Preach the Word – Volume 27

Free Text or Lectionary Preaching?

This three-part series analyzes three subtle but significant criticisms of lectionary preaching. It offers meaningful resistance to what might be a largely unexamined assumption: that series preaching is the way of the future because it somehow offers unique advantages for ministering to the kind of people shaped by contemporary American culture. It makes the case that lectionary preaching remains the best preaching paradigm for Lutherans in our time and place.

Preach the Word – Volume 26

Preaching with Outsiders in Mind

This series of Preach the Word articles will wrestle with preaching with those outside of our church membership in mind. Through interviews, sermon excerpts, and timeless reminders, we will aim to grow in being wise toward outsiders and seek to make the most of every preaching opportunity to them.

Worship the Lord – Worship and Outreach

This series on worship and outreach has a simple goal: to encourage all congregations to do their very best in both realms. But isn’t it fair to assume that they already are? Doing their best? By some measurements, yes. But it’s also clear that our churches face various challenges. If improvements can be realized, we are likely under God to see greater blessings in both worship and outreach.

So, this series will share perspectives and ideas from a variety of congregations, hoping to inspire ongoing attention to these twin priorities.

Preach the Word – Volume 25

Prof. Tiefel discussed preaching on the First or Second Reading with the day’s Gospel in mind.

Preach the Word – Volume 24

Dr. Mark Paustian addresses the basics of preaching.

Worship the Lord – Hymnal Introduction Series

This series shares information regarding Christian Worship: Hymnal (CW21)

Notes regarding Vol. 102:

Worship the Lord – Audio, Acoustics, and Video in the Worship Setting

This series explores room acoustics along with sound systems and hearing assistance. It covers common deficiencies or mistakes along with solutions.

Worship the Lord – Wisdom from Wittenberg

This series of articles is based on the presentation by Rev. Mark Tiefel at the 2017 National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts.

Worship the Lord – Children in Worship

This series explores how the pastor and congregation can partner with the parents to assist parents in engaging their children in worship. It reviews the pros and cons of various strategies and concludes with suggested “best practice” ideas.

Worship the Lord – Worship Coordinators

This issue reminds us of the value of well planned worship, carried out in teamwork by the pastor and worship coordinator.

Preach the Word – Volume 23

Rev. Nathan Nass encourages pastors to preach simply and clearly for the benefit of all hearers.

General Worship Information

Preach the Word – Volume 22

Dr. Michael Berg writes a series about apologetics in preaching.

Sample Worship Plans

The sample worship plans below can be a starting point for creating a customized plan for any church not currently doing long range worship planning.

 

Links to sample plans:

  • Moldenhauer, Madison – Year B/C
  • Moldenhauer, Madison – Historic series (the sheet is dynamic and will show new entries)

More planning resources:

  • Under 2017 Worship Conference Presentations
    • Serving in Song – K Tiefel
    • Serving in Song: Calendar – K Tiefel
    • Serving in Song: Repertoire – K Tiefel
    • Serving in Song: Bibliography – K Tiefel
    • Strategic Planning for Worship – J Gawrisch
    • Strategic Planning for Worship: Work Booklet – J Gawrisch
  • Under 2014 Worship Conference Handouts
    • Working Smarter at Worship – C Basset and J Bauer
    • Enhancing the Liturgical Year 2014 – J Strey
    • Repertoire for the Lectionary – Year B
    • Repertoire for the Lectionary – Year C
  • Under 2011 Worship Conference Presentations
    • Musical Variety for the Congregation – A Christie
    • Contemporary Liturgical Music – J Kohrs
  • Under Worship the Lord series – Practical Ideas for Lutheran Worship
    • Worship the Lord – 71. Working Smarter at Worship
    • Worship the Lord – 75. Voices Raised with Strings and Keys
  • Worship the Lord Series – Worship Planning

Worship the Lord – Technology in Worship

This article discusses the use of screens and technology in worship.

2017 Worship Conference Music

The 2017 worship conference highlights CD, A Mighty Fortress, is now available. The recordings from Carthage College include commissioned works, children’s choir, and selections from various services, choirs, and recitals. Several selections make use of full orchestra featuring some of the finest professional WELS instrumentalists. The CD may be purchased through Northwestern Publishing House.

A number of selections that are not on the CD are available for free download below. Service folders are available for viewing here.

