Exodus painting by Shin Maeng |
Still In Awe
of Proskuneo's Multicultural Worship
and the Immigrants Apostles' Creed
by Rev. Jose Luis Casal
at the CRC's Symposium on Worship
Years Later
of Proskuneo's Multicultural Worship
and the Immigrants Apostles' Creed
by Rev. Jose Luis Casal
at the CRC's Symposium on Worship
Years Later
Going to the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship's Symposium on Worship, hosted by Emmaus City's denomination in Grand Rapids January 25-27, 2018 was a seminal moment for me as a minister.
It was an absolute privilege
It was an absolute privilege
and joy to worship with
and learn from 1,500+ people
from 30+ countries and 40+ denominations,
and the ripple effects
from this refreshing drop of time
with God's people across culture,
ethnicity, and tradition
continues to impact me today.
and learn from 1,500+ people
from 30+ countries and 40+ denominations,
and the ripple effects
from this refreshing drop of time
with God's people across culture,
ethnicity, and tradition
continues to impact me today.
While my expectations were high in light of Urban Doxology, Sandra McCracken,
The Porter's Gate Worship Project
and more participating,
the symposium far exceeded my hopes.
The Porter's Gate Worship Project
and more participating,
the symposium far exceeded my hopes.
Not even half way through my two days participating in the three-day symposium, I was floored spiritually and emotionally by the wonders of worship displayed through services of the Word; liturgies; seminars on worship in light of suffering, redemption, injustice, vocation, persecuted people groups, indigenous people groups, Church history, sacramental life, mental and physical handicaps, etc.; vespers; and more.
Crying before God
with Proskuneo and
sisters and brothers from
Syria, Sudan, Korea, Myanmar,
China, and more
with Proskuneo and
sisters and brothers from
Syria, Sudan, Korea, Myanmar,
China, and more
While there is much more I could write, for now I'm providing this post based on a vesper with Proskuneo, a multicultural worship team I had not heard of until that night. Jaewoo Kim from Korea led us alongside Fadi Alsayar from Syria, Abraham Deng from Sudan, and others from Myanmar, the U.S., and China. Check out Proskuneo's YouTube Channel for examples of their team leading worship-in-song together.
The vesper focused on Psalm 137:4: "How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land?" as Proskuneo's dynamic team led us through a liturgy involving Scripture, stories, and songs focused on conflict, loss, displacement, and the song of the LORD in a foreign land.
I'm getting emotional again just thinking about it again years later. The 45 minutes with these beautiful people was so raw and so full of awe. I still can't give them or the time with them justice on multiple levels. But I can share the order of worship, a few key links to Scriptures and songs, and The Immigrants Apostles' Creed by Rev. Jose Luis Casal we recited together to close the service.
Songs of the Refugees Vesper:
How shall we sing the LORD's song
in a foreign land?
+ Psalm 137:4
How shall we sing the LORD's song
in a foreign land?
+ Psalm 137:4
| 1 |
CONFLICT
Scripture:
Psalm 137:1-4 in Arabic, Burmese, and English
Narration:
Story of persecution for faith
Song:
"I Have Decided to Follow Jesus"
| 2 |
LOSS
Narration:
Story of a refugee
Song:
"Elahi Yesua,"
Arabic song by Manal Samir
Prayer:
For those suffering loss
and grieving our own loss
| 3 |
DISPLACEMENT
Narration:
Story of a refugee
Song: "Hold on Strong,"
South Sudanese song by Abraham Deng
Scripture:
Philippians 3:20
in Korean, Arabic, and English
| 4 |
SONG OF THE LORD
IN A FOREIGN LAND
IN A FOREIGN LAND
Narration:
Story of a refugee
Scripture:
Jeremiah 29:7
Song:
"Always Thankful,"
Arabic song by Fawaz Amaish
Song:
"Blessed Assurance"
by Fanny Crosby
King of all nations painting by Shin Maeng |
The Immigrants Apostles’ Creed
Adapted from Rev. Jose Luis Casal’s
update of The Apostles’ Creed,
2nd Century A.D.
update of The Apostles’ Creed,
2nd Century A.D.
I believe in God the Father almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth,
Maker of heaven and earth,
who guided His people
in exile and in exodus,
in exile and in exodus,
the God of Joseph in Egypt,
Daniel in Babylon, Esther in Persia.
Daniel in Babylon, Esther in Persia.
I believe in Jesus Christ,
His only Son, our Lord,
His only Son, our Lord,
conceived by the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary,
born of the Virgin Mary,
immigrant of heaven
and displaced Galilean on earth,
and displaced Galilean on earth,
who was raised under occupation
and fled as a refugee with His parents
when His life was in danger.
and fled as a refugee with His parents
when His life was in danger.
When He returned to His own people,
He suffered under the imperial power
and oppression of Pontius Pilate,
and was unjustly crucified
by the empire, dead, and buried.
by the empire, dead, and buried.
He descended to hell.
