GATHER IN SILENCE “Caught in the anonymous Taizé Worship rhythms of schedules and Be reconciled all you who time-tables men and Williamsburg United Methodist Church women of today are implic- enter here: parent, child, March 11, 2012 — 7:00 PM — Chapel husband, wife, partner, itly thirsting for an essential believers, non-believers, reality, for an inner life. GATHER IN SILENCE fellow Christians and all Nothing is more conducive God’s people. to a communion with the MUSIC living God than a medita- Before you enter the Chapel The Lord is My Light--36 tive common prayer with, pick up a copy of the order Sing Praise and Bless the Lord—35 as its high point, singing of worship and a Taizé that never ends -- that con- songbook at the welcome Psalm 19:14 tinues in the silence of one’s heart when one is alone table. As you enter notice Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart again. When the mystery of the votive candles available be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. to you on the table to your God becomes tangible right. Feel free to light a through the simple beauty candle and place it any- A Prayer of symbols, when it is not where on the altar. Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of thee. smothered by too many Thou only knowest what I need. I simply present myself before words, then prayer with You may light a candle in thee. I open my heart to thee. Behold my needs which I know not others, far from exuding honor or in memory of a myself. Smite or heal, depress me or raise me up. I adore all thy monotony and boredom, loved one, as a tangible purposes without knowing them. I am silent. I offer myself in awakens us to heaven’s joy on earth.” sign of God’s presence, as a sacrifice. I yield myself to thee. I would have no other desire than symbol of your love of to accomplish thy will. Teach me to pray. Pray thyself in me. Christ, as a prayer for THE VALUE OF SILENCE someone who needs it, as a Francois Fénelon request for forgiveness. “When we try to express Light a candle for whatever MUSIC communion with God in reason suits your spiritual Nothing Can Trouble--29 words, we rapidly reach the needs this day. end of our capacities. But, in the depths of our being, Living in the Silence After you have placed your Christ is praying far more candle on the altar, you Living in the silence does not mean ceasing to speak. than we imagine. Com- may sit in a pew or on the Rather, it is an inner posture of prayer in which I allow space pared to that hidden prayer floor near the altar. Wor- for God's heart to become incarnate in my heart. of Christ in us, our explicit ship begins with singing. Thad Rutter Jr. praying dwindles to almost nothing. This is why silence Feel free to sing the songs Galatians 5:1 is so essential in discovering even if you don’t know the the heart of prayer. Al- Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! music. Each song will be though God never stops repeated several times so Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. trying to communicate with that all may learn the melo- us, God never wants to dies quickly and easily. MUSIC impose anything on us. Bless the Lord--9 Often God’s voice comes in All may sing the melody or a whisper or in a breath of any of the harmonies SILENCE silence. printed in the songbook. The period of silence is about 10 minutes. Sing the music with a gen- Remaining in silence in tle voice and soft spirit. God’s presence, open to the INTERCESSORY PRAYERS Blend your voice with the Spirit, is already prayer. It is After each prayer is read, please sing “O Lord Hear by Prayer”-20 people around you. Sing not a matter of trying to with humility in order to obtain inner silence by fol- make room for the pres- O Lord, Hear My Prayer lowing a method that cre- ence of the Holy Spirit. Lord our God, as evening falls and the light disappears, ates an emptiness within. receive our prayer. The important thing is to Follow the order of worship have a childlike attitude of as printed in the center of trust by which we allow this tract, on both sides. O Lord, Hear My Prayer Christ to pray within us Remember: at no time dur- God our Father, you look upon us with compassion. silently. Then, one day we ing the service should any- will discover that the one pray out loud, talk, Receive our prayer. depths of our being are whisper or offer personal inhabited by a Presence.” intercessions. Only assigned O Lord, Hear My Prayer communicants will read God our Father, you take upon yourself our burdens. --Brother Roger, founder of aloud the scriptures and Fill us with your peace. the Ecumenical Community readings during worship. in Taizé, France. Each week we will follow Although we do not offer this same worship pattern “pure” Taizé worship which O Lord, Hear My Prayer except with new prayers, includes many languages scriptures and readings. God our Father, in silence we are led to you. sung and spoken, we have However, we will sing many Sustain us by your Word. assembled many of the of the same songs and most familiar Taizé songs learn a few new ones as we O Lord, Hear My Prayer and prayers that best repre- progress through Lent. sent the Taizé community. Jesus, our brother, you are with all who suffer. These songs and prayers During the weeks ahead we Sustain us by your Word. are those used in many may be joined by various Protestant churches instrumentalists. These O Lord, Hear My Prayer throughout the U.S., includ- musicians will add simple ing and especially United elaborations to the songs God our Father, you love is all we need. Methodist Churches. we sing. However, they are Welcome us and all those you have entrusted to us. not considered soloists. Like As we explore this deeply you, they are humble par- O Lord, Hear My Prayer spiritual form of worship, ticipants in worship. God’s people may discover God our Father, kindle a new brightness in our night. that silence can be integral The selected scriptures May your light shine upon us. to worship, just as sermons, come from the Hebrew choirs, corporate prayers Testament, the Gospel, and O Lord, Hear My Prayer and creeds are integral to the Epistle. Other readings traditional forms of wor- are specific to Lent, quoted THE LORD'S PRAYER ship. It is in the beauty and from issues of “The Upper All present may say the following prayer together: simplicity of Taizé music Room” and “An African and its prayers for peace Prayer Book.” The interces- Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. and reconciliation that we sory prayers were written Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. can more easily allow si- by Brother Roger, founder Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, lence to play a vital role in of the Taizé community. as we forgive those who trespass against us. our spiritual lives. Silence allows God to reveal the And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, “Our faith begins and ends mystery of the Holy Spirit in worship. Yet, so often our for Thine is the Kingdom and the power through Christ. worship can be submerged and the glory forever. Amen. in a welter of instruction, LEAVE IN SILENCE edification, and moral ex- MUSIC hortation. In many churches In the Lord I’ll Be Ever Thankful--47 Be reconciled all you who there is little opportunity leave from this place: par- for corporate, quiet, spiri- CLOSING PRAYER ent, child, husband, wife, tual reflection, and focusing partner, believers, non- on God who speaks to us in Together, all present may say the following prayer: believers, fellow Christians the silence of our hearts.” and all God’s people. Lord of light, help me to know that you are also Lord of night. --Brother Roger, founder And by your choice when all is dark and still and stark, Taizé Community As you leave the Chapel in you use your voice. silence, carry with you the Reading scripture is a way by Harry Alfred Wigget from “Night Silence” prayers that you prayed, of going to “the inexhausti- and let them echo in your ble well-spring by which heart in the days and weeks God gives himself to thirst- to come. When you return ing human beings” home, feel free to sing the --Origen, 3rd century A.D. songs you learned in this service. You may sing these The Bible is a “letter from You may leave in silence or stay out loud or you may sing God to creatures” that en- to continue your dialogue with Christ. them in the silence of your ables them “to discover own heart. God’s heart in God’s words” During the week ahead, for --Gregory the Great the sake of your soul, make 6th century A. D. time for periods of silence so that you may discover Taizé music might be most what God may be saying to familiar to United Method- you.