The following articles were all written by Amelia Boomershine.

Worship Design for Progressive Churches Featuring Biblical Storytelling

I’m honored to have participated in Brice Thomas’ successful defense of his D.Min. project this Spring. Brice has already produced a website to share the creative resources he developed for progressive church worship, centered on biblical storytelling. Here is the description from his About page:

“In this post-modern era of church many have experienced contemporary worship as unfulfilling, lacking a deeper connection to God and characterized by spectating versus engaging. Based on the ground breaking work of Dr. Thomas Boomershine, this website contains the research, writings and resources of Rev. Brice Thomas, who has been experimenting with and integrating this new exegetical paradigm into the worship context.”

Visit ExperientialJesus.com

The Gesture of Arrest

Our Sacred Stories class takes place in a small room at the end of the hall on the fourth floor of the Montgomery County Jail. The story for March 11 was the story of Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. As I prepared for the class I wondered how it would be for the women to spend time with a story about being arrested. They’ve all been there, at least once.

Six women came on this particular Wednesday. One had never heard the story before. Others were familiar with it or knew it quite well. But no one knew the part about the young man running away naked. I assured them even most of the people in my church don’t know that part either.

We stood in our circle to do the “Repeat-After-Me” storylearning activity. As usual, the women dutifully repeated my words and gestures. And also as usual, the tightness in the room relaxed and smiles began to appear. No matter how serious the story, this activity is always a little silly and always a little joyful. Our version of Judas’ betrayal kiss failed to be remotely tragic.

When I came to the line “Then they laid hands on him and arrested him” I stopped to ask, “How should we show that ‘they laid hands on him’? What gesture should we use?” Several were offered: one hand on an arm, two hands on shoulders. Then someone put both hands behind her back, wrists crossed at the waist. There were murmurs of assent, nods of agreement. That’s the gesture of arrest. Click to read more…

Recalling Palm Sunday

There were only three of us telling the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem during Children’s Worship on Palm Sunday this year: two children and myself. But the telling was magical.

Each time a “cloak” was put on the road we said “Hosanna!” Each time a palm got waved over Jesus and then placed on a cloak we said, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Since there were just two children, with lots of cloaks and palms, they got to practice those lines a lot. Which was a good thing. Saying “Blessed is he” turned out to be quite a challenge.

After the road was well covered it was decided the extra palms should adorn the wall of Jerusalem. A triumphant entry, indeed.