confused and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love he sought me.
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing brought me.

In death’s dark vale I fear no ill,
With you, dear Lord, beside me.
Your rod and staff my comfort still,
Your cross before to guide me.

And so through all the length of days,
Your goodness fails me never.
Good Shepherd may I sing Your praise,
Within Your house forever.

DOWN BY THE GLEN (Irish)

BLESS THE LORD (Taizé)
Bless the Lord, my soul,
And bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul,
Who leads us into life.

THE LORD’S PRAYER – Matthew 6: 9-13
(Music by Johnson)

SILENT PRAYER

TOWARDS CALVARY Instrumental (Johnson)

REMEMBER (Moss)
Remember, remember, remember the grace divine.
Remember, remember, His Spirit is with us.

Remember the body, remember the blood,
Remember the grace divine.
Remember the Father, remember the Son,
His Spirit is with us.

PRAYER (David Adam)
Eternal God and Father,
we thirst for your love,
we long for your presence,
we yearn for your peace.
Come, Lord, restore us that we may live to your glory;
through him who gives us the water of life,
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

FLUTE SOLO (Dunning)

CREATOR OF THE STARRY HEIGHT (7th Century)
Creator of the starry height,
Thy people’s everlasting Light;
Jesu, Redeemer, save us all,
And hear thy servants when they call.

At Thy great name, exalted now,
All knees in lowly homage bow;
All things in heaven and earth adore,
And own Thee King forever more.

To God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit, Three in One,
Praise, honor, might and glory be,
From age to age eternally.

WAYFARER Instrumental (Johnson & Dunning)

BENEDICTION (Johnson)
May your heart find grace,
May your soul know peace,
May your mind be renewed.

And may your eyes see the light,
May your ears hear the glory,
Of Jesus Christ in our midst.

PRAYER (based on an ancient Jewish prayer)
Christ – wherever I go – only Thou!
Christ – wherever I stand – only Thou!
Just Thou; again Thou! always Thou! Thou! Thou!
When things are good, Thou!
When things are bad – Thou! Thou, Thou.
Amen. Alleluia.
~
Musicians -
Brian Dunning: Flute & whistles
(Co. Kildare, Ireland)
Gwen Franz: Viola & violin
(Bainbridge Island, WA)
Jeff Johnson: Keys & vocal
(Camano Island, WA)

 

An Ash Wednesday Selah Service

For the past several years, I’ve joined the congregation of John Knox Presbyterian Church in Normandy Park, Washington (www.jkpcusa.org) and their Worship and Music Pastor, Brian Moss in marking the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Good friend, Pastor Bryan Burton offers a short meditation prior to the ritual of marking each of our foreheads with a cross from the ashes of the palm leaves used in the previous Sunday’s celebration of Christ’s victorious entry into Jerusalem.

As a reference for you, here is the order of service for this year’s service put together by Brian Moss. . .

Ash Wednesday Selah Service
John Knox Presbyterian Church
February 21, 2007

Prelude – Lacrimosa from the Requiem by Mozart
Brian Moss – Piano

That day of tears and mourning
When from the ashes shall arise
All humanity to be judged
Spare us by your mercy, Lord

Lighting Of The Candles

Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN.

The Lord’s Prayer – Music by Jeff Johnson

Come Now, O Prince of Peace – Geonyong Lee
Come now, O Prince of Peace, make us one body.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile your people.

Come now, O God of Love, make us one body.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile your people.

Come now and set us free, O God, our Savior.
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile all nations.

Come Hope of unity, make us one body..
Come, O Lord Jesus, reconcile all nations.

Bless The Lord – Taizé
Bless the Lord my soul, and bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul who leads us into life.

When The Night Becomes Dark – Taizé
When the night becomes dark, your love, O Lord, is a fire;
Your love, O Lord, is a fire.

Come And Pray In Us – Taizé
Come and pray in us, Holy Spirit, come and pray in us,
Come and visit us, Holy Spirit, Spirit come, Spirit come.

