Kimberly Young moderates a conversation between Rev. James Daniely of Roberts Memorial UMC and Rev. Thomas James of Washington Street UMC as both churches wrap up a study on Ephesians. How does the teaching of the apostle on being “imitators” of God instruct us to live in this present moment?

Worship isn’t simply a time to praise God, it’s a time of preparation that we may go forth to live every moment of every day firmly planted in the promise of whom God has created us to be. Worship is a time of preparation, a time in which we are geared up to stand on the promises of Christ our Savior.

Worship is about having our mind converted to the ways of God. It’s about learning to discern what is of God and what is not. Worship is a time of conversion from the ways of the world to the mind of God.

The apostle makes it abundantly clear that truth-telling, honest-living, up-lifting speech is necessary in the work of maintaining the unity of the community. To get to this level of honesty with one another and with God, we must engage in the holy work of confession. While not always easy, confession allows for the healing that is necessary for authentic and healthy community.

The church was created in unity with its many gifts to function as the body of Christ in the world. Our purpose is to mimic for the world the love of God in Christ, and that means, working with every effort to maintain the unity in which the body was first created.

Prayer is not a one-way conversation, even when you’re by yourself. Prayer is about being in communion with the Lord. In this way, prayer is not just a part of worship, prayer is worship and worship is prayer.

Our society continues to try to find ways to put us at odds against each other, as if binaries are the way of God. The apostle reminds us in Ephesians, that such division is not of God – on the contrary, in Christ, we have a peace that breaks down the divisions and reconciles us as one body in a new creation. This is the peace of Christ.

The change in how we do worship over the past year brings up some necessary questions. How and why do we worship? Can we really worship at home on TV? Can we worship on a big screen at church? This week we begin a look at what constitutes worship, beginning with praise.