Worship the Lord – Worship Planning

A SERIES ON WORSHIP PLANNING

Planning for worship involves far more than picking hymns and choir music [early enough!] for the coming season or year. Short range planning is important so that everyone can work together for the best possible worship. Long-range planning is also diverse but doesn’t always get the attention it deserves.

With this issue of Worship the Lord, we begin a series on worship planning. We hope that some of the ideas shared will be helpful for you. While pastors are the primary Worship the Lord audience, musicians and worship committee members might also benefit from reading these articles.

Worship the Lord – Contemplative Worship

A SERIES ON CONTEMPLATIVE WORSHIP

Much recent attention given to worship, at least in some circles, is about making worship upbeat, energetic, and exciting. This trend has contributed to the much-discussed worship wars; a recent Google.com search showed almost half a million worship war links! This trend has led to arguing and division about an event that should display a parish’s love and unity: public worship.

Receiving far less attention, but significant and even newsworthy, is a growing interest in contemplative worship—worship that is quieter, calmer, and slower-paced. This worship allows time to pause and reflect, time for wonder and awe. This worship doesn’t depend on an energetic leader or music for its appeal. Its power lies in a simple dialogue between God and his people with ample time for meditation.

The next few issues of Worship the Lord will bring descriptions of contemplative worship from parishes in WELS that have been exploring such worship.

Worship the Lord – Liturgy

Worship the Lord

With this short newsletter we will bring you a variety of theoretical, theological, and practical worship ideas. Each issue will not always contain all areas, but the content will eventually be balanced among all three. The first topic is liturgy, and the first issue sets an important foundation by defining liturgy.

CW Supplement – Lectionary Study Guides

Study guides based on the three-year lectionary found in Christian Worship Supplement.

Christian Worship – Lectionary Study Guides

These study guides based on the three-year lectionary in Christian Worship are useful for Bible studies or personal preparation for worship.