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TAIZÉ WORSHIP
“Prayer is a serene force at work within human beings, stirring them up, transforming them, never allowing them to close their eyes in the face of evil, or wars, of all that threatens the weak of this world. From it we draw energy to wage other struggles – to enable our loved ones to survive, to transform the human condition, to make the earth a place fit to live in.”
- Brother Roger of Taizé
Taizé (pronounced tah-ZAY) is a monastic community in southeastern France. It was founded in 1940 with the mission of healing the divisions between Christians and within the human family. The community seeks to create an environment where reconciliation could become a concrete reality every day. It is an ecumenical community, which includes 100 brothers from over twenty different countries. Thousands of Christian people from all over the world, young and old, gather at Taizé every week to pray, to search, to sing, and to find refreshment and renewal. The Taizé service is marked by its depth and by its simplicity. It lasts for about an hour and consists mostly of singing with periods of silent meditation, prayers of intercession, and with readings from the book of Psalms and Gospels. The songs are not meant to be sung as hymns, but rather as a series of prayers. Some are sung in Latin and others in English. They are repeated many times over transforming themselves into melodic chants and mesmerizing mantras. The hope is that the repetitiveness will be helpful in not only learning the words and music, but also in allowing the songs to become prayers of the heart. Time is suspended in a Taizé service. Silence is a central part of this service and is a gift to those leading busy, hectic lives. It provides an opportunity to commune with God through the heart and bring a measure of peace to one’s mind and spirit, and to find refreshment and renewal. The next scheduled Taizé Service is November 30, 2008, 4:00pm in the FCC Sanctuary.
Advent Taize Prayer services on December 4 & 11 at 7:00pm around the Labyrinth.
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