  1. Psalm 19: Marcello – Best of Brass and Organ (recital)
  2. Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing: Marvin – Best of Brass and Organ (recital)
  3. Trois visions de l’ Apocalypse: Castérède – Best of Brass and Organ (recital)
  4. Lord Keep Us Steadfast: Behnke – Festival Concert
  5. Gloria: Manalo – The Reformation of the Church
  6. In the Midst of Earthly Life – Confession and Absolution
  7. Chanted Epistle – All Saints’ Day
  8. God the Father, Be Our Stay – All Saints’ Day
  9. We Thank You, Jesus, Dearest Friend – The Ascension of Our Lord
  10. Psalm 47: Rhode – The Ascension of Our Lord (Rhode psalm settings are available here.)
  11. Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord: Bakken – The Day of Pentecost
  12. Canticle of Thanks: Petersen – The Day of Pentecost
  13. From Heaven Above: Hildebrand (includes Luther commentary read by WELS President Mark Schroeder) – Closing Service

 

– To download songs, right click on “Download”, choose “Save link as”, and save to your computer.

(If individual song titles are not visible, please select the 2017 Worship Conference Music heading to see them. Songs may only be downloaded by individual title.)

2017 Worship Conference – More presentations

Many of the conference presenters have made their handouts and PowerPoint presentations available. Handouts from the art, architecture, music education, and repertoire sectionals can be found below.

Presentation handouts listed under the “General” category can be found here.

Other conference items are also available:

Due to the large size of some files, it will be necessary to download files individually. Please click on the “2017 Conference” title to see individual files if they are not visible.

2017 Worship Conference – Presentations

Many of the conference presenters have made their handouts and PowerPoint presentations available. The files below are presentations listed under the “General” category.

Presentation handouts from the art, architecture, music education, and repertoire sectionals can be found here.

Other conference items are also available:

Due to the large size of some files, it will be necessary to download files individually. Please click on the “2017 Conference” title to see individual files if they are not visible.

Preach the Word – Volume 21

Pastor Joel Gawrisch writes a series titled “Treasures Old and New.”

2017 National Worship Conference – Service Folders

These services are posted for reference purposes, to provide ideas for adaptation in parishes. Note that some elements are copyrighted. Those desiring to use these elements must seek permission from the acknowledged copyright holders.

Choral settings that are published are noted in each service. Those without an indication of publisher and stock number are possibly available from the composer or poet.

2017 Worship Conference – Welcome, Plenary, and Sermons

A sampling of sermons from the conference are available below, along with the plenary address and conference welcome letters. Presentation handouts and service folders are also available.

Service Folders – Epiphany

Service folder samples for Epiphany.

Preach the Word – Volume 20

Pastor Jonathan Scharf writes a series titled “To Correctly Handle the Word of Truth.”

Worship the Lord – Renovation Projects

This issue launches a new series on renovation projects. It will feature projects from churches small and large. Often the concepts, goals, and process behind a renovation are most important, not the particulars of design or size. These are transferable and helpful for churches of any size.

WTL Vol. 80 – Hartford WI Renovation

View the supplemental documents for the Hartford, Wisconsin sanctuary renovation article in the July 2016 edition of Worship the Lord, Vol. 80.

Formulary Psalms

This collection features resources for celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation and beyond. The composer, Steven J. Rhode, states: “The Wittenberg Psalter is a collection of unison psalm settings for congregation, choir, and/or soloist.” He recognizes that—due to perceived difficulty—they “may not be appropriate for every congregation” and provides various options for usage. Be sure to read “About the Wittenberg Psalter,” provided by the composer. (See below.)

 

 

 

Wittenberg Psalter – Psalms 1-24

Read “About the Wittenberg Psalter” under Formulary Psalms to learn more.

Wittenberg Psalter – Psalms 25-45

Read “About the Wittenberg Psalter” under Formulary Psalms to learn more.

Wittenberg Psalter – Psalms 46-72

Read “About the Wittenberg Psalter” under Formulary Psalms to learn more.

Wittenberg Psalter – Psalms 73-100

Read “About the Wittenberg Psalter” under Formulary Psalms to learn more.

Wittenberg Psalter – Psalms 103-130

Read “About the Wittenberg Psalter” under Formulary Psalms to learn more.

Wittenberg Psalter – Psalms 133-150

Read “About the Wittenberg Psalter” under Formulary Psalms to learn more.

