So it was one Sunday when my husband was filling in for a vacationing pastor, a common summer occupation for seminary students. With only one car between us and me due to have our second child at any time, I was in the pew with our oldest son. The service was going along as usual, with nothing unusual noted in the service bulletin except that at two-and-half, our son was getting impatient for church to be finished. We weren't sitting up front where he could see everything because I needed frequent bathroom breaks so he was bored looking at nothing but the backs of heads.
Finally, the last blessing, the benediction was spoken and we sang the last hymn. This is where we ran into trouble. Without warning or instruction, this congregation's custom was to stand perfectly still in silence for one minute after the last note of the last hymn. A perfect silence that was broken by my son standing up in the pew, clapping his hands loudly and crying out, "Yea! Daddy's done! Now we can go home!". His joy nearly echoed in contrast to their complete silence while I was on the receiving end of some smiles and some glares.
We seem to have problems both with silence and with showing joy in worship; we aren't comfortable with either one getting too pronounced. That's probably why we don't always deal well with welcoming and embracing young children in worship; they interrupt solemn silences and express their joy with complete abandon. Give them a chance to sit up front where they can see, and chances to participate, and they will with all their heart and soul. They will also find ways to have fun in church.
We can learn from children. We should all have fun in church! Jesus tells us again and again that the kingdom of God belongs to children (Luke 18:15-17) and that we all need to come to God as a little child. The sounds and presence of children in worship are the sounds of the gifts of life and future that God has given and entrusted to us.
According to scripture, God craves sounds and music of praise. When Jesus enters Jerusalem and he is told to make the singing and yelling crowd quiet down, he says that "if these were silent, the stones would shout out." (Luke 19:40) Many of the Psalms tell us and the whole earth to "sing a new song" or "make a joyful noise". Try to imagine the sounds of joy that the mountains would make or the trees of the forests. With the horrendous oil spill in the gulf, the oceans are probably singing songs of lament; we should join them.
I don't think either children or rocks and stones or hills or floods are probably prone to moderate, stately, ordered praising. The psalmist writes about breaking into spontaneous joyous songs and praises. It sounds like fun! Perhaps if we had more fun in church, people wouldn't be so likely to leave worship out of their summer plans.
It starts with our own attitudes that we bring with us; coming with an expectation of joy or at least smiles and of greeting all the noises of joy and life around us with smiles of welcome. Come to worship not for what you expect to receive, but for what you can give to others: the encouragement of your presence, a greeting of welcome, the blessing of Christ's peace, and the support of our mission and ministry in the world. Now not everyone is in a place of joy every Sunday, then we can share with each other the comfort and care of God's love and presence. If you're not ready to share joy, try at least some gentle happiness. After all, here you are welcomed, fed, forgiven, loved, and given life that never ends. Yeah! Read Psalm 98:4-9
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