Worship Weblog
Grants
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Grants Colloquium ‘08 Update 3
Update from Grants Colloquium:
One of the highlights of every Colloquium is the poster session. Here’s a look at some of the posters and conversations from this afternoon:
Colloquium concludes tomorrow morning with worship and reflections. We pray for safe travel and vital worship and ministry among all our grant recipients as they return to their worshiping communities.
Update: Read Chris Meehan’s report on grant recipients from the Christian Reformed Church.
Grants Colloquium ‘08 Update 2
Update from Grants Colloquium:
Worship this morning ended with this benediction from Jude 24-25:
Now to him who is able to keep you from falling,
and to make you stand without blemish
in the presence of his glory with rejoicing,
to the only God our Savior,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
be glory, majesty, power, and authority,
before all time and now and forevermore.Amen.
Bless the Lord.The Lord’s name be praised.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Grants Colloquium ‘08 Update 1
Update from Grants Colloquium:
For me one highlight of the day was the passing of the peace after opening worship:
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Workshop and Worship at Open Table of Christ United Methodist Church in Providence, R.I.
We were grateful to get this note and these pictures from Open Table of Christ United Methodist Church in Providence, Rhode Island, one of our current grant recipients, and share them here with permission.
We had a glorious, Spirit-filled Pentecost that touched everyone involved.
Over 20 people attended the Saturday afternoon workshop that Jorge led. At
its conclusion at 4 PM, many people asked, “Can’t we just keep going?” We
learned to think more thoughtfully about style versus content, sacred
moments and memories and how to attempt to facilitate the holy.
Jorge continued the singing and teaching at our Pentecost potluck for about
90 people, including some new Cambodian refugees.
Sunday morning was glorious with Jorge both leading music and preaching. We
sang new music and experienced a new beautiful sung communion. We had a
powerful sense that this weekend was a turning point for the church in terms
of worship renewal and that we now moving forward with greater joy,
enthusiasm, fuller conscious participation and awareness of the Holy Spirit
in our worship and in our lives.
Learn more about our Worship Renewal Grants Program
Grants • Interdisciplinary Application • Music • Worshipers • Worshipping Communities • (0) Comments • Permalink
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Report from National Ministry Summit
Above: Betty Grit talks with Michael Cymbala of GIA Publications.
From Betty Grit:
This past weekend’s Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership National Ministry Summit in Orlando, Florida, provided a unique opportunity to meet with old friends and introduce others to the work of CICW. One pastor told me that he is on our website frequently. He finds insights and resources valuable for sermon preparation. Another stopped our CICW exhibition table to say that she knows several grant recipients and appreciates what has been accomplished through Worship Renewal Grants. Dolly Sokol, project director for grants to the Office of Worship and Christian Initiation of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, thanked us for the grants and said that she is “spreading the word” about the grants.
We were grateful to talk with Bill Johnston, a member of the Worship Renewal Grants Advisory Board. He had sent us information about this conference and encouraged us to be here to introduce conference participants to CICW and the grants.
A highlight of the conference was a conversation with Father Tom Willis, project director of the 2007 grant to the Diocese of St. Augustine Office of Liturgy. This project brought together 18 parish musicians to study music and liturgy. Father Tom told me that the first time the group gathered for a retreat and learning, some participants were in conversation with Kathleen Harmon, the facilitator, until 3 AM. The eagerness to learn has been evident throughout the year. Pastors reported to Father Tom six weeks later that already there was evidence of renewal in worship. The participants have now met with Kathleen twice and recently gathered to reflect and celebrate. Father Tom notes that the learning process has been marked by trust and affirmation. Participants have shared newly composed music and made revisions based on thoughtful input by other participants.
A final workshop of the grant year is planned for May. An extensive evaluation process will include participants, pastors and others in the congregation such as choir members. The leadership team is eager to assess the learning that has spread throughout the parish. We are most grateful for the vision and leadership that is creating a model for training local musicians in liturgy and music.
