Religion Commons^™

Leading Worship In A Post-Christian, Low-Biblical Literacy Age: Practical Lessons From Church History About The Catechetical Dimensions Of Worship, Gerald L. Sittser

Symposium on Worship Archive

When we gather for worship, we long to have many people present who do not yet know the Bible well. We also long to have life-long worshipers, including our children and youth, come to know the Bible well. How can worship be led in ways that embrace these goals, in ways that foster greater love for and knowledge of God’s word? How can church history challenge us to imagine very practical ways of shaping warm, instructive, life-giving worship practices?

Prayer Around The Cross: Unpacking The Liturgies, Susan Briehl, Tom Witte

Symposium on Worship Archive

Discover the shape and essential elements of this meditative form of prayer akin to the practices Taizé, Iona, and Holden Village, a center for renewal in Washington State. Explore both musical and liturgical resources and imagine how to incorporate or create such liturgies in your setting. Participants in this workshop are encouraged to attend the Vesper/Prayer Service at 4:15 on Thursday or Friday, led by Susan Briehl and Tom Witt, before attending this workshop.

The Multicultural Dance: Its Implications For Christian Worship, Fernando A. Cascante-Gómez

Symposium on Worship Archive

Using the imagery of "dancing" and based on the encounter of Jesus with the Syrophoenician woman as presented in the gospel of Mathew, participants in this workshop will be able to distinguish three steps to follow for relating with people from other cultural/ethnic backgrounds. Together we will discern some conceptual and practical implications of those steps when it comes to planning and implementing worship in a multicultural context.

The Most Important Word In Preaching, Mike Graves Phd

Symposium on Worship Archive

Since the inception of the New Homiletic in the 1970s, preachers have been experimenting with inductive and narrative forms of preaching, thanks to the likes of Fred Craddock and Eugene Lowry. The idea is for sermons to engage people, create an experience of the biblical text. In recent years, however, some critics have noted a lack of biblical exposition among narrative preachers, and this at a time of biblical and theological illiteracy among congregations. In this interactive workshop we will explore the tension and talk about what may be the most important word in preaching, narrative, or otherwise.

Worshiping A Christ Who Is Hard To Know, Cornelius Plantinga Jr.

Symposium on Worship Archive

In the gospels, Jesus seems to answer questions people did not ask. He abruptly switches topics. He unexpectedly falls silent. He exalts babies. He had to heal one man in two stages because he didn’t get it quite right at first. He needs to pray all the time. Frankly put, like his Father, Jesus Christ can be known but he is also hard to know. With this stubborn fact in mind, how shall we worship him?

Abraham Kuyper's Surprisingly Relevant Theology Of Liturgy, John D. Witvliet

Symposium on Worship Archive

Before Abraham Kuyper became a university leader and prime minister, he was a church historian and pastor. He wrote copiously and passionately about many topics, including both the devotional and liturgical dimension of worship. His writing offers much to challenge and deepen our own experience of worship, exploring how we can imagine heaven as we worship, how we can elicit sincere worship, and how we can perceive God’s action in and through worship. Come ready to think theologically and to leave with a set of sparkling quotations to provoke discussions in your ministry contexts back home.

Prayer Around The Cross For The Healing Of The Nations: A Candlelight Liturgy Of Scripture, Silence, And Simple Song, Calvin Institute Of Christian Worship, Susan Briehl, Tom Witte

Symposium on Worship Archive

Join us for this contemplative evening prayer service, set in the darkness, as we gather around a large map of the world, with the cross—our Tree of Life—at its center, to pray for nations, places, and peoples in need of healing, hope, and peace. Note: Workshop C6, Prayer around the Cross: Unpacking the Liturgies is being offered to help participants think about how to offer these kind of liturgies in their own setting.

"We've Come This Far By Faith:" Our Story, Our Song, Calvin Institute Of Christian Worship, Emmett G. Price Iii, James Abbington

Symposium on Worship Archive

This Vesper/Prayer Service will feature the inspiring prayers, songs, and readings from the African American worship tradition past and present.

Telling Stories In Worship: Principles And Practices, Eric Mathis

Symposium on Worship Archive

This workshop will focus on telling stories in worship as well as the principles that shape and sustain this important worship leadership practice. While students will provide examples and discuss their own experiences with story-telling, workshop participants will be given the opportunity to practice their story telling skills as well as gather valuable resources for future planning and learning in their communities of faith.

