Last month I had the opportunity to attend the Interprovincial Ministers Convocation in Maryland. During my time there, I was able to worship with Moravian ministers from all over the country in a worship space unlike any I had experienced before. This was my first time worshipping in a silo. The ceiling was transparent, allowing light from the sky to shine down into the space. The walls were lined with a pew built into the side of the building which allowed folks to sit in a circle facing one another. Some of the pastors from Florida and Washington led us in singing simple choruses as a few of us accompanied them on guitars. The acoustics in this room were amazing, and it was inspiring to hear the voices of so many different pastors representing so many congregations together at the same time.
Upon reflecting on my experience, I began to wonder what worshiping in a silo could mean theologically. What does it mean to worship in a space that is designed to store grain? What does this say about how worship at our church can impact our lives? What does it really mean to look at our worship space the way we look at a silo? For one thing, silos store grain so that it can be preserved to use at a later time. Perhaps this speaks to the ability of worship to preserve our faith as well. By attending worship on a regular basis, we are able to keep our faith life fresh and renewed so that times of great hardship we will have some reserves to call upon. Of course, worship isn’t just about us. We don’t worship God for our own sake alone, but we do so as an act of thanksgiving. We worship as an act of gratitude for all God continues to do in and through our lives. Silos are filled with grain, with useful resources that are important for sustaining life. As we fill God’s house as human grain, may we be reminded that all beings are important to God. We are all capable of sharing life-giving spiritual nutrients to others, and the God who preserves us also calls upon us to feed those who are hungry.
-Pastor Adam