Alleluia Chant – Jeff Johnson

Alleluia, alleluia

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; in your great compassion blot out my offenses. Wash me through and through from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. And so you are justified when you speak and upright in your judgment. Psalm 51:1-5

Alleluia, alleluia

Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, a sinner from my mother’s womb. For behold, you look for truth deep within me, and will make me understand wisdom secretly. Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; wash me, and I shall be clean indeed. Make me hear of joy and gladness, that the body you have broken may rejoice. Psalm 51:6-9

Alleluia, alleluia

Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Give me the joy of your saving help again and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit. I shall teach your ways to the wicked, and sinners shall return to you. Psalm 51:10-14

Alleluia, alleluia

Deliver me from death, O God, and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness, O God of my salvation. Open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice; but you take no delight in burnt-offerings. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:15-18

Alleluia, alleluia

Behold The Lamb of God – John L. Bell
Behold the Lamb of God, behold the Lamb of God.
He takes away the sin, the sin of the world.

Silent Prayer

Instrumental – Saraband by J.S. Bach
Gwen Franz – Viola

Meditation – Dr. Bryan Burton

Prayer
Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth: Grant that these ashes may be to us a sign of our mortality and penitence, that we may remember that it is only by your gracious gift that we are given everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Savior. AMEN.

Ashes
Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Instrumental – Towards Calvary by Jeff Johnson

Christ Before Me – Jeff Johnson
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I rise.
Christ in my journey,
Christ in my heart.

Christ go before me,
Christ be my shield.
Christ deep within me,
Christ in my heart.

Benediction

 

Worship – waiting in silence

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
–Psalm 62:1

In preparing for an upcoming seminar on Selah service worship, I’ve been thinking about David’s “waiting” in Psalm 62. The psalmist’s notion of waiting is quite different than the way we often think of it. We think of waiting as the way one waits for a bus or for the microwave to finish heating up some left-overs. David, on the other hand, waits as one ’struck dumb,’ which is what this word really implies. That’s a very different kind of waiting, indeed. Rather than being defined by a period of time, David’s waiting is more a state of the mind and heart. It has at its core an understanding and conviction of God’s holiness and righteousness which contrasts greatly with our sinfulness and unrighteousness. One who waits for the Lord is struck dumb with his mercy and love towards us.

This sense of waiting has some helpful implications when we discuss the idea of worship. It seems that in the current Christian subculture, we have limited our idea of worship relegating it to times during the week like Sunday mornings, Wednesday night Bible study or a Friday evening Selah service. Yet, we limit the idea and significance of worship to a “wait for the bus,” time-oriented concept when we think of worship only occurring during these set times.

When I introduce Selah service worship, several related terms often need to be defined:

Contemplation
To contemplate is to consider with continued attention; to ponder or meditate on. Part of its Latin origination is com – templum – which is where we also get our word for temple, the ‘sacred precinct’ or space marked out for the observation of auguries – the pagan practice of prophetic divining of the future by observing birds and other animals and their entrails and other parts.

Meditation
To meditate is to enter a process of organizing one’s thoughts on a particular subject. The word has its origins in similar words like medicine or medical. Historically, meditation has been thought of in two distinct ways which are similar, yet subtle in their differences. One form emphasizes the intuition and trusts that what one is seeking can be found within themselves. The other emphasizes a process of ordering one’s thoughts on the basis of that which is already known through reading and learning. The Biblical form of meditation seems to combine the two through a process that considers and ponders based on that which has been revealed to us by God in direct and natural revelation.

Prayer
Prayer is the natural outcome of contemplation and meditation. Its origins imply to entreat or implore. It is the logical response of adoration, confession, supplication and thanksgiving that results from a true consideration of the true reality of God, the creator and author of all.

Worship
Worship originates from words meaning to revere that which is worthy of our most true and genuine respect. It is not just singing praises or reciting a creed or ritual but rather a description of the complete process of contemplation, meditation and prayer, as defined previously. In this understanding of the term, true worship is not limited to a period of time set aside during the week, but rather a moment to moment, faith and life-sustaining activity of our minds, hearts and souls.