Seven Streams Of 21st Century Congregational Song: Skills For Leading The People's Song In A Musically Multilingual World, Michael Hawn, James Abbington, William N. Heard, Jorge Lockward, Emmett G. Price Iii, Martin Tel

Symposium on Worship Archive

The last forty years has not only featured a profusion of new congregational songs, but also a profusion in new types and styles of congregational song. Musicians are increasingly called to be adept at leading quite different types of songs—as well as working collaboratively to empower others to do so. This seminar will present a clear, vivid description of seven streams of congregational song, and provide practical tools and examples for the unique kinds of leadership skills needed for music in each stream to enliven singing in your community.

Singing The Creeds, Miranda Dodson

Symposium on Worship Archive

Together we will discuss the Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed and examine a few musical versions of each. Creeds, by nature were not written to be sung and therefore lack essential musical elements, which make the singing creeds word-for-word not only impractical, but nearly impossible! However, the aim of this workshop is to explore combining the powerful proclamations of creeds with the soul-stirring unity of song to enrich congregational and personal worship.

Psalm-Surfing, Graham Kendrick

Symposium on Worship Archive

Can we engage in sung worship together without knowing the songs, without a song-list or chord charts, using 100% God-inspired words, while being responsive to the Holy Spirit and creatively and musically adventurous all at the same time? I say yes! Come and see if you agree.

Eve’S Two Sons: A Case Study For Biblical Drama In Worship, Jeff Barker

Symposium on Worship Archive

Barker is collaborating with Thomas Boogaart (Professor of Old Testament at Western Theological Seminary) on a Bible study guide: A New Way to Study the Old Book. The Cain and Abel story is one biblical drama the guide explores; this workshop includes three very different performances of the Genesis text.

Fresh And New, Tried And True: A Session On Hymn-Based Piano Collections For Worship, Norma De Waal Malefyt

Symposium on Worship Archive

This session will explore the best in both newly published music and the golden publications of the recent past for use in preludes, offertories and postludes. Particular attention will be given to music based on songs and hymns in Lift Up Your Hearts.

Story And Worship, Jeff Barker

Symposium on Worship Archive

Every church has wonderful stories—that are not being told. Barker, author of The Storytelling Church, encourages the church with reasons and ways to tell its story. His Northwestern College students will bring life to his presentation with biblical storytelling (solo and groups), testimonies, enacted prayers, video storytelling and more.

Vital Worship: A Grants Program For Worshipping Communities, Kathy Smith, Lisa Weaver

Symposium on Worship Archive

Come to this workshop to learn about a grants program that seeks to foster vital worship in congregations, parishes, and other worshiping communities in North America. The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship encourages grant proposals for year-long projects from a variety of worshiping communities that connect public worship to intergenerational faith formation and Christian discipleship, a theme that can unfold in many facets of worship from Bible reading to preaching to baptism and Lord’s Supper, intercessory prayer, congregational song, visual arts, and more.

Transforming Sermon Communication: A Practical Guide To Making Changes That Make A Difference, Lori Carrell

Symposium on Worship Archive

Hundreds of preachers changed their preaching preparation habits in ways that made a difference in the spiritual journeys of their 30,000+ listeners. What did they do? How did they do it? What can others who speak the Word learn from their experiences? In this workshop, participants will discover practical answers to these questions through the stories of preachers and listeners documented over several years. If you believe that the spoken Word can make a difference for individuals, congregations, communities, and culture, attend this workshop with high expectations.

Top Ten Challenges Facing Worship Leaders In 2014, Paul Detterman

Symposium on Worship Archive

At the 2003 Symposium, Paul Detterman presented a seminar on the “Top Ten Challenges Facing Worship Leaders" that is still sparking conversations a decade later. While some basic realities remain the same, accelerating change in the culture and the church make this a conversation worth revisiting regularly. Come with your challenges!

Leading Effective Praise Team Rehearsals, Paul Ryan

Symposium on Worship Archive

Our best praise team rehearsals prepare our hearts, minds, hands, and voices to lead the community in song. In this workshop, we’ll explore the goals and techniques of effective and life-giving rehearsals by considering personal preparation, repertoire, team dynamics, and the pastoral needs of our teams.

Encouraging Every Voice: Effective Song Leadership In Worship, Alison Adam

Symposium on Worship Archive

For those who strive to get congregations singing new songs and want out to bring the best in them. This workshop is aimed at the song-leader, often more enthusiastic than trained. We will explore how to introduce, teach, and lead new songs in worship and how to develop the singing confidence of a congregation. Alison Adam of the Iona Community has wide experience, helping those leading groups large and small to develop a strong and passionate ministry in congregational song.

