Location: Craig Chapel, Seminary Hall
Worship in the Borderlands: Welcoming the Stranger in Liturgy and Song
In the face of rising nationalism, fear of the "other," and race hatred, how does worship speak to the spiritual values that shape meaning in this time? As leaders, demonstrating the central tenet of hospitality in the music we sing, the prayers we pray, and the sermons we preach, we reflect and remember the Judeo-Christian heritage that guides and transforms our understanding of "welcoming the stranger," reminding us that we are all strangers in a strange land.
Rev. Lydia E. Muñoz is an Elder in the Eastern Penn Conference and currently serves as the lead pastor of Church of the Open Door in Kennett Square, PA. Open Door is a 15 year old new church start that was developed as an intentionally inclusive and diverse congregation from its inception. She is a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary and is currently working on a Doctorate of Ministry at Drew Theological School focusing on Public Theology. Among her experience developing ministries of justice among marginalized and multicultural communities, Lydia has been involved in leading worship for 20 years in varied and diverse settings, both locally and nationally, including for the World Council of Churches Assembly in South Korea in 2013, the United Methodist General Conference in 2012, and the Festival of Sacred Arts in Falstbo, Sweden. She has a passion for following the Spirit’s lead in the creation of sacred moments and spaces for emergent communities, where together as the gathered we can experience the transformative power of God. Her general rule for worship is that the Church needs to worship and live incarnationally, which means we live what we sing and we sing what we want to live and what we are working to become