These ideas offer some interesting implications for us as we think about preparing for times we come together to worship the Lord – particularly something such as a Selah service. Those who come already in a mindset of the moment to moment awareness of the sustaining mercy and grace of God, enter corporate worship differently than the person who practices it as a once a week activity. The main difference being that the first person looks to participate and bring something to the service while the second person often looks to take something from the experience.

For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.

Christian contemplation, meditation and prayer offer each of us disciplines towards worship that is not just limited to certain times of the week. But at the heart of true worship is a God-given dumbness that has been born from meeting Him, “whom all power belongs to” and “who is steadfast in His love towards us. “(Ps. 62:11a-12b). Kyrie eleison!

 

Taizé meditative singing

I’ve found the following excerpt on meditative singing from the book “Prayer For Each Day” by the monks of Taizé, to be helpful:

Singing is one of the most essential elements of worship. Short chants, repeated again and again, give it a meditative character. Using just a few words they express a basic reality of faith, quickly grasped by the mind. As the words are sung over many times, this reality gradually penetrates the whole being. Meditative singing thus becomes a way of listening to God. It allows everyone to take part in a time of prayer together and to remain together in attentive waiting on God, without having to fix the length of time too exactly.

In the Selah service, the use of meditative choruses from Taizé and others like it greatly enhance the use of traditional hymns, instrumental compositions, readings from Scripture, Celtic prayers and silent prayer.

 

Seminar Selah service & notes

When I talk about the Selah service, it’s always best for people to experience it for themselves. As part of the seminars that I lead on Selah, I include a short service as an example of this expression of worship. Some observations about this service follow.

Quiet is the New Loud:
Using Selah Contemplative Worship in Your Ministry

Introduction -
The word “selah” is found inserted throughout the Psalms. It was most likely a musical term delineating a pause or rest. It is the intention of this service to offer the opportunity to pause and rest together in prayer, song, reflection and worship before God. The silent prayer towards the end of the service is a time to reflect on the songs and readings that have preceded it, to bring our concerns and petitions to the Lord and to rest in God’s mercy and grace towards us as the Body of Christ.

INSTRUMENTAL PRELUDE

RESPONSIVE READING
Leader: For the blessing of our vows and the crowning of our years with goodness,
All: We thank you, Lord.

Leader: For the faith of those who have gone before us and for our encouragement by their perseverance,
All: We thank you, Lord.

Leader: For the fellowship of all your Saints,
All: We thank you, Lord.

SILENCE

Leader: Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty;
All: For everything in heaven and on earth is yours.

Leader: Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom;
All: And you are exalted as head over all.
Amen.

BLESS THE LORD
Taizé chorus
Bless the Lord, my soul,
And bless God’s holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul,
Who leads us into life.

PSALM 95: 1 – 7
Come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving
and raise a loud shout to him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great king above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the heights of the hills are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands have moulded the dry land.
Come, let us bow down and bend the knee,
and kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture
and the sheep of his hand.

COME, THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING
Hymn (Wyeth / Robinson)
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of Thy redeeming love.

Here I raise my Ebenezer;
here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
interposed His precious blood.

O to grace how great a debtor
daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for Thy courts above.

PRAYER
J. Philip Newell
O God of life, of all life, of each life,
I offer you my prayers
In the love of Christ
In the affection of Christ
In the company of Christ
As your own household
desires in heaven
So may I desire on earth this day.

SILENT PRAYER
followed by reciting together THE LORD’S PRAYER

DOXOLOGY
Traditional chorus
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen

CLOSING PRAYER
St. Columba
My dearest Lord.
Be Thou a bright flame before me.
Be Thou a guiding star above me.
Be Thou a smooth path beneath me.
Be Thou a kindly shepherd behind me.
Today and evermore.
Amen.

LIVE IN CHARITY (Ubi Caritas)
Taizé chorus
Live in charity and steadfast love,
Live in charity;
God will dwell with you.

Ubi caritas et amor,
Ubi caritas,
Deus ibi est.

