Tag Archive - worship life

Curious about Lent and Holy Week?

March 21, 2011 in Creative Stuff, Worship Leading with 0 Comments

According to the church calendar, as of March 9, 2011, we have entered into the season of Lent which leads to one of the most anticipated and celebrated holidays of Christians around the world – that of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, also known as Easter.

Are you curious about what these holidays are about? Maybe you’ve heard of them, but wonder how some of this related to the expression of evangelical and protestant faith. Maybe you’re a worship leader/pastor, and wondering how you can incorporate some of these things into the worship life of the church you serve.

Well, in order to provide a resource for you, and partially because of the season of transition I’m in I won’t be heavily involved in planning special times together this year, I’ve collected a number of links that I hope will be helpful. I know they have been so to me.

(This appear in no particular order of anything…)

What Every Christian Should Know about Ash Wednesday

Holy Days: Ash Wednesday and Lent
This article has lots of background information and practical suggestions.

TeamBuilder: Instrumental Worship and Lent

An example of a Good Friday Community Service

Why Ash Wednesday

Additionally, the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship website offers a number of examples of Ash Wednesday service orders. Head to their resource page, and type “Ash Wednesday” in the search box.

Lent 2009
A candid and personal discussion about the application of the Lent season.

The OpenSourcebook site offers a number of readings and adaptable service ideas appropriate for the various parts of the season:
Ash Wednesday
Lent
Holy Week
Palm Sunday
Good Friday
Easter Sunday

Here are a few posts I’ve done:
Exploring the Journey of Lent
Why Good Friday, Part 1
Why Good Friday, Part 2
Good Friday Service Ideas

Or maybe you would prefer a ink and paper book. I recommend the following two books, which cover the entire Christian year:
Living the Christian Year by Bobby Gross
Ancient Future Time by Robert Webber

Finally, if you’re involved with worship planning, this is worth reading:
Easter Planning – Things I’d Do Differently

Let me know of other links that should be a part of the list, and I will be sure to add them.

When the Singing Stops…

September 15, 2009 in Worship with 2 Comments

worship01_largeImagine this scenario with me…you’ve arrived at the church building for a Sunday morning service. You’ve made your way in and found a seat. The service begins as usual with a welcome and announcements about important things. Perhaps you hear a missionary share about the work they are doing. Maybe there is a video conveying a spiritual concept. Then the music starts. You’re invited to stand with everyone else as the leader encourages you to express praise through singing. You’re singing along with the words that declare the truth of who Jesus is, and then it happens. The words disappear off the screen, and there is just music playing. What do you do now?

In our modern gatherings where the same types of things happen regularly and we know the routine, it can be hard to know what to do in those “free” moments. Our natural tendency is to look around, wonder what’s going to happen next, or think about where you’re going to eat lunch. Continue Reading…