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We Celebrate Together

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Worship as Women

This workshop deals with worship and liturgy, inclusive language and the overall feelings that we have about the service of worship as young women. Following were the questions posed and some of the thoughts shared by the participants.

How do we feel when we go to church?

* music is usually good

* don't like a long drawn out sermon

* enjoy speaking to people after church

What areas do we see as unfair for women in worship?

* actions, speech and appearance

* language

* roles and tasks given to women in church – e.g. flower arranging, cooking meals, etc.

* most preachers are male

* male liturgy of worship excludes women

* different seats for men and women

* women should be as St. Paul says

* passive worship, most churches are too large

* women have to look after their children outside the church

* see the church as having structural problems – e.g. if most (all) ministers are men, some things don't change. Women ministers do change some things – e.g. children remaining in church for children's programmes; women can meet for worship outside the church.

What helps us worship?

When we have control how do we want to worship? Think

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of an experience we had of worship which meant something to us, where we really felt the presence of God.

* symbols come out because of the life of the people

* using our culture to worship (e.g. mountain people)

* learning to sing the songs we have, seeking to know who wrote them and why and any special meaning

* worship Christ in Asian ways

* find symbols in our life that represent God for us

* women's worship with and by women is more meaningful

* using words and symbols, songs that include women

* congregational involvement in worship

* SCM should be a place to build inclusive language and different styles of worship with women and men in part- nership based on equality and not on power

* SCM should play a more prophetic role

* silence has importance in worship