Some notes –
-If possible, present the service in a circle.
-Assign the readings to different people in the group and have them read from where they’re sitting or standing.
-It’s not necessary to use instruments in leading the songs. I often lead with just my voice. But an instrumental prelude can really set the tone of the service.
-Don’t be afraid of pauses in the transitions from readings to songs, etc.
-In the Responsive Reading, the Silence should be at least a couple of minutes long.
-Make the Silent Prayer at least 5 – 6 minutes long. Then begin the Lord’s Prayer so people will know to join you. You may want to specify what version of the prayer that you’ll be reciting (ie. “Forgive us of our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”) before the service begins.
-The Taizé choruses used here can be found in Songs & Prayers from Taizé” from GIA Publishing.
-If the Latin verse of “Live In Charity” intimidates you, don’t worry about singing it.
-I will often close a smaller Selah service by saying “The peace of the Lord be with you.” and inviting the congregation to offer the peace of Christ to one other.

Finally, it’s fairly clear to see that the structure of the Selah service is pretty simple. In creating your own services, I suggest that you try to include the following elements:

-Some sort of Call to Worship, whether it be an opening song or, like here, a responsive reading.
-Several well-placed, simple choruses and/or hymns that lend themselves to this kind of service.
-A reading from the Psalms.
-A period of silent prayer.
-A prayer from the Church tradition or one that someone in your group has written.
-Some sort of closing prayer or benediction.

If possible, do this in a circle.
Assign the readings to different people in the group and have them read from where they’re sitting or standing.
It’s not necessary to use instruments in leading the songs. I often lead with just my voice.
Don’t be afraid of pauses in the transitions from readings to songs, etc.
In the Responsive Reading, the Silence should be at least a couple of minutes long.
Make the Silent Prayer at least 5 – 6 minutes long. Then just begin the Lord’s Prayer so people will know to join you. You may want to specify what version of the prayer that you’ll be reciting (ie. “Forgive us of our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.”) before the service begins.
If you are not familiar with the Taizé choruses listed here, you may want to order the book, “Songs & Prayers from Taizé” from GIA Publishing.
If the Latin verse of “Live In Charity” intimidates you, don’t worry about singing it.
I will often close one of these smaller Selah services by saying “The peace of the Lord be with you.” and inviting one another to offer Christ’s peace to each other.

 

Some Selah service nuts & bolts

Creating and presenting your own Selah service needn’t be a complicated process and affair. Keeping your offering of music and readings simple with an emphasis on silent prayer should be your priority. In this article, I’d like to write about some of the ‘nuts and bolts’ in setting up and leading a Selah service.

To project or to print
Once a program sequence is determined, I suggest that you create a program sheet similar to what we’ve included in this book. There are three ways in which you can approach creating this:

1) Create a sheet that contains all of the lyrics and responsive readings that will be included in multiple services. It’s fairly easy for a congregation to find the reference once the song or reading has begun. Choosing songs and readings that are often done in your Selah service allows you to reuse the same sheet.

2) This is the option that I use the most. Put together the music, readings and other prompts such as when silent prayer will be into a two column, double-sided 8.5 x 11” sheet. We’ve used this format in the samples of Selah services included with this book. This allows people to easily follow along and gives them something to take with them after the service.

3) If you have someone in your congregation who is particularly adept at graphics and printing techniques, a Selah program booklet can be created that also includes appropriate artwork. Kathy Hastings used to do this in our original Selah services. People loved having them, but it was a significant amount of work and was costly.

Many churches have elaborate projection systems in their sanctuaries. This obviously allows a Selah service’s contents to be projected in lieu of a printed program. Yet, I’ve found the printed piece to be the more effective course. It will often make more sense to present your Selah in a smaller venue where seating can be set up in a circular configuration (more on this later). Also, having to focus one’s attention on a screen all of the time takes away from other important aspects of Selah worship. I’ve been in several “projected Selahs” where people came up to me afterwards saying that they were afraid to keep their eyes closed and heads bowed because they were afraid of missing something on the screen.

Yet, a projected system does afford the chance to help create an ambience in a Selah service. One church that I have led several Selahs at has two screens that they use to project appropriate images and art that relate to the theme of the particular service. Sometimes, even just one strong image shown during the entire service can add much to a room’s ambience.

