1855 Knollcrest Circle SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546-4402 USA
On the campus of Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary
© 2024 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
This workshop offered practical ways parents and the church can partner together to help engage children in worship.
This session took the Psalms as a case study for considering what it means for the preacher, first, and then the congregation, to be astonished by the biblical text. How might this ancient poetry be surprising, and therefore revelatory, to those who hear it in our contemporary contexts? What sort of preparation is necessary for the preacher who wishes to engage the Psalms as poetry?
In this session philosopher John Cooper presented key points in the theology and philosophy that undergirds our understanding of God's providential care in a world where terrible things happen all the time. Why do bad things happen to good people? Scott Hoezee connected these thoughts to the pastoral care that preachers can provide from the pulpit. This session aimed to be both rigorously thoughtful and pastorally practical for the life of the church.
