Love: The Return

This evening I attended VERTICALE, a monthly worship and prayer gathering held in Paris at le Pavé d'Orsay. Tonight's theme ("Amour: le Retour" / "Love: the Return") was a follow up of last month's theme of "amour / love."

I really appreciated how the Scripture readings were done. Each text was flashed on the side wall with the video projector, along with an appropriate photograph. This must have taken a lot of work for someone to put together. However, the words actually stood out more than when someone just reads them out loud from up front.

I don't understand why some churches don't take advantage of the technology which makes it easy to post biblical texts on the screen, especially if they use videoprojectors for other parts of the service, like putting song lyrics. Studies show that people retain a lot more if they both see and hear something, rather than just see something. One church we attended stopped putting up the biblical texts because they thought that it might have discouraged people from bringing their own Bibles. In the short run this might be true. However, in the long run, I think it would encourage people, especially novices to the Bible, to want to read it for themselves. However, unless a church provides the same version of the Bible for people as the one who reads the text out loud, then texts probably should be flashed on the screen. In this case, readers should tell the page number where the text can be found, then pause a little bit to give people time to turn to the page. If a church really values the readng of Scripture, then it should do it as well as possible, including forewarning Scripture readers more than just before a service begins. Some criticize the "biblical illiteracy" of our time. However, to help make novices move from biblical illiteracy to literacy, then churches need to help educate their people in simple ways like this.

Another interesting part of tonight was allowing people a chance to respond to God's love in different ways. Some suggested ways tonight included writing something down and attaching it to a wooden cross in the corner, putting money in for a special collection to help those in physical need, and getting some playdough and creating something expressing our love for God. After writing something and attaching it to the cross, I got some red playdough and formed it into a heart.

During the last 2 Verticales, I've thought about Jessica. I guess the worship style and creative ambiance in the room bring me back to Jessica's memorial service there in early Nov. I think the style of Verticale connects with me more than any other meeting that I'm part of at this juncture. It's like going to a fun gathering with old and new friends. I love having an evening meeting, although this isn't that practical for families with young children.

Today has been a good day. This morning we went to our daughters' school for a conference with our older daughter's teacher. It was encouraging to hear how well #1 daughter is doing. She's becoming more assertive as well, in a good sense. We're so thankful for this school and its teachers, as all of our kids have benefitted from it.

Afterwards, we stopped at a park we used to got to often when our kids were very young. It's amazing to see how much they've grown in relation to some of the toys and things that they had trouble with before. I'm so rich to have these 3 living children. Even though I miss having Jessica with us, I'm glad she's safe and sound and problem-free now in heaven with Jesus and my mother. That is the home that all of us prodigals are ultimately longing for.