Previous Report: Visit to El Buen Vecino Presbyterian
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Report from El Buen Vecino Presbyterian
From Betty Grit:
It was Sunday morning and the leadership team of El Buen Vecino Presbyterian Church had gathered in their new worship space in Kissimmee, Florida, to tell me about their grant year. Led by Pastor Sandra Luciano-Andujar, they had offered classes in music, dance, visual arts and drama for worship. The previous week participants and members of several congregations had come together to see what had been learned, to celebrate, fellowship and worship concluding with the Lord’s Supper.
The leadership team includes adults and children with many gifts. One young girl, Lauren Marie, told me that she loves being involved in drama and visual arts. We were shown a video of the learning workshops as well as pictures of the recent celebration.
Later today the congregation will worship in a nearby church. Some of the learning through the grant year will be a part of this service that will include a baptism. It is their prayer that construction permits will soon be in place to allow them to worship in their new space.
We are reminded of the privilege of partnering with this young congregation as they develop the gifts of their members for worship. Should we have the opportunity to visit again in four or five years, it is our prayer that we would find fruits of the grants flourishing to provide vital worship in this growing Hispanic community.
Next Report: Report from National Ministry Summit
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Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Grant recipient reaches out to robbers
Crescent Hill United Methodist Church, in Louisville, Kent., a 2007 Worship Renewal Grant recipient, was featured in this story on WHAS-TV earlier this month:
Louisville, Ky.—Copper thieves have hit another local church. Now the church that got ripped off is reaching out to the thieves. They are hoping to stop more stealing, and give an offering of help.
A note posted on their copper drain spouts reads: “Friends: If you came back to steal more of our gutters, please don’t. Our walls and basements will flood if you do more damage. If you need financial help, please come by when we are here and we’ll talk about it.”
The offering from the church to potential thieves comes after 15 of their copper drain spouts went missing Sunday night. This is the second time the church has dealt with copper theft. But it’s the first time the church administration is hoping the criminals step inside.
“[We want to] talk to them about how a church can help them,” says Michele Hundley, executive director of Crescent Hill United Methodist Church. “Do they need physical help, do they need drug rehabilitation? Do they need housing? Do they need transportation? We are a great resource for those kinds of things.”
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Event from grant recipient: Baptist Worship Identity Project and Symposium
Upcoming event from grant recipient Union University in Jackson, Tennessee:
Update: We grieve with the staff and students at Union University who experienced severe and devastating damage as the result of a tornado on February 5. The conference planned for February 14 to 16 was canceled. Please join us in praying for the Union University community as they rebuild and heal in the months ahead. (Related news release and more news from Union.)
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Sardis Baptist blog
Sardis Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, a 2007 grant recipient, posts various worship resources and reflections at their blog, including a slideshow of worship art by children in their church.
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Monday, November 05, 2007
Roanoke Times coverage of Blacksburg Ecumenical Service
Yesterday, four churches in Blacksburg, Virginia, funded in part by our Worship Renewal Grants program, hosted an ecumenical worship service on the campus of Virginia Tech.
The Roanoke Times ran this report and online slideshow from the service (as well as a preview article on Saturday).
We’ll be posting more reports, reflections and pictures from the students and staff from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Calvin College, and Calvin Theological Seminary who traveled to Blacksburg to attend the service.
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Friday, November 02, 2007
Report From Grants Tour ‘07 - Visits in Washington State and British Columbia
Before Betty Grit traveled east to visit grant recipients (more about this here), she traveled west, to Washington State and British Columbia. Here is her report from that trip:
New Hope Community Services Society
Celebrating All Nations Church
Vancouver, British Columbia
Pastor James Lee welcomed us on a Sunday afternoon to the ministry center in East Vancouver (above). Several young people joined us to tell about their worship renewal project. They had worshiped as a congregation on Saturday and many of these young people had led through music, Scripture reading and sound technology. The grant project is intended to help them learn more about worship and develop skills for worship leadership. As we conversed, several of the young men were creating small works of art using their skills as graffiti artists. One piece announced “Cross culture – Church Boiz”. They gave these pieces of art as gifts to us to help us remember their ministry.
