In his book, Take and Read, Eugene Peterson writes, "When my children were young, I was full of devout idealism regarding ways in which we as a family would replicate the church as we gathered around the dinner table. Especially on Sundays. When we returned home after a morning of worship and sat down to Sunday dinner, I would attempt to initiate and direct a discussion that would bring the prayer and praise from the sanctuary into the eating and drinking at our dining room table. I would ask what they thought of the second hymn, or how they liked the introduction to the sermon. Did they notice the novel twist the assisting elder had given to pronouncing Melchizedek in the Scripture reading? No real conversation ever developed. One Sunday, in a moment of inspired desperation, I took another tack. I said, 'After the pastoral prayer, Mr. Green, head bowed, never straightened up. Those around him thought he was still praying. After the benediction when he still hadn't moved, he was discovered dead. Murdered. How was it done, and what was the motive?' Conversation developed. Real conversation. What it lacked in devoutness it made up for in liveliness. We searched the Scripture readings for clues, sifted the hymns for evidence, examined the possibilities of sin behind the congregational facade of Presbyterian rectitude. Each week there would be another victim."
Now why didn't I think of that? "Family devotions" with a twist. Give it a try some Sunday soon and then let me know how it works out.
1 comment:
Families talk to each other when they come homw from church? I thought they shoved some food in their mouth, then passed out for a 2 hour nap, having already been up and done a full days work by noon.
Post a Comment