All Tags Resource Type Academic Article Article Audio Bibliography Book Excerpt Conversation Enacted Scripture Feature Story Image News Item Online Discussion Podcast Reflection Prayer Resource Guide Slideshow Topic Showcase Video Website Worship Service Category All Christian Year Daily Prayer/Reflection Dance Drama Grants Interdisciplinary Intergenerational Worship Language Arts/Words Music Preaching Sacraments (Baptism and Lord's Supper) Teaching Technology Visual Arts Worshipers Worship- Leading Worship- Meaning of Worship- Planning Worship- Preparing for Occasion All Lent Weddings Christmas Pentecost Weekday Services Funerals Anniversaries War Dedications Ascension Hymn Festival Lessons and Carols Christ the King Teaching Worship Healing Services Passion Week Symposium Resources Natural Disasters Commissionings Summer Heidelberg Catechism Easter Ordination/Installation Thanksgiving Advent Taize Epiphany Search results 1 - 20 of 288 Sort by: Title | Date Pandemic Worship Changes Worth Keeping So much has changed about church worship since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, soared, waned, and resurges. Those pandemic-forced pivots have created worship opportunities that have helped congregations adapt, find unity amid division, and pursue justice. Feature Story | June 16, 2022 Mary Aluel Garang: The Charles Wesley of South Sudan Since the mid-1980s, Mary Aluel Garang's theologically rich hymns have helped Sudanese Christians maintain faith and hope in God despite decades of war, conflict, and hardship. Her songs are known and sung beyond her Dinka people, her Episcopal tradition, and her nation of South Sudan. Feature Story | March 31, 2022 Dinka Christian Infrastructure: Song and Prayer Ministries During decades of Sudanese civil war, the Jol Wo Lieech song ministry and Thiec Nhialic prayer ministry gave refugees and refugee congregations a sense of family and purpose. Both still work to unite Christians, whether or not they belong to the Dinka tribe or still live in South Sudan. Feature Story | March 28, 2022 Navajo Christians Build Relationships through Scripture and Culture Window Rock Christian Reformed Church used a Vital Worship Grant project to connect with more people by engaging scripture in ways reflective of Navajo cultural practices. Feature Story | December 01, 2021 Visio Divina: Sacred Seeing to Encounter God Just as lectio divina invites people to meditate on scripture, visio divina helps people pray with art. Visio divina, which translates as “divine seeing,” uses silence and images to help worshipers reflect and respond to God in ways other than listening to a sermon or singing praise songs. Feature Story | November 03, 2021 Becoming People of Refugia Extreme weather, declining church influence, and environmental protests affect Christians around the world. Debra Rienstra explains why the biological concept of refugia offers a metaphor for seeing the Spirit at work despite deep disturbances in God's creation and among God's people. Feature Story | August 30, 2021 Chaplaincy Changes during COVID-19 The coronavirus pandemic has raised the profile of chaplains and profoundly affected how they do their work. Learn how you and your congregation can pray for chaplains and those they serve. Feature Story | May 12, 2021 Lucie Eddie Campbell: A Mother of Gospel Music James Abbington was inspired to insert an old gospel song before the eulogy at the funeral for baseball star Henry “Hank” Aaron. The reaction prompted him to honor the heritage of Lucie E. Campbell, an influential Black gospel musician whom many people have forgotten. Feature Story | May 11, 2021 Faith Communities and Safe Dwelling Places Philosopher and author Lee Hardy noticed derelict buildings near his church for decades before realizing that faith-based communities have valuable resources to address the affordable housing crisis. Feature Story | March 01, 2021 Creation’s Sabbath Economic lockdowns and pauses during the coronavirus pandemic offer glimpses of a renewed world. Despite COVID-19’s horrific effects, Christians can choose to reframe their lives in light of the sabbath rest that God intends for all creation. Feature Story | January 05, 2021 Six Earthkeeping Conversation Tips Since Christians disagree on climate change, you may think it’s best to agree to disagree. But these six tips can help you find common ground for taking positive action. It all starts with conversation. Feature Story | January 05, 2021 Psalm 9 (and others): God’s Grand Story and the Communion Cross This interpretation of portions of Psalm 9 and various other psalms was created and submitted by Barbara Sartorius Bjelland and focuses on how God’s grand story of redemption of all creation is woven into the psalms. Feature Story | Image | December 23, 2020 How to Learn Well in Online Courses: An Invitation to Conversation Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary offer short-term online courses for lifelong learners. Besides engaging content to address key ministry challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the courses invite students and instructors into a culture of curiosity where they can learn from each other. Feature Story | November 09, 2020 Church Responses to Infertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy Loss After decades of silence, church leaders and congregations have begun accompanying people who mourn losing children before or soon after birth or letting go of dreams to form a family. Feature Story | June 02, 2020 Intergenerational Worship Model Based on Scripture and Story Residents of senior living communities often feel cut off from church life. Meanwhile, congregations often feel segregated by age. This participatory intergenerational worship model brings people together around Scripture and life stories. Feature Story | January 06, 2020 When Local Churches Learn and Worship Together Four congregations in Durham, North Carolina, discovered that planning worship, learning, and reflecting together helped them be better witnesses in their East Durham neighborhood. Feature Story | November 26, 2019 Trauma-Informed Worship: Address Trauma to Begin Healing Most pastors realize that people come to church with deep fears, sorrows, and concerns that often remain unexpressed in worship. But because Mount Aery Baptist Church has worked to become a trauma-informed congregation, its worship services are becoming a communal place of healing. Feature Story | November 12, 2019 Trauma-Informed Congregations and Worship: Being Made Whole Becoming a trauma-informed congregation means helping people learn, talk, and grieve about what happened to them. Worship can provide a safe space for people to nurture trusting relationships and accept God's healing grace. Feature Story | October 02, 2019 Curriculum Prepares People to Talk about Racial Reconciliation Arrabon’s Race, Class, and the Kingdom of God curriculum gives small groups the shared knowledge, language, and practices to effectively address deep cultural tensions and divisions. Feature Story | August 19, 2019 Four Ways to Mentor Worship Leaders Four church leaders describe how they train and mentor worship leaders in their contexts. They try to identify gifts and to make room for everyone no matter their immigration status, age, or gender. Feature Story | August 16, 2019 1 2 3 ... Next »