Additional pictures from Vancouver here and here
The previous Thursday evening these same young people had traveled to Lynden, Washington with Pastor Lee to learn about worship with staff and students from four Christian High Schools. Hosted by Ben DeRegt and students from Lynden Christian High School, this workshop was intended to train and encourage student worship leaders. On Thursday evening we engaged in interactive learning sessions. On Friday morning, Paul Ryan led sessions on “Worship Secrets Revealed” and “Worship Planning.” 
We also learned about Vertical Habits and how they can help us grow in our relationship to God and to each other. We were grateful for the warm hospitality extended to all of us at Lynden Christian High School. After meeting the East Vancouver team in Lynden, it was good to see them again and learn more about worship renewal in the congregation and the ways they are reaching out to their community through service.
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Friday, October 12, 2007
Jimmie Abbington on NBC News
Frequent Symposium presenter and CICW Grants Advisory Board member Jimmie Abbington was featured in an October 3 NBC News report last week on musicians in the church; the video is currently available online.
Christianity Today review of Sojourn album
Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky, was one of the many worshiping communities partnering with us to explore the theme of Vertical Habits. We’re delighted that one of the fruits of their learning--their worship album “Before the Throne"--received this very affirming review at ChristianityToday.com:
[E]very once in a while, I receive an album that pleasantly surprises me on all fronts. Not only is the packaging impeccably and cleverly designed on Sojourn’s Before the Throne, but the worship band for Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky also managed a far more impressive feat: They actually wrote worship music that I didn’t feel like I’d already heard a million times before. Hard to imagine, I know.
Comprised of ten original songs—plus one cover of a hymn—Before the Throne sort of resembles the City on a Hill albums. Not only does it create a sense of community through multiple vocalists, but the songs center around similar themes, particularly the sharing of God’s peace, love, and other blessings. The CD also has an organic feel with earthy instrumentation, giving their sound a relatable, homespun quality.
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Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Blacksburg Worship Service set for Nov. 4
We’ve been journeying with grant recipients in Blacksburg, Virginia, and are delighted to see their journey culminate (but not end) in an ecumenical worship service on Nov. 4, with Tony Campolo preaching. More info at www.blacksburgworships.com:
Celebrating, Healing, Serving
Gather with Christians from around Blacksburg on the campus of Virginia Tech for a community All Saint’s Sunday worship service. The Reverend Dr. Tony Campolo, internationally known speaker and author, will be the guest preacher for the event. The theme of this ecumenical event is Celebrating, Healing, Serving and it will include adult and children’s choirs from participating churches. All the churches of the Blacksburg community, as well as the campus ministries and students of Virginia Tech, are being invited to be involved with this family-friendly worship event. This service is partially funded through a grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship of Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc.
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Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Report on worship at City Hope Ministries
The following report about worship at City Hope Ministries, a Worship Renewal Grant recipient in 2006, was published in the “FYI” newsletter of Christian Reformed Home Missions. It was written by Jim Steenbergen, CRHM’s development officer. It is printed here by permission of the author.
I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. (Psalm 116:1-2)It has been a long time since I have been to a church where people laughed, smiled, hugged, danced, held hands, spoke to one another, prayed upon each other, and just plum had a good time all in one service. But this was just another Sunday at City Hope Ministries, a newer ministry that is partly funded by Christian Reformed Home Missions.
Except this wasn’t just another Sunday. It was a Sunday where I witnessed three people give their lives over to Jesus and accept Him as their Savior. It was a Sunday where a woman, seeing me there alone, came over and sat with me and asked me if I knew Jesus. Only afterwards did I find out that she was on the very fringe of our society, just fighting to make it everyday. And she cared about me and wanted to know if she could help me in my walk!
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