I am in the midst of facilitating a team that will be starting a new church service this fall. One of the most difficult things for us has been deciding on a good name. I am humbly requesting assistance from those of you who read this blog (all 4 of you).
Some of the distinctives of this service that may help you in your brain-storming:
- Liturgically-focused worship
- Incorporating both ancient and modern practices
- Authentic, but not hyped, spirituality
- Regularity/consistency combined with creativity/spontaneity
- Valuing silence and quietness
- Valuing the community-at-worship, not just isolated individuals worshiping
- Weekly rhythm of Word and Sacrament (Scripture and Eucharist)
- Participation in mystery rather than explanation of it
- Comfortable with paradox and truth-in-tension
I’ve also been drawn to themes of light and illumination in thinking about this service, our whole lives (good and bad) being brought into the light of God’s presence, which is paradoxically both comforting and blindingly bright, warm but frightening.
So: send me some ideas! You can leave comments, or if you’d like to send me an email, use the link right under my picture on the left. The person who comes up with the best name will receive a brand new car! Just kidding.
pulling from the Psalms… “Selah”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selah
that’s what i’ve got for now…
Okay – liking it, good start. Keep ’em coming!
Awesome Ben, I’m glad to hear about the service. It sounds cool. Some thoughts…
Greek words that might match up with some of your ideas:
Sunago – to gather together
Ekklesia – Church
Epi – means connection
Apo – from, possible coming together
I have some experience naming things like this. I’ve worked with a lutheran church in the area (here in FW) and helped with what they called “The Burning Light”, something similar to what you’re doing, it sounds like.
Let me know if you want another head in the game at some point. I’d love to meet with you and help in any way I can.
Good luck,
Ryan
i have been thinking about light and i like the word incandescent: incandescent lamps have a filament that is heated by an electric current. a filament is a “very slender thread or a threadlike part” and i like the idea that something so fragile (me or you?) could be heated to incadenscence by a seemingly invisible greater source (Jesus)causing a bright and beautiful help in darkness. i have also always liked the word incendiary but it is usually linked with destruction and one of the definitions is “willfully stirring up strife”. ha! i don’t know if you want church to be associated with that! i don’t think i’m helping…
Thanks Ambre. Elton Trueblood wrote a book about the church called “The Incendiary Fellowship”, so the term is not unheard-of in association with the church.
Ryan, I LOVE the name “The Burning Light,” but of course it appears it has been taken, but are they still doing this service? Just wondering. Thanks for the comment.
this is a tough one…i’m out on this for now, I can’t think of anything.
I do like the idea of selah.
Why not “church” or “thinplace” or “contact”
How about… aquifer
I love the aquifer idea, because of what an aquifer is. I also love the ‘thin place’ idea, because of what a thin place is. People might mistake it for a diet center, though. Just kidding. Love the ideas. Thanks.
I also like the word, Canticle…as in, Canticle of the Plains.
Eternal Flame? Many liturgical churches keep a light always burning by the altar – Lev. 6:6.
I like it also because flame or fire is often associated with a fresh move of the Spirit, and of course “eternal” reflects the connection to the church throughout the ages… old and new. 🙂
I like Eternal Flame because its better than anything I have thought of and it encompasses things like celebration and reverence, compassion and majesty and referring to your distinctives: ancient, modern and authentic.
I like the idea of Eternal Flame, too, but unfortunately it is also the name of a Bangles song from 1989.
that’s funny. i went around singing eternal flame in my head after reading this blog last week. 🙂
Oh, no. Bad association I agree… I’m not always up on pop culture stuff. That video was pretty scary!