XC Worship

By Ben Wunder, Vanguard

Last Sunday evening, Benjamin led worship. Here, he reflects on that experience:

Salutem! Greetings! I know it’s a bit unorthodox, but I have a quiz for y’all. When it’s 11 below with a light snow, what can one possibly do outside as an act of worship? Oh and by the way, it’s 7 PM and completely dark with the exception of the moon. Archery? Paddle boarding? High ropes? Well, not quite. What actually occurred was an awesome (yes, Mom, I said the “A” word even though I didn’t correlate it with God…sorry 🙂 ) night with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ while cross country skiing! These brave souls gathered at HoneyRock’s Ski Shack at 7 to get fitted for skis, poles and boots, then listened intently as Evan instructed how to push, glide and fall.

Since I was leading worship that night, I chose to conduct a prayer-ski, much like a prayer walk. After I read a passage from Matthew 18:20, we were off! God was definitely watching over us, much like when the moon illuminated the entire trip. Evan and I chose four separate spots to stop and pray with partners. After praising God for his awesome (better, Mom?) works in creation, we laid everything down at His feet and prayed until we got too cold. Each time we stopped to pray, I suggested that we switch partners to ensure diversity and new material.

After returning to camp quite cold and tired, I couldn’t help but notice the level of relaxation on everyone’s faces. If they were feeling the same way I was, it was a sense of deep peace. There’s nothing better than witnessing the natural beauty of God’s handiwork while releasing pent-up energy and frustrations at the same time. This, along with showing others that worship isn’t just singing praises to the Almighty but can be expressed in many other ways, is what gives me my motivation. God put us on Earth for a very good reason, and exploring that reason while in his presence is the best we can do for now. Vale et gratias tibi!!

One Comment on “XC Worship

  1. Now, that is an act of worship not many of us have tried. What a wonderful way to worship God in the Northwoods!

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