Seven Deadly Sins Of Choosing Music For Worship, Greg Scheer

Symposium on Worship Archive

The worship music planner plays both a pastoral and prophetic role in the life of the church. Join Greg Scheer in discussing the deadly sins that can derail a healthy song repertoire--and the rules of thumb that can help keep a pastoral, prophetic music ministry on the tracks

Questions Churches Are Asking, Moses Chung, John Witvliet

Symposium on Worship Archive

One of the joys of serving at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and Christian Reformed Church Home Missions is the opportunity to listen to so many different local conversations. This session will offer reflections on topics that are bubbling up in a host of local conversations across North America, along with provisional thoughts about what this means for the future of faithful ministry. Come ready to reflect on your context in light of these broader patterns, and to contribute insights from your own joys and struggles in ministry.

Alentando La Participación Congregacional En El Culto En Las Iglesias Hispanas, Maria Eugenia Cornou

Symposium on Worship Archive

La participación activa de la congregación en los cultos es clave en la experiencia espiritual de cada creyente y para la vitalidad de las comunidades cristiana. Este taller está diseñado para explorar el significado bíblico de “participación”, diferentes niveles y formas de “participación”, y para compartir ideas prácticas que incentiven la participación activa de la congregación en el culto en el contexto de las iglesias hispanas.

Active congregational participation in worship is of key importance in believers’ spiritual experience and for the vitality of Christian communities. This workshop is design to explore the biblical meaning of “participation,” different levels and …

Singing The Lord’S Song . . . In Times Like These: Exploring Worship And Music In Some English-Speaking Caribbean Contexts, Nicole Ashwood

Symposium on Worship Archive

Come join participants from the Caribbean as they lead us in songs of prayer, praise, proclamation and deliverance for such a time as this. Out of many cultures, one song to God.

Trans-Forming Worship, Paul Detterman

Symposium on Worship Archive

Just as the Sacraments are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, communal worship of the Triune God is an outward liturgical expression of inner, spiritual life. Explore how parallel movements of liturgical and spiritual renewal from the past offer wisdom and blessing to those planning worship in 2014.

Jesus Our Worship Leader, Ron Man

Symposium on Worship Archive

God has lavished upon us his grace for salvation, and also for living the Christian life; a wonderful liberating truth for worship leaders is to recognize God's grace for our worship: that God accepts and delights in our worship, not because but because of how well we pull it off, but because it is empowered, perfected and led by the living Lord Jesus in our midst.

Dancing Through The Church Year, Susan Wilson

Symposium on Worship Archive

This workshop will teach examples of liturgical dance to be used throughout the church year, starting with Worldwide Communion and then moving to Advent/Christmas, Lent/Palm Sunday and Easter, and Pentecost. She will also offer ideas for how dance can be used throughout the worship service--in a call to worship, praise, prayer, offering, communion, response to the message and the benediction.

Learning From And Praying For The Worldwide Church, Maria Eugenia Cornou Phd, Elizabeth Hernandez, Carlos Colón

Symposium on Worship Archive

How can a congregation in one part of the world best pray for our neighbors around the world? How can we shape our congregational prayer in ways that respond to Paul’s admonition to the young pastor Timothy, “that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)? We will listen and learn, with resources from and for different parts of the Church, including stories from natives of different countries and cultures.

Biblical Principles Of Worship, Ron Man

Symposium on Worship Archive

How do we balance the need for biblical fidelity with the need for cultural sensitivity and relevance in our worship? This seminar will consider some of the unchanging, transcultural, non-negotiable biblical foundations for our worship, which also allow for a tremendous amount of freedom and creativity as we put these principles into practice.

Five Stages On The Journey Of Disability Attitudes, Dan Quist, Dan Vander Plaats

Symposium on Worship Archive

Based on the idea that the most disabling aspect of life with disabilities is the attitudes of others, Dan and Dan will show us how our attitudes often marginalize those God has called into God’s kingdom and service. By showing us just how our attitudes get instilled in us, exposing us to the truth of those attitudes, and finally appealing to the very presence of the Kingdom-at-hand, our friends from Elim Christian Services (http://www.elimcs.org) will help us understand and change our approach to working with marginalized people-groups all around us, especially those affected by disabilities.