Christian Worship Supplement Resources

Resources for use with Christian Worship: Supplement.

Sermons in Song – CWS Bible Class Series

The three-word title of this series, “Sermons in Song”, speaks volumes about what worship is. Selected hymns from the supplement are divided for study into four categories: Season, Savior, Sacrament, and Saints. “Sermons in Song” is a Bible class series prepared by Pastor John Koelpin.

The files are posted in PDF and as Word documents, so that changes can be made to fit individual congregations’ needs.

Both student handouts and leader guides are available.

CW Supplement Audio Downloads

The CW: Supplement songs below are available for free download. The entire CW: Supplement CD is available at Northwestern Publishing House.

– To download songs, right click on “Download”, choose “Save link as”, and save to your computer.

Worship Education

The resources below are useful in worship education. Some may need to be adapted to suit a specific situation or purpose. Some are more niche approaches to worship education. Consider a multifaceted approach: the narrative service on Sunday (maybe spread over 2-3 Sundays) plus the reinforcement that could come from a Bible class or an ongoing series of printed comments.

Two teaching resources from the 2008 national worship conference archives:

  • Worship Education and Exploration Month (WEEM), by Arizona-California District Worship Coordinator Johnold Strey, offers a plan to coordinate eight Bible classes, one to four sermons, and four special services.
  • Worship the Lord, a three-week Bible class series by Arizona-California District President Jon Buchholz

Useful background preparation for the teacher, especially on any sensitive issues, can come from a comment in Worship the Lord:

The series “Worship Words to Wrestle With” (12 articles beginning in May 2009) offers helpful analysis of issues that frequently surface in worship discussions. Confessional Lutheran brothers share ideas that help us to be a confessional Lutheran synod.

From the 2002 worship conference:

Stephen Valleskey – “Theology of the Ordinary”. Both the presentation (essay) and a PowerPoint file are available. The presentation contains many great insights and could be turned into more of a class than a presentation, using Valleskey’s content as starting point. If you do create such a class, please share!

Service of Word and Sacrament: An Explanation, Wayne Schulz, Northwestern Publishing House, 1996. Rather than eliminating or drastically cutting the sermon to allow presenting this on one Sunday, you might divide it into 3-4 sections to be covered on the same Sundays of the Bible class series.

The ABC’s of Worship, Paul T. Prange, Northwestern Publishing House, 2002. This booklet could be recommended for home reading by class participants. Also available: ABC’s of Worship – Discussion Questions

Ideas beyond an overview of “how we worship”:

How does one teach confessional perspectives on worship to a larger audience, in a Bible class setting? Here are three sample possibilities.

  • Connect citations from the Confessions related to the Hauptartikel—the chief article, the doctrine of justification through faith in Christ—to our priorities and choices in worship.
  • Teach a catechetical review of Baptism relying on Luther’s powerful, colorful language in the Large Catechism. Luther said we should “use” baptism. When assaulted by spiritual struggles, he taught us to retort, “But I am baptized.” Is that kind of thinking deeply embedded in the piety of the people we serve?
  • Study guides are available for “Cleansed and Fed—the Sacramental Life,” a 2011 synod convention essay by C/W chairman Jon Zabell. Look for Worship the Lord #62 in the resource center.

From the 2014 worship conference: Zabell – Teaching the Sacraments

Comments from Worship the Lord, by Phil Hirsch.

How does one teach confessional perspectives on worship in a way that reaches the largest audience in the parish? Our synod’s Commission on Worship has done a great thing as they have modeled how to use the worship folder in a teaching manner without unduly interrupting the flow of the assembly’s time together. Notes that communicate, that teach, can be most helpful. But every now and then a verbal comment (teaching!) is beneficial—for example, about the Trinitarian invocation one Sunday and the Nicene Creed another. “Worship education” comments in the sermon, both appropriation and application, often flow naturally from the text.

For ideas check out a resource prepared by Pastor Wade Johnston formerly in Saginaw, MI [now at WLC]. He uses the Western rite to teach two things—the Christian faith and the whys and wherefores of worship. See PDF below. The result of such catechesis is that doctrine and worship reinforce each other every Sunday.

A resource similar to Johnston’s is discussed in a Worship the Lord issue by Michael Zarling.

While teaching about worship in a class setting, consider including one or both of the options below.