On the third day He rose again,
not as a scorned foreigner,
not as a scorned foreigner,
but as the King victorious,
ascended to heaven and
ascended to heaven and
empowered to offer us citizenship
in God’s eternal Kingdom.
in God’s eternal Kingdom.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the eternal immigrant
from God's Kingdom among us,
from God's Kingdom among us,
who speaks all languages,
lives in all countries,
lives in all countries,
and reunites all races.
I believe in the holy catholic Church
that is the secure home
for the foreigner among believers
across time and in every nationality.
that is the secure home
for the foreigner among believers
across time and in every nationality.
I believe in the communion of the saints
that is revealed
that is revealed
when we embrace all of God’s people
in our diversity in unity.
in our diversity in unity.
I believe in the forgiveness of sins,
which makes us all equal
before God at the cross,
before God at the cross,
and in His reconciliation,
which heals our brokenness and
which heals our brokenness and
identifies us together more
than race, language, or tribe.
than race, language, or tribe.
I believe in the resurrection of the body
when God will unite us
as one people
in which all are distinct
and alike at the same time.
when God will unite us
as one people
in which all are distinct
and alike at the same time.
I believe in life everlasting
in which no one will be a foreigner
in which no one will be a foreigner
but all of God’s people
will be citizens of the Kingdom of heaven
will be citizens of the Kingdom of heaven
when Jesus Christ reigns forever and ever.
Amen.
Amen.
The Latin American Lord's Prayer
Credit to Numerous Sources
God who is in us here on earth,
holy is Your name
holy is Your name
in the hungry who share
their bread and their song.
their bread and their song.
Your Kingdom come,
which is a land flowing
with milk and honey.
with milk and honey.
Let us do Your will,
raising our voice when all are silent.
raising our voice when all are silent.
You are giving us our daily bread
in the song of the bird
and the miracle of the corn.
and the miracle of the corn.
Forgive us for keeping silent
in the face of injustice.
in the face of injustice.
Don't let us fall into the temptation of
taking up the same arms as the enemy.
But deliver us from evil.
Give us the perseverance
to look for love, even if we fail;
to look for love, even if we fail;
so shall we have known Your Kingdom
which is being built forever and ever.
Amen.
The Immigrants Nicene Creed
Adapted from St Albans Diocese’s
update of The Nicene Creed, 325 A.D.
and Rev. Jose Luis Casal’s update of
The Apostles’ Creed, 390 A.D.
update of The Nicene Creed, 325 A.D.
and Rev. Jose Luis Casal’s update of
The Apostles’ Creed, 390 A.D.
We believe in God,
the Father, the Almighty,
the Father, the Almighty,
Maker of a heaven and earth
without borders or nations,
without borders or nations,
who led His people from slavery to freedom
through exile and exodus,
the God of homelands lost and found,
the God of temple and desert,
of manna and sacrifice.
of manna and sacrifice.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
His only Son, our Lord,
His only Son, our Lord,
incarnate from the Holy Spirit
and the Virgin Mary,
and the Virgin Mary,
immigrant of heaven
and displaced Galilean on earth,
and displaced Galilean on earth,
who was born under occupation
and fled as a refugee with His parents
and fled as a refugee with His parents
when His life was in danger.
When He returned to His own people,
He suffered under the imperial power
and oppression of Pontius Pilate,
and oppression of Pontius Pilate,
and was unjustly crucified
by the empire, dead, and buried.
by the empire, dead, and buried.
On the third day He rose again,
not as a scorned foreigner,
not as a scorned foreigner,
but as the King,
opening for us the door to new life and
opening for us the door to new life and
destroying the power of death
that denied us our birthright
as citizens of God’s Kingdom.
as citizens of God’s Kingdom.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and Giver of life, and
the Lord and Giver of life, and
the eternal immigrant
from God's Kingdom among us,
from God's Kingdom among us,
who speaks all languages,
lives in all countries, and reunites all races,
lives in all countries, and reunites all races,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
unity in diversity, three-in-one.
We believe in one holy catholic
and apostolic Church,
and apostolic Church,
the communion of saints
across countries and centuries,
across countries and centuries,
made equal by our need for repentance
and our assurance of God’s mercy,
united by our citizenship identity by baptism
in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit,
We look for the coming of the Kingdom of God,
where our passport is Christ’s love,
our bodies are resurrected and healed,
the image of God in all of us is honored,
and all nations and tribes and people
will be reconciled in the place
will be reconciled in the place
where there is no mourning or sadness,
no exile or despair, and
no exile or despair, and
we will be no longer strangers or guests,
but family gathered safely together
in the arms of our Father and
in the arms of our Father and
united at the table of Christ our King.
Amen.
For more examples for how to bring to light, lament, and worship in light of our immigrant and refugee sisters and brothers' plight, check out Emmaus City's denomination's additional helpful sites:
+ CRC Justice Worship Resources
+ Reformed Worship:
God's Eye Is on the Refugee:
A Simple Drama, a Powerful Message
Bonus Posts:
+ Les Mis: Do We Still Love Them?
+ Tattoos on the Heart
Soli Jesu gloria.
Rev. Mike "Sully" Sullivan
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