I grew up at a time when all the best toys and games that have ever been created were brand spankin’ new.  Okay, I may be somewhat biased here, but who can deny that Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, Etch-a-Sketch, Operation, and MouseTrap were among the most exceptional! But the toy with which my brother and I played the longest was our set of Hot Wheels. We spent hours laying out the orange track in our basement, creating huge jumps and loop da loops, and finding ways to propel our cars faster and faster without these same cars careening off the track.

After we had had our set for a couple of years, we discovered an accessory that totally revolutionized our Hot Wheels experience.  That accessory was the Turbo Booster! I’m not exactly sure whether Mattel, the toy manufacturer, actually referred to it as the Turbo Booster, but we did because it was the coolest thing ever!  The Turbo Booster was placed at some point in the track where the cars would naturally be slowing down.  As the cars entered the battery-driven Turbo Booster, two little rubberized wheels would grab the car, accelerate the car, and send it shooting down the next span of track. Our Hot Wheels race track creations were revolutionized by the Turbo Booster.

Each Sunday, we Christians are encouraged to come to church for worship. For me, worship is akin to the Turbo Booster in its ability to grab us, motivate us, and propel us back into the world and into our lives.  I don’t know about you, but by the time Sunday rolls around each week, I am plum worn out.  Our lives can often be difficult, the world can be exhausting, and if we lack something to keep us going, we may become worn-out and bitter, unable to receive and extend the abundant life that God has in store for us.

But, ah, worship!  When done well, it connects us to both God and each other.  It reminds us of who God is, who we are, and how very much God loves each and every one of us.  Our worship is an expression of gratitude for all that God has afforded us, and when we give everything we are into our worship, God is glorified.  And beyond all that is the ability of worship to propel us back into the world.  Our deacon speaks for all of us when she says, “Our worship is over; now our service begins.  Let us go forth into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Spirit!”

For two more Sundays, we will be offering an Instructed Eucharist at our 10am service. It is our hope that as we learn more about its theology and practice, our worship will become more robust and pleasing to God.  And having given our all in worship, our hope is that we may all be turbo boosted agents of God’s love in this beautiful but broken world.

~Father Art