  • Worship Service Notations – Sharpsburg 2014
  • Preservice worship talks – see sample files below, from Citrus Heights, CA when Bill Tackmier was pastor and layman Brian Heinitz was chair of the Board of Worship. Brian was later for a time a member of the Commission on Worship.

Meaningful Worship, James Brauer, Concordia Publishing House, 1994. 96 pages of accessible guidance on Lutheran worship. The beginnings of each chapter, with stories and anecdotes, are useful with children and also valuable with adults. Similar material could be the basis for a bulletin insert as well as verbal comments that go beyond the insert. This book could be invaluable for a sermon series.

2014 Worship Conference Music

The 2014 worship conference highlights CD, By Faith, is now available. The recordings from Carthage College include commissioned works, children’s choir, and selections from various services, choirs, and recitals. Several selections make use of full orchestra featuring some of the finest professional WELS instrumentalists. The CD may be purchased through Northwestern Publishing House. Samples of several tracks are included below.

A number of selections that are not on the CD are available for free download below.

– To download songs, right click on “Download”, choose “Save link as”, and save to your computer.

(If individual song titles are not visible, please select the 2014 Worship Conference Music heading to see them. Songs may only be downloaded by individual title.)

2014 Worship Conference – Handouts and Photography

The 2014 National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts took place at Carthage College in Kenosha, WI on July 22-25.

Plenary Address
Read the conference plenary address Compelling Worship by Jonathan Hein.

Presentations
Handouts from many of the conference presentations have been made available below.
Learn more about Hymns in the Life of Church, School, and Home at hymns.shepherdstory.com.
Review the warm-ups for Improving Vocal Resonance with handouts and YouTube video.
Find out how BIC Teaches Doctrine and Worship.

We thank Sara Schlicht of Fresh Frame Photography (freshframephotography.com) for providing photography service at the conference. View the conference pictures.

Due to the large size of some files, it will be necessary to download files individually. Please click on the “2014 Conference” title to see individual files.

2014 National Worship Conference – Service Folders

“If we work with the assumption that what we use in worship should support and enhance the divine service through both its utility and beauty, then printed worship aids, including worship folders, deserve our attention. That was the philosophy behind the worship folder project for the 2014 WELS National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts.” – Read more from Rev. Caleb Basset regarding the Worship Folder Project.

 

Due to the large size of graphics in the files, it may be necessary to download them individually.

2011 Worship Conference Music

Jesus, My Joy, a CD of highlights from the 2011 worship conference, is available through Northwestern Publishing House. The music on this double CD was performed at the National Conference on Worship, Music and the Arts, held July 2011. The recordings from Gustavus Adolphus and Martin Luther College include commissioned works, children’s choir, and selections from various services, choirs, and recitals. Several selections make use of full orchestra featuring some of the finest professional WELS instrumentalists. The worship at this conference concentrated on Holy Week and the Easter season and also included a Festival Concert and Hymn Festival. Samples of CD tracks are available below. Full recordings of selections that are not on the CD are also included for free download.

You will also find recordings of the plenary address and the Joshua Pedde presentation “Beautiful Sound from Average Children.”

– To download songs, right click on “Download”, choose “Save link as”, and save to your computer.

(If individual song titles are not visible, please select the 2011 Worship Conference Music heading to see them.)

Worship Conference 2011 – Presentations

View the presentation handouts and repertoire lists from the 2011 National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts.

Worship Conference 2008 – Presentations

Presentation handouts from the 2008 National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts.

Worship Conference 2005 – Presentations

Presentation handouts from the 2005 National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts.

Worship Conference 2002 – Presentations

Presentation handouts from the 2002 National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts.

Worship Conference 1999 – Presentations

Presentation handouts from the 1999 National Conference on Worship, Music, and the Arts.

Preach the Word – Volume 19

This issue of Preach the Word begins a new series: preaching to Millennials while maintaining connection with other generations.
This series, planned in cooperation with the Commission on Evangelism, departs from previous custom with a different writer for each issue.

Service Folders – Seasonal Variations

Service Folders – Other Occasions

Service folder samples for Mission Convention, Christian Education, and Augsburg Confession.

Service Folders – Minor Festivals

Service folder samples for Minor Festivals, such as St. Michael and All Angels.

Service Folders – End Times

Service folder samples for Sundays in End Time, such as Reformation and Saints Triumphant.