Setup & ambience
And, having said that, let’s talk about the ‘room’s ambience’ some more. I mentioned earlier about circular seating. Since Selah’s emphasis is on prayer and contemplation, one’s focus should not be on the people leading music and readings, if at all possible. I recommend a circular seating set up where the musicians and readers are all part of the circle and therefore participants rather than performers. I suggest that the people leading the service think of themselves as worship “prompters” rather than “leaders.” Yes, people do need to know what’s going on, but in this kind of service, a simple prompt is all that necessary. If their attention is constantly on the leader, then material selected is probably not appropriate for a Selah service.

A circle-like seating arrangement also contributes to the idea that we are offering our prayer and worship as a community of believers.

It’s appropriate to create a “focal point” in the inside space created by the circle where a simple alter containing a cross or other appropriate symbol is displayed. Those groups who include religious icons in their form of worship might this to be an opportunity to display a single image of Christ, the Pantocrator (Lord of Creation). Yet, in most cases a simple candle will do.

A side note about chairs, make sure they don’t squeak too much! Also, circular rows can be employed for larger groups. Just make sure that there are not so many chairs set up that no one decides to sit in the first row!

This brings up another logistical suggestion. It’s often appropriate to have a couple of people serve as ushers to hand out programs and encourage people to sit on the inside rows. These ushers can really set an important tone of respecting the silence as people gather for the service. But there is an art in effectively doing this. I remember one Pastor friend of mine asked me to help him establish a Selah service at his church during Lent. He and his wife had done a wonderful job of setting up the space. He felt that he should welcome folks as they came in since this was to be the first time they had ever done anything like this. At that point, his pastor persona took over and there was so much banter at the entry point that the beautiful ambience that he had originally established with the room was undermined by the talking at the doorway.

Paying attention
We are so used to coming into church unprepared for meeting and listening to God. The goal of Selah is to afford people an opportunity to be still with one another before God. Whatever you can do to protect that stillness will be critical to nurturing people’s readiness for prayer and quiet. And, did we mention cell phones? Either in the program or on a sign, ask people to turn these off.

While a Selah service should be a simple affair, the attitude and preparation that the leader (prompter!) brings to it is critical. Let’s talk now about some of the issues involved with musicians and readers.

Music & reading
When I lead the music for Selah, I try to go with the congregation’s strengths. I look for other musicians to include that are not only motivated and competent, but who are willing and able to adapt to the necessary ebb and flow of a Selah service. Many of the choruses we use in Selah are designed to be sung multiple times. What happens in this process is that the simple words of the song begin to penetrate our minds and interact with our silent prayer. Take for example, the phrase spoken by the thief on the cross to Christ, “Jesus, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.” As we sing this phrase over and over, these words can have profound meaning to us in our own confession and inner cry for God’s mercy. As a musician playing the accompaniment for this, I must make sure that I don’t get in the way of this process. I have a good friend who is a world-renowned jazz musician. We have often discussed how, for a jazz musician improvising, it is more about what one chooses not to play that is important. He also tells me that the older he gets, the less notes he plays in his solos since it’s more about bringing his life experience (he is a Christian) to the notes that he does play.

I often describe the process of playing a song to other musicians that I’m working with as discovering the shape of the song together. In Selah, the shape is often one of an elongated bump as we begin with simple accompaniment with more development in the middle and then coming back to simple accompaniment or a capella singing at the end. In Selah, musicians must learn to serve the song rather than let the song serve them as it might in a more performance-oriented setting. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we can’t bring a high level of musicianship to playing this music. But, like my jazz musician friend, we must express our skill in a more subtle and deeper form.

Readers, too, must bring this kind of approach to reading the scriptures and prayers. Since readings are usually done from wherever the person is seated, it’s important to read clearly, loudly and slowly.

