Participants in the 2014 at Eastern Mennonite Seminary did not tiptoe for three days around the 鈥渆lephant in the room鈥� 鈥� that is, the anguish felt by many over congregational disagreements in regard to same-sex relationships.
On the contrary, a highlight of the three days appeared to be a worship service where the whole person was engaged. It was titled 鈥淥ffering the Elephant in the Room to the Holy Spirit.鈥�
Participants were invited to imagine themselves in the presence of Jesus, and then to imagine themselves in the presence of Jesus with someone with whom they disagree. Each person wrote down hopes and fears for themselves and for the person with whom they disagreed and at the end came forward and placed their hopes and fears at the foot of the cross.
鈥淭his worship service created time and space for the Spirit to move among us.鈥� said Beth Yoder, associate pastor at . 鈥淚 know without doubt that the full gamut of beliefs about this question was represented.鈥�
And yet, at the end of the service these people with disparate beliefs gathered together, prayed together, and wept together at the foot of the cross.
Brian Miller, pastor at , said: 鈥淭his was a space that is about the prayer of unknowing, a space that is more about yieldedness than control, a space of deep listening, and a space that is about finding a third way.鈥�
As each person in the room remembered their own relationship with God and then remembered that even those who vehemently disagree with them are also beloved children of God, tears flowed and the group sang, 鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid, my love is stronger than your fear.鈥�
鈥淭here were tears throughout the room, sometimes quiet sobbing, as each of us felt our own vulnerability and need for God鈥檚 Spirit 鈥� our fears and hopes for the church, for beloved people,鈥� said Yoder.
Participants acknowledged their own hopes and fears, perhaps for the first time giving words to deep emotion. Through the work and the mystery of the Holy Spirit the experience went beyond argument, beyond disagreement.
As a result, in Yoder鈥檚 words, 鈥渢he bars of the iron cage of rationality were loosened a little bit.鈥�
Ervin Stutzman, executive director of , was among the church leaders who spent time praying together at the foot of the cross. 鈥淎s I humbled myself before the cross, I experienced the power and comfort of a Christian community, grateful that God has redeemed a church, not just individuals.鈥�
, MDiv 鈥�98, worship coordinator for the annual school, explained that the purpose of the service was to 鈥渂egin the healing process for the ways that people have experienced pain surrounding this issue.鈥�
Yoder summarized it well: 鈥淲e did not decide or discern anything, but we did create time and space for God鈥檚 Spirit to be with us. And that is a very good place to start.鈥�
To see worship resources for this event, held Jan. 20-22, 2014, and all of the worship services for School for Leadership Training visit .