Thus, we can conclude that lament is not a regular feature in the worship services of churches on the Mid-Atlantic District. In summary, the research for this project demonstrated that while there is generally a satisfactory understanding of lament among the pastors of this district and an interest in learning more about it, it is not a topic that is regularly addressed in preaching or in practice. This, in spite of the fact that there is a high sense of the need for and value of lament for the people of their congregations. The results of the research were in line with the expectations that were held going into this project. There were no real surprises, though it was encouraging to see that the pastors surveyed had a good fundamental grasp of the essential elements of lament. At first it was somewhat surprising to see responses indicating that lament was a regular practice in their worship experiences given the low number of pastors who offer a service of lament. This anomaly in the numbers is better understood when we view the specific examples given of lament opportunities. The fact that most of these opportunities consisted of sharing and praying for specific requests, points to a narrow and generalized concept of a lament practice. The basic conclusions derived from the research are consistent with expectations. These observations not only give validity to the initial hypothesis of the project, but also demonstrate the need for developing a lament resource for pastors. Certainly there are significant theological and ecclesiological observations to be drawn from the study of lament, and the results of this research project in particular. As determined, the place of lament and openness to lament as a viable spiritual activity is largely dependent upon one's view of God. Our theological assumptions about what is appropriate speech when talking with God are tied to this understanding. For many
Thus, we can conclude that lament is not a regular feature in the worship services of churches on the Mid-Atlantic District. In summary, the research for this project demonstrated that while there is generally a satisfactory understanding of lament among the pastors of this district and an interest in learning more about it, it is not a topic that is regularly addressed in preaching or in practice. This, in spite of the fact that there is a high sense of the need for and value of lament for the people of their congregations. The results of the research were in line with the expectations that were held going into this project. There were no real surprises, though it was encouraging to see that the pastors surveyed had a good fundamental grasp of the essential elements of lament. At first it was somewhat surprising to see responses indicating that lament was a regular practice in their worship experiences given the low number of pastors who offer a service of lament. This anomaly in the numbers is better understood when we view the specific examples given of lament opportunities. The fact that most of these opportunities consisted of sharing and praying for specific requests, points to a narrow and generalized concept of a lament practice. The basic conclusions derived from the research are consistent with expectations. These observations not only give validity to the initial hypothesis of the project, but also demonstrate the need for developing a lament resource for pastors. Certainly there are significant theological and ecclesiological observations to be drawn from the study of lament, and the results of this research project in particular. As determined, the place of lament and openness to lament as a viable spiritual activity is largely dependent upon one's view of God. Our theological assumptions about what is appropriate speech when talking with God are tied to this understanding. For many
EN_Nielson_PRP.docx