Church: Building? Body? Both?

I'm taking a seminary class entitled "The Worshipping Church" about intentional worship planning, thoughtful worship theology, and worship that is about giving God glory. My professor likened the goal of worship to his experience of seeing Slumdog Millionaire (which I saw today- powerful). Dr. Olson said he left Slumdog still wrestling with the images and ideas...he was uncomfortable but changed. It has made me think of the times I leave church thinking of what I got out of it, what I "liked". Instead, the goal of worship is to GIVE glory to God and then to leave challenged, changed, but not necessarily comfortable. The worship experience should stay with us outside the church building.

Which is another thought provoking thing going on in my head. (I have these thoughts often in the still-er moments of my day...usually while driving or feeding Andi- see why they never get to the computer...there aren't computers in those locales!)

The thought is church: is it a building or a body of people who believe?
My answer: both.

Followers of God have almost always had some sort of physical space for gathering and encountering the Divine: the tabernacle, temple, synagogue, and home church are Biblical examples. The current culture of church buildings is much different from the originals but I think maintains some necessary and powerful purposes. The church building in no way contains God. However, it is a representative space of what worship calls us to: holy ground (See Moses' encounter with the burning bush). A sacred, special, and separate place where we come to meet with God. The building is a place to discipline our bodies and minds, a place to house objects that help us engage the story (the altar, communion elements, chapels for prayer etc..). There is something about going to a place that establishes a rhythm by which we are shaped over a "life-time of Sundays"-(Mike Graves).

However, the church exists outside the building. The church is the people of God gathered in the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The church the body fulfills the work of the Kingdom every day in every space (ideally? hopefully?). As a body, the church is diverse and unified, gifted, called, and commissioned.

My sister is getting married in April- they are going to be married in a church,and with their church. They are getting married in Colorado, in a church building they found that fit their size and geographic desires, but with which they have no connection. They want to get married in a church building because they want to covenant with God in a symbolic, sacred space. A space that generates an experience of God's presence and calls forth human respect and awe of the God who comes to join them together.

They are also getting married with their church. Their community of fellow Jesus followers is coming to Colorado. Their church, the body of believers, will be invited to journey to gather with them, to witness, pledge support, and celebrate their union. This body church will gather with God, in God, and because of God so that the wedding will give glory to God.

I'm excited to learn more about worship (one interesting thing I want to explore is how to involve and invite children into worship at a young age)
and I'm excited for Laura and James to get married!

And here are some photos of the fam.