At this point, let me back up a bit on this subject and state clearly that, while we always want to strive for quality in our music and readings, we do perform these tasks to the best of our ability. When I’m leading a Selah service for several thousand people at a Youth Specialties convention, I’m grateful to be doing so with other world-class musicians. But Selah is not dependent on this. For most congregations or small groups, a simple set up of a keyboard, piano or guitar with a few people within the congregation who have been asked to read will be just the thing. Most of time, none of these people are professional musicians or actors. So be it. Yet, the same principles relate to these as they do to professionals – serve the song or reading by playing or speaking in a way that communicates and enhances the words and spirit of the moment.

One more word about choosing readers. When I’m with a group that I’ve never been with before and I haven’t had a chance to meet many of it’s members, I will often stand at the entrance to the Selah room and just ask quietly if a person would like to read one of the prayers or passages of scripture. A person usually has just enough time to read through the passage for themselves once or twice before the service begins and, because they haven’t practiced it to death, will often read with a very natural and spontaneous affect.

With music, it’s different. Be prepared. Don’t be practicing the songs right before the service begins. The more you know the song, the better chance you have of entering into the contemplative nature of Selah as a participant.

Leading by participating
This brings up an observation that I’ve had in my experiences of performing at various churches. I often observe that the “worship group” leading worship in the service is completely disconnected from the congregation itself. They come on stage and “lead worship” and then go back to the green room and wait for the next section or service for their cue often never sitting through an entire service.

One of the reasons that I suggest we musicians be part of the circular seating in a Selah service is that it keeps us participants rather than performers. Yes, we’re indeed performing, but in that respect, everyone is to be “performing” when it comes to worshiping God. The difference is subtle, but there’s a fine line that seems to be quite easy to cross when it comes to leading worship in a church.

Now that I’ve made you completely paranoid about leading, let’s talk about leading. It’s really a fine art, isn’t it? We’ve all been part of services that for one reason or the other, we found ourselves distracted by the person leading.

I’ve already suggested that the Selah leader think of themselves as a prompter. Over time, what you will find is that people will need less and less of this, if you’ve done your job well. We’ve stressed in this book that any speaking during the service should be limited to the readings. Yet, it is not unreasonable to ask people to join you in the singing so that they know to do so. In time, you’ll find that they join you as soon as they think they recognize the song or chorus.

With the nature of utilizing repeating choruses in Selah, the leader has the challenge of discerning when to end. Again, if you think of the shape of the song as an elongated hill, most groups will understand that things are coming to an end by the way the accompaniment is winding down. Yet, if you’re part of a group that loves to sing, don’t be afraid to let a few more verses go by without the instruments. The effect can be quite moving.

Everybody, now!
I was once asked to say the blessing over a dinner we were sharing with about a dozen other folks. I decided to sing the doxology (Praise God from whom all blessings flow…). Little did I know before I began that I many of these folks came from a church background that only sang songs a cappela. These people not only sang the doxology with heart, but also sang it with parts! This little story brings up something that can really enhance a Selah service. If your church has any kind of choral group and, even better, you or someone else is the choral director, working with singers to sing parts and descants with the choruses can really add to the music. Many of the Taizé songs have corresponding descants with the simple, repeating choruses. In the church where we initially developed the Selah service, there was a small group that participated in each rehearsal and learned many of these parts. Of course, singers have to be as flexible as the instrumentalists and they must take the same attitude as being participants as well as performers if you’re going to maintain the communal nature of Selah. But because Selah is so communal, the more people who participate in the various elements of the service, the better.

In fact, there are so many ways for people to participate in the creation of a service like this at your church. One church that I work with here in the Seattle area has a Selah once a month on a Friday evening. Traffic in the Seattle area on Friday is horrendous and for those who work, driving home, eating dinner and then getting over to the church by 7 PM is simply not possible. So, this group provides a simple soup and salad meal prior to the service that is supported by donation. This allows people to drive directly from work and then eat, visit and then prepare to sing and pray together. Of course, this involves a number of willing people to take care of the food and cleanup. Yet, for many of these folks, it’s my observation that they see it as their way to help allow the Selah service to thrive.

Every church and group is different, though, and the rule of thumb with a Selah service is to keep things as simple as possible. As the person or group responsible for presenting the Selah at your church, come prepared, be creative, include as many folks as you can, but never let the service become such a burden to present that you no longer can enter in as a true participant.