Huff’s Union Church, Hereford Township, has begun an informal worship service on the third Sunday of each month called Manna.
What is Manna? A group of Huff’s Church members had been seeking a more vibrant way to worship. Inspired by the Mid Atlantic Regional Youth Events and the National Youth Events held by the UCC, and visits to local congregations with contemporary worship services, a multi-age group formed to create something that would be Huff’s unique contribution to modern worship. Encouraged by a congregational revitalization group, called The Renaissance Team (convened by Paul Ritter) and a worship survey taken on Easter Sunday of this year, Danielle and Dylan Bortz, Julie Brought, Gary Moll, Lydia Seip, Breanna Watkins, Suzanne and Robert Arner formed a multi-generational team to create a new worship experience.
The first question was how to describe what they were planning.
“So many people think they know what a contemporary or an alternate worship service is,” says one of the group leaders, Suzanne Arner. “Those terms are used loosely. We wanted to design something that honored the ELCA and UCC traditions, but that would be relevant to a modern audience. We wanted to be open to experimentation, and provide spiritual bread for the journey. The word, “Manna” was uttered by the Israelites in the desert when the bread appeared. We all thought manna meant bread, so it surprised us when we learned that manna actually meant ‘What is it?’ We knew this word with a double meaning was our title. We hope people will ask, “What is it?” and come experience Manna worship for themselves. We also hope Manna will become their bread for their everyday experiences and for their faith journey.”
“Huff’s Church has been very supportive of Manna,” says Pastor Jane Kropa. “When Suzanne came to Huff’s governing body, Union Council, on behalf of the worship team that wished to develop this service, she presented a detailed description of what the service would offer, including their graphic of a loaf of bread with a cross. After many questions, Union Council was pleased that the group had done a good job of planning a worship service that would be an exciting addition to the two traditional worship services which Huff’s already is offering.”
Meeting since June, the Manna service attracts around forty persons, with a variety of ages represented. Baked by Minerva Arner, a unique element to the service is the small round pieces of bread, also called Manna, which are offered to the congregation as they leave worship. The bread represents a bit of physical bread to augment the spiritual nourishment they have received in Manna worship. The worship service features contemporary Christian music, a message by Pastor Kropa, and time for discussion and reflection. The service is primarily lay led, with Pastor Kropa providing the message and assisting with the planning and scriptural background .
“You can feel the energy,” says one attendee; another says, “This is the one service that nearly brings me to tears whenever I attend.”
Everyone invited to worship with us at Manna on the third Sunday of each month.
