Worship Weblog
Friday, December 21, 2007
“A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse” - Advent at South Bend CRC
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. Isaiah 11:1
Advent installation at South Bend Christian Reformed Church
Liturgical Arts • Worshipping Communities • (0) Comments • Permalink
Advent Lament at Ann Arbor Campus Chapel
As part of its Worship Renewal Grant, the Campus Chapel in Ann Arbor, Mich., has been doing an Advent series on lament:
Advent is a season of anticipation. It anticipates Christmas and the celebration of Christ’s birth. But it ultimately is a season in which we anticipate his coming again and restoring all things.
And it is a season in which we lament.
Why Lament in Advent?
In order for us to anticipate with longing the coming of Christ, we must recognize why it is we need him to come. That is what laments are-- opportunities for us to speak honestly of our need for a Savior. As long as we pretend everything is just fine we will never appreciate why, for instance, hosts of angels burst into song at his birth.
Liturgical Arts • Worshipping Communities • (0) Comments • Permalink
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Planning Ahead: March and April 2008
Here’s an overview of the calendar for planning worship for March and April 2008. For our complete planning guide, see Planning Ahead: Worship in March and April.
Overview of March and April 2008
The Sundays during these months are March 2,9,16,23,30 and April 6,13,20,27. Palm Sunday is March 16. Good Friday is March 21. Easter Sunday is March 23. Some churches also choose to mention or commemorate the following occasions in their worship:
March 21 (Fri.) - Purim (Book of Esther) (more information)
March 24 (Mon.) - death of Oscar Romero (more information)
April 9 (Weds.) - death of Dietrich Bonhoeffer (more information and resources here and here)
April 21 (Mon.) - death of Anselm of Canterbury (resources)
April 22 (Tues.) - Earth Day (resources)
April 25 (Fri.) - Feast of Saint Mark (more information)
Note: External links are provided for reference only, and do not necessarily imply endorsement of the content of any particular website.
Printable Calendars
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Lectionary Readings
Find the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary for these Sundays from the Vanderbilt Lectionary Project
Find resources for these readings from the Revised Common Lectionary from TextWeek.com
Planning Ahead: March and April
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Happy Birthday to Our Director
In staff meeting we celebrated--with laughter, memories, and lots of singing--the birthday (we won’t say which one, but it’s a milestone!) of our director, John Witvliet, which is today. If you’ve met him or heard him speak, you can probably tell that he’s an energetic, wise, and gracious follower of Christ. We’re grateful for the gift he is to our institute and to the church!
We ended by singing the Song of Simeon, which has closed just about every choir concert John has ever directed (and which has especially deep meaning during Advent and Christmas):
Now may your servant, Lord, according to your word,
depart in exultation. My peace shall be serene,
for now my eyes have seen your wonderful salvation.You did for all prepare this gift so great, so rare,
fulfilling prophets’ story--a light to show they way
to Gentiles gone astray, and unto Israel’s glory.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Whatever Happened To The Twelve Days of Christmas?
From syndicated religion columnist Terry Mattingly:
For centuries, Christmas was a 12-day season that began on Dec. 25th and ended on Jan. 6th with the celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany. Thus, the season of Christmas followed Christmas Day, with most people preparing for the holy day in a festive blitz during the final days or even hours, with many stores staying open until midnight on Christmas Eve.
Today, everything has been flipped around, with the Christmas or Holiday season preceding Dec. 25.
-full text
-related earlier column by this author
Monday, December 10, 2007
N.T. Wright on “The Most Dangerous Baby”
Suddenly, Luke’s scene ceases to be a romantic pastoral idyll, with the rustic shepherds paying homage to the infant King. It becomes a clear statement of two kingdoms destined to compete, kingdoms that offer radically different definitions of what peace and power and glory are all about.
Here is the old king in Rome, turning 60 in the year Jesus was born: he represents perhaps the best that pagan kingdoms can do. At least he knows that peace and stability are good things; unfortunately, he has had to kill a lot of people to bring them about, and to kill a lot more, on a regular basis, to preserve them. Unfortunately, too, his real interest is in his own glory. Already, before his death, many of his subjects have begun to regard him as divine.
Here, by contrast, is the young King in Bethlehem, born with a price on his head. He represents the dangerous alternative, the possibility of a different empire, a different power, a different glory, a different peace. The two stand over against one another.
Interdisciplinary Application • Preaching • Reading • (0) Comments • Permalink
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Planning Ahead: January and February 2008
Here’s an overview of the calendar for planning worship for January and February 2008. For our complete planning guide, see Planning Ahead: Worship in January and February.
Overview of January and February 2008
The Sundays during these months are Jan 6,13,20,27 and Feb 3,10,17,24. Epiphany falls on Sunday, Jan. 6. Ash Wednesday is Feb. 6; the first Sunday of Lent is Feb. 10. Some churches also choose to mention or commemorate the following occasions in their worship:
Jan 1 (Tues.) - Naming and Circumcision of Jesus (more information)
Jan 6 (Sun.) - Baptism of Jesus (more information)
Jan 15 (Tues.) - Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (resources and more information)
Jan 18 (Fri.) - Week of prayer for Christian Unity begins (more information)
Jan 25 (Fri.) - Conversion of Paul (more information)
Feb 2 (Sat.) - Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (more information)
Feb 3 (Sun.) - Transfiguration Sunday (resources)
Also, we invite you to join us for the Calvin Symposium on Worship, January 24-26, 2008, at Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary.
Note: External links are provided for reference only, and do not necessarily imply endorsement of the content of any particular website.
Printable Calendars
-
Lectionary Readings
Find the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary for these Sundays from the Vanderbilt Lectionary Project
Find resources for these readings from the Revised Common Lectionary from TextWeek.com
Planning Ahead: January and February
Interdisciplinary Application • (0) Comments • Permalink