Feature stories ... for inspiration, learning, and group discussion Copyright 2006 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship en-us Mon, 13 Feb 2006 12:05:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship http://www.calvin.edu/worship/images/nameplate_cicw_vert_sm.gif http://www.calvin.edu/worship http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/postmodern.php Does your church want to be relevant to postmodern people? If so, how much should your worship community connect or disconnect with memory? Do you need new worship…a more traditional church…a missional place to encounter God? Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Tues, 25 March 2008 10:04:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/postmodern.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/art_planning.php Is your church commissioning liturgical art...creating art for cross cultural worship...or designing a new building? Get tips from worship and arts leaders who've learned how to involve more people in planning and creating art for worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/art_planning.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/halifax.php All Nations Christian Reformed Church in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is a small congregation that makes the most of its size. Learn how church dynamics shift as All Nations and other churches change size. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:04:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/halifax.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/healing.php Though you might associate “heal” with “cure,” healing in worship is broader. Whether through prayer, hospitality, communion, or laying on hands, it helps people become more whole. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 1 Feb 2008 08:47:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/healing.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/farley.php Todd Farley shows preachers how to use body communication to preach lively sermons. His embodied preaching ideas spring from a theology of restoring arts to ministry. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:17:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/farley.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/digital.php Biblical storytellers Tracy Radosevic and Tim Coombs and liturgical media arts expert Eileen D. Crowley explain how to tell God’s stories in a digital age. They show how to add layers of images, sounds, and experiences to enhance worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:36:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/digital.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/marti.php Whether you say multicultural, multiracial, or multiethnic, churches want to become more diverse. Sociologist and pastor Gerardo Marti shares his research about what’s the same and different among successfully diverse congregations. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 9 Nov 2007 09:11:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/funerals.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/funerals.php Thomas G. "Tom" Long makes a case for returning to classic Christian funeral traditions. Howard Vanderwell and Leonard VanderZee offer pastoral considerations for planning church funerals and memorial services. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 26 Oct 2007 11:20:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/funerals.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/gospel_choirs.php A temporary voice problem led Charsie Randolph Sawyer to create a DVD to help gospel choirs protect and improve their voices for more effective ministry. Her colleagues in African American churches say that learning to read music helps congregations deepen worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Thu, 4 Oct 2007 15:09:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/gospel_choirs.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/vhabits.php Focusing on simple phrases helps develop worship habits that affect our whole lives. Vertical habits expand how people talk with God during church worship and school chapels. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 14 Sep 2007 09:30:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/vhabits.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/catechism.php It turns out that preaching sermons based on the Heidelberg Catechism (or other confessions) hits home with worshipers, including those from the postmodern generation. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 31 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/catechism.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/lords_supper.php Does your church visually convey a message that contradicts your theology of communion or mass? Mark A. Torgerson explains how church architecture and sanctuary design can inhibit or enhance a more full and communal Eucharist celebration Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:30:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/architecture.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/lords_supper.php Though John Calvin favored weekly communion, many churches in the Reformed and Presbyterian tradition are just starting to renew Lord's Supper practices ... so worshipers fully celebrate the Eucharist. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Tues, 24 Jul 2007 15:35:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/lords_supper.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/intergen_wrshp.php Though many churches offer multiple worship options, each pegged to an age or generation, Howard Vanderwell and Steve Burger make a case for intergenerational worship that has families worshiping together. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 11 Jun 2007 14:35:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/intergen_wrshp.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/webber.php Ancient future worship, according to the late Robert E. Webber, who coined the term, isn’t about candles. It’s about rooting our worship as the early church did—in God’s story—so we embody not our culture but God’s mission. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 18 May 2007 10:45:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/webber.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/worship_coord.php Today’s worship coordinators do far more than sing into a microphone. They lead congregations to broader, deeper worship. They plan, train, and lead worship while learning to let go and let God. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Tue, 1 May 2007 09:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/worship_coord.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/drama.php As drama ministry rises in church worship and biblical literacy drops, here are two church worship drama models based on Bible texts. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Thu, 4 Apr 2007 11:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/drama.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/davis.php Paul said that all Scripture is God-breathed. Still, when did you last hear a sermon on the Old Testament? Ellen Davis says we can’t truly understand our relationship with God till we dive into the wondrous depths of the Hebrew Scriptures. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 16 Mar 2007 16:32:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/davis.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/sosa.php Songs put words in people’s mouths, knowledge in their bones, and conviction about whose voice counts. Songs shape how a community lives out its faith. That’s why Pablo Sosa thinks congregational singing is so important. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 26 Feb 2007 13:18:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/sosa.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/storytelling.php Dennis Dewey says that biblical storytelling reconnects worshipers with the communal experience of hearing God together. Telling stories from Scripture changes the people who learn them well enough to tell them—and changes worshipers who hear the old, old story anew. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 9 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/storytelling.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/anniversary.php As good as it is to reconnect with former pastors and see old church photos, there’s a lot more you can do to plan a meaningful church anniversary in your congregation or denomination. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Tues, 23 Jan 2007 18:42:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/anniversary.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/brown.php Talking about worship aesthetics need not polarize people. Frank Burch Brown tells how to be more inclusive in arts and worship…yet also more discerning. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 5 Jan 2007 15:44:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/brown.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/epiphany.php Learn why missional churches are deciding that Epiphany is a lot more than a fuss about wise men. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 22 Dec 2006 8:39:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/epiphany.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/ntwright.php What can people inside and outside your church learn about the gospel from the way you preach and practice the Lord’s Supper? Bishop Tom Wright wrote Simply Christian and a book on communion to explain why Christ’s resurrection is good news for the whole cosmos. