The Outdoor Worship Experience

Things wrapped up a little early at Tabor, so I was able to get back to Oakfield with plenty of time before the Oakfield worship service. In our Oakfield UMC Discovery Team meeting, we put a lot of effort into putting together an outdoor worship service for the Sunday of July 4th. We put up posters all over Oakfield and we advertised in area papers.

Whenever you plan anything outdoors you, of course, have to be concerned about the weather. The rain in the forecast did not occur until later in the afternoon. It was, however, a little hot...and really windy. We struggled to keep the flags upright. We struggled with keeping money in the offering plate, keeping hymnals open and our accompanist was constantly struggling with music blowing. Our keyboard faltered a few times so I got to lead a few hymns as well. I shared with the congregation that I got a valuable lesson in preaching a sermon with a great deal of distr

action ;).

Talking with Christa and my parents, who came up for the service, they said that sometimes you need to try something once so that you can plan for it if you do it again. I agree. If we choose to do this again, I definitely have some ideas for next year. I got a sense from the folks gathered that they enjoyed being outdoors and they enjoyed the informality of the service. We had folks from Lomira UMC join us, as well as a few families from the Oakfield community.

One person came up to me after the worship service and said, "I am really glad that I began my day with this worship service." In a time when we forget the freedom we have as Americans, and we forget the freedome we have in Christ...I was really glad to hear that!

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. Don't forget the freedom we have in Christ:

"...and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free...So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8:32 & 26