Taize services help participants focus on what they believe

September 14, 2002

By CHRISTOPHER R. WILLIAMS
of the Journal Star

PEORIA- Karin and Jacquie Spaulding say they are spiritually replenished after experiencing Taize.

"The Taize is great. I can feel all the stress draining from me," said Karin Spaulding as she shared coffee and cookies with a group at First Presbyterian Church of Peoria, 2400 Northmoor Road, after a recent Taize, which is pronounced "tay-zay," a meditative, prayerful rite.

The mother and daughter sat, prayed and chanted before an altar lit with opulent white candles and adorned with a portrait of Jesus Christ, a cross and flowers.

"I really get a lot out of the (Taize) service. It helps me to cope with the goings-on of everyday life," Jacquie Spaulding said. "I carry the (Taize) with me. The prayers and chants follow me wherever I go."

Each fourth Thursday, the Rev. Ellen Nolte offers the Taize service, called an intimate relationship or an experience of communion with Christ.

The ecumenical service consists of repetitive prayers and personal reflections on one hand, and an experience of communion and solidarity among people on the other. It's a stress-reliever for many more.

"The service is one of healing and has proven to be helpful to others," Nolte said.

"Sometimes we have only five and other times about 15 or more. It does prove to help in healing," said Nolte after reflecting on her August service, where she led the Spauldings and 30 others gathered at her church's sanctuary.

Vicki Enderby of Dunlap said the Taize meditations and chants help her as she deals with the stresses of her job in a Peoria insurance underwriting department.

"I look forward to Taize. It's a time to let go of all my worldly events and spend time meditating on God and Jesus Christ, you know, meditating on what is really important," Enderby said. "The Taize is something that follows me for several weeks."

Once the Taize prayer has begun, there are no technical announcements, explanations or interruptions, Nolte said.

The meditative worship, which takes about 45 minutes, includes chants and songs sung between scripture readings.

Nolte says she began local Taize services after her initial experience at one the day after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"I'll never forget it. That service was a large gathering in a Gothic church. There were several hundred people in attendance. The service was very dramatic, powerful and moving. It was something I wanted to bring back to our church," Nolte said.

The Origin of Taize

The Taize movement began under trying circumstances.

In 1940, Brother Roger left his native Switzerland to live in France. For years he had been an invalid, suffering from tuberculosis. During that long illness, the call had taken shape in him to create a community where simplicity and kind-heartedness would be lived out as essential Gospel realities.

When World War II started, Brother Roger had the conviction that he should begin at once to offer prayers to people in difficult straits.

The small village of Taize, where he settled, was close to the demarcation line that divided France in half, and so was well-situated to be a place of welcome for refugees fleeing the war.

Brother Roger purchased a small house in Taize that had been uninhabited for years. A few brothers joined him later, and they had begun a prayer life together that continued in Taize.

Gradually, other young men from various origins and countries arrived and joined the Taize group.

Easter Sunday 1949, a group of men committed themselves to Taize, including a life of celibacy, material and spiritual sharing and the simple life.

Today, the Taize Community in the French town is made up of more than 100 brothers from Catholic and Protestant backgrounds from more than 25 countries.

A universal prayer service

Nolte says Taize is a harmonious way to provide a universal way for anyone to worship, but it focuses on praise for Jesus Christ and God.

"We decorate our sanctuary with very little. We use a cross, a portrait of Jesus Christ, candles and flowers," Nolte said.

The lighting is subdued, not glaring. The participants pray and chant while sitting on chairs, she said.

As the participants entered the church's sanctuary, Nolte welcomed them, giving them a prayer sheet and a Taize booklet as she invited them to come forward and be seated.

"I hope that everyone remains focused on the sanctuary, with no distractions," Nolte said.

Those taking part in a recent Taize sat in meditative silence for periods of five to 10 minutes.

Short prayers of petition or acclamation were delivered, sustained by singing.

"These prayers enable us to celebrate all that God is doing for all of us," Nolte said.

After the oral petitions or acclamations are finished, Nolte leaves time for those gathered to pray spontaneously in silence.

"These spontaneous prayers are brief and addressed to Christ. At the end of the service, we begin singing or praying or reflecting on the scriptures provided at the service," Nolte said.

The Labyrinth walk

The Rev. Carolyn Weber of the First Presbyterian Church of Oneida Weber says she adopted the Taize services nearly eight years ago when she attended seminary in San Francisco.

"The chaplain had us perform and sing Taize music," said Weber.

"At that time, we would move from church to church. We would have a Taize service in a Catholic church, a Protestant church, a Presbyterian church and a seminary," Weber said.

"The whole Taize experience helps clears the mind. The Taize and the Labyrinth walk helps your spirit be able to grow deeper, deeper and deeper to commune with God," Weber said.

Unlike Nolte's Taize service, Weber encourages the participants to come pray around a wooden cross placed near the head of the sanctuary.

"The participants, if they are able, kneel or lay their heads on the cross," Weber said.

"The prayers around the cross has had a profound affect on me. When I lay my head on the cross it feels like a vacuum cleaner sucking away all my burdens," Weber said.

The church offers a Taize service every fourth Sunday of the month, with live worship, Gospel readings, silent reflection and prayers around a cross, modeled after the worship of the French community.

The next service is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 22.

"After Taize service, people walk silently out to the Labyrinth," said Weber, who noted the structure is lit with torches. "We generally allow participants to walk as long as they want, reflecting on the Taize."