Dance for Jesus

a.m. Community of Hope UMC, Mansfield, Texas
Frankly I chose to attend this morning because their Dance Ministry was leading in worship. Now that’s out of my box.

The first thing I noticed was the phrase, "Celebration Guides." Not bulletins (announcements), not “Order of Worship” (structure), but a guide for the celebration.

Next, the dress was casual – not business casual, but real life casual. Those in attendance looked as though they were chosen at random from the local mall. One student made his entrance all the way down one aisle via a skateboard during a worship song. It wasn’t disruptive. He wasn’t “making an entrance.” It was contextual and natural. He joined the other youth on the first few rows, and then joined in the celebration.

The worship atmosphere was an extension of the leadership. From the Worship Leader through each member of the Praise Band they modeled authentic worship in their experience right before our eyes. Two keys: spontaneity and fluidity.

The use of a couple of video clips related to today’s theme was promising, but didn’t deliver much beyond a working title for the message.

The two highlights of an exceptional experience were the three dance elements spaced throughout the service and the six year old boy who paused while entering the row where we were seated to say, “Welcome.”