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 08 Dec 2006 10:30:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/ntwright.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/volf.php Miroslav Volf knows how difficult reconciliation can be. His books "Free of Charge" and "Exclusion and Embrace" suggest new ways to think about worship and living as Christians in a violent world. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Tue, 28 Nov 2006 09:53:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/volf.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/laotion.php Looking back, Laotion refugees and the Christians who befriended them profess surprise at how God has joined together people and churches from different languages, religious assumptions, and life experiences. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 10 Nov 2006 09:23:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/laotion.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/design_church.php Building a new church lets you rethink the message you send through its interior and exterior design. Good architectural choices can improve worship participation, promote a sense of community, and offer your church as a welcome “third place.” Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 27 Oct 2006 10:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/design_church.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/guest_preach.php The way your church welcomes (or fails to welcome) a guest preacher also says something about how visitors experience your church. And if you're the pulpit supply, the way you prepare makes a big difference. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:18:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/guest_preach.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/bruner.php Good preachers study commentators so they can draw on collective wisdom as they prepare sermons. Frederick Dale Bruner’s Matthew commentaries set a high standard. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 29 Sep 2006 14:48:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/bruner.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/restore_justice.php Millions of people behind bars are waiting to hear the gospel. Forming congregations in prisons is an important step in restorative justice, say pastors Ed Nesselhuf and Steve Moerman. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 15 Sep 2006 11:03:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/restore_justice.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/getty.php Keith Getty says that what we sing becomes the grammar of what we believe. That's why he and Kristyn Getty are writing and teaching modern hymns that all ages can sing together ... and remember. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Wed, 6 Sep 2006 13:02:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/getty.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/contemp_wrshp.php Do you know how to look beyond the style of a traditional or contemporary worship service to find its worship vision, structure, and theology? Ron Rienstra says it’s a question more worship planners should ask and answer. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 18 Aug 2006 12:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/contemp_wrshp.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/ren_comm.php Church renovations let you rethink the message you send through the design of your church interior and exterior. Good architectural choices can improve worship participation, promote a sense of community, and make neighbors feel more welcome. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 4 Aug 2006 11:12:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/ren_comm.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/adoption.php Not talking about awkward emotions, say after infertility, pregnancy out of wedlock, or adoption, may seem kind. But it's better for churches to include adoption and related issues in baptisms, worship, and church life, say Howard Vanderwell and Ron Nydam. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 21 Jul 2006 11:12:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/adoption.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/eschatology.php How does your story fit into God's story? The way you answer this question likely influences what you believe about heaven. And your view of heaven makes a big difference in how you live and worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 7 Jul 2006 11:22:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/eschatology.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/worship_wars.php Though no one wants a worship war, discussions about worship change are often more divisive than divine. Howard Vanderwell explains how to ask questions that focus on worship principles, rather than on passions and preferences. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 23 Jun 2006 12:45:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/worship_wars.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/accessibility.php Becoming an accessible church involves far more than installing a wheelchair entrance. It includes making design choices so anyone can access the platform and lead worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 9 Jun 2006 08:30:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/accessibility.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/bolsinger.php It's an important distinction, yet one that many Christians miss, says Tod Bolsinger. Here it is: God calls us into a relationship that is intensely personal…but never private. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 26 May 2006 08:15:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/bolsinger.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/baptism.php Bowl, font, pool. Sprinkle, dip, soak. No matter what age your church baptizes people, ask yourself this: How consciously are you living your baptism as a way of life, not just an event? Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 12 May 2006 14:30:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/baptism.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/children.php Splitting into age-divided worship each Sunday doesn’t necessarily result in kids who go on to choose worship as adults. That’s why Carolyn C. Brown and several pastors are talking about intergenerational worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 1 May 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/children.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/prayer.php Whether you call it the divine office, praying the hours, or common prayer, this ancient treasure of Christian heritage is hidden in plain sight. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 14 Apr 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/prayer.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/creeds.php Albert Aymer believes more churches should use creeds in worship. Given how The DaVinci Code sparks so many questions about Christianity, now is a good time to brush up on creeds. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 31 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/creeds.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/visual_process.php As Catherine Kapikian and other Christian artists have discovered, understanding the visual arts process is key to creating church imagery that builds community and deepens worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 17 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/visual_process.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/peterson.php Whether translating the Bible from original Hebrew and Greek or writing spiritual theology, Eugene Peterson says he has one aim-getting Scripture into the hearts, minds, arms, legs, and mouths of men and women. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 3 Mar 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/peterson.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/ascension.php Many Christians skip from Easter to Pentecost because they don't understand why Christ's ascension matters. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Fri, 17 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/ascension.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/visual_worship.php What defines you? Is it what you know and do...or what you see and love? Must you choose? Your answer likely affects how you see the role of visual arts in worship. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 13 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/visual_worship.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/inbetween.php As worshipers move from one element of the service to the next, they need help to understand what they are doing and why. Verbal transitions help them stick with the worship dialogue between God and gathered people. Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 13 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/inbetween.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/disability.php How do you recognize each other's gifts and support each other's needs while avoiding a "you're not like us" attitude? Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 13 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/disability.php http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/list.php For Vital Worship features stories from 2004 and 2005, see www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/list.php Calvin Institute of Christian Worship worship@calvin.edu Mon, 13 Feb 2006 00:00:00 EST http://www.calvin.edu/worship/stories/list.php