Bilingual Worship - Sometimes Awkward, but Always a Gift

We have set aside this Sunday to pray for the people of Ukraine. In doing this, we in no way minimize or ignore the suffering cause by war and violence in other areas of the world.  As is written, “when one member of the body suffers, we all suffer.”  

Our focus on Ukraine stems from associations and friendships that have developed since we offered the first English-Ukrainian Conversation Circle in 2022. As the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East continue to cause suffering and breed division, we want to stand together with Ukrainian members and friends of our congregation and pray for peace and God’s intervention for what seems impossible at the moment. 

The liturgy will take on a bilingual flavor and include readings and prayers in both Ukrainian and English. We have invited our homegrown Družba ensemble to participate in worship. They will join our choir in singing the hymn, “If You but Trust in God to Guide You” - ELW 769.  Our Offertory Hymn - the Taizé chant - Laudate Omnes Gentes  has lyrics in both English and transliterated Ukrainian. This will make it easier for us to join in.

Of course, singing is harder when we don’t know the pronunciation of words. That is why we will have a quick practice of transliterated Ukrainian at the beginning of the service. So do plan to come a few minutes early. We may still feel awkward as we stumble over the words. But if you stop and think for a minute, this is the weekly experience of non-native speakers in our congregation. When we humble ourselves to sing in the language of another, we identify with the sufferings of others, writes Jaewoo Kim, a multi-cultural worship leader and songwriter. This softens our hearts and encourages “tender affection and sympathy” (Philippians 2:1, NRSV). 

“To sing in the language of non-native speakers is an exercise in mutuality: It moves us away from a posture that reflects a need to “sing our songs” to one that demonstrates greater openness, saying, ‘Let’s sing each other’s songs.’”

We sing in other languages not only for the sake of others, but for ourselves. Pastor Sandra Van Opstal calls this “mutuality.” Receiving the gifts of others communicates “We need you.”

I am looking forward to our bilingual worship this Sunday, when we will have the chance to experience a taste of the grand, heavenly multilingual worship envisioned in the book of Revelation:

“After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9). 

Image: in the Public Domain. This art from the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome may depict either the heavenly banquet or an agape feast.