multimedia

In our culture "multimedia" is usually a good thing. The use of multiple forms of media is intended to make the content exciting and interesting.

But the use of multimedia is fraught with peril. I recently tried to use a video clip as part of my sermon. We loaded it in the computer an hour before the start of the worship service, hit "play", and everything seemed to be working fine. It wasn't until 5 minutes before the start of worship that I noticed that the action in the video was happening a little too fast. We discovered that our presentation software was playing the video at 2x for no apparent reason (it was a kind of "artsy" production so the projectionist assumed it was supposed to look that way). A workaround was suggested and put in place without the time to test it out. When it was time for the sermon, the workaround didn't work and I had to scrap the video.

But technical glitches aren't the only problem with multimedia. What makes cars or electronic gadgets or clothes or shampoo look exciting and interesting on TV doesn't necessarily work the same way for people. In fact, when my kids are all yelling at me and shoving things in my face I'm getting a kind of multimedia show that can only be described as annoying at best and downright irritating most of the time.

Worship is about persons, God and us. And multimedia isn't always the best way to get to know a person. We learn about another person through conversation over a good cup of Peet's (I'm trying not to be a shill for Starbuck's) or by taking a nice long walk together. The give and take of conversation, and even the times of silent shared journeying, are important for interpersonal relationships. We learn each other's rhythms and moods and there's a physicality and tempo to the relationship that's more than just downloading data from one digital repository of information to another. There is no USB 2.0 for relationships, either with each other or with God.

So I'm not concerned that our worship service have the latest and greatest presentation software or sound system or other medium for communication. Personal communication is best when it's the least mediated by technology. What's more important is that the persons are as engaged as possible in each other. Which reminds me that when I show up for worship, God is always there first, waiting and attentive and loving. My experience of worship is best when I reciprocate.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10