1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2025 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
It turns out that what helps churches include people with cognitive impairments in communion is good advice for everyone.
Randy Smit sees all of life as a gift and the Lord’s Table as the “quintessential place for experiencing the hospitality of Christ. And so who’s at the table becomes pretty significant.” He suggests focusing less on “fencing the table,” more on opening it to children or others who may be left out.
The more that you experience God’s grace through the sacraments and in ordinary life, the more attention you’ll pay to who’s not at the Lord’s Table.
All God’s children are gifted and have worth; the role of the church is to help them discover those gifts and to enable them to use their gifts in the body of Christ and the local community.
Faith formation is not just for children—all of us are shaped in our faith by the way we come to God in worship. This session considered what it might mean if we have a faith formation focus as we plan worship.
A set of resources for acknowledging military members in worship.
The session presented several practical tools for building a church community that welcomes and embraces diversity in membership. Highlighting examples from churches including members with disabilities, this session offered ideas that allow people to see one another through God's eyes.
Bringing Forth Treasures: A Wise, Old Metaphor for Ministry with a Bright Future
If your church is larger than 150 people, statistics say that you have members who fall on the Autism Spectrum, including Asperger Syndrome.
Many worshipers suffer from chronic illnesses, sudden crises, stresses from work and/or family life, losses of loved ones or of personal abilities, discouragement from situations in the local community or the world.
This presentation addressed practical ways congregations can have a real impact on the lives of people with disabilities and their families living in their community and to make worship more accessible to everyone.
The best argument for blended worship is that the body of Christ by definition is itself blended - therefore our services should reflect that reality.
