Jazz Vespers
This vesper service offers a journey through the psalms in a jazz style. Music is adapted from the album Connexion: A Jazz Psalter, produced by Wally Brath. Brath (piano), Nikki Lerner (voice), Greg Tardy, (saxophone, clarinet), and a Calvin University chamber orchestra lead the congregation through God’s story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration, exploring the full emotional depth of the psalms. The jazz-inspired soundtrack offers rich musical expression that complements the divine poetry.
Public Worship, Health Care, and Illness in Early Christianity
Explore how Christians in the earliest centuries of Christianity preached and prayed about illness, pain, and health care and shaped practices of baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and funerals in response to illness and injury, including during pandemics—all so that we can learn from their pastoral, theological, and practical instincts as we seek to be faithful witnesses to Christ in our own globally diverse contexts.
Wealth, Church, and Leitourgia
How did early Christians understand and practice wealth in relation to worship/service and care of the poor?
He Said Nothing Without a Parable
Mark 4:34 claims Jesus never said anything to the crowds without using parables.
Jared Ortiz on the Dramatic Nature of the Nicene Creed
Jared Ortiz, professor at Hope College, Holland, Michigan, describes the Nicene Creed as a dramatic and powerful statement where every word is like a declaration of war, saying yes to the truth and no to many falsehoods.
Jane Williams on the Nicene Creed as a Creative and Exciting Description of Who God Is
Jane Williams, professor of theology at St. Mellitus College in London, England, sees the Nicene Creed, crafted 1700 years ago, as an extraordinary creative and exciting description of who God is and therefore what we trust in as Christians in God's world.
Maria Eugenia Cornou and Mikie Roberts on the Doxological and Historical Significance of the Nicene Creed
Maria Eugenia Cornou and Mikie Roberts serve on a planning team for an October worship event in Egypt to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and the ecumenical creed that emerged in the year 325 and remains firmly embedded in the worship practices of the church today.
Psalm 148: Let All the Heavens
This expression of Psalm 148 was submitted by Ed Willmington, who wrote it with Clayton J. Schmit. The nature of Psalm 148 is total exuberance as all of nature offers praise to God.
The Friend at Midnight
This worship service centers on the story of the friend at midnight in Luke 11:5-13. Sandra McCracken, in collaboration with the Calvin University Worship Apprentices and their mentor, Paul Ryan, lead congregational worship. Janette Ok delivers the sermon, and Becca Tellinghuisen leads the scripture reading.
The Persistent Widow
This worship service features music led by the Calvin University Capella and the Hope College Chapel Choir, directed by Mark Stover and Eric Reyes and accompanied by organist Rhonda Sider Edgington. Nicole Massie Martin gives the sermon on the persistent widow of Luke 18:1-8.
Parables of the Lost Sheep, Coin, and Son
This service of the word and table includes a message on Luke 10 from Kevin Adams, who reflects on the parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son. Communion is celebrated following the message. Proskuneo Ministries leads the music, and the Calvin University Ministry Leadership Cohort, alongside their mentor, Joanna Wigboldy, guides the liturgy.
Parable of the Good Samaritan
This worship service focuses on the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. The Holland Christian High School Symphonic Orchestra, directed by Scott VandenBerg, leads the music with accompaniment from Alexis VanZalen. Calvin University’s Awakening group leads congregational singing featuring a selection of emerging bilingual Korean-English songs. Andrea Bult delivers the message, and students from Calvin University’s Ministry Leadership Cohort, alongside their mentor, Noel Snyder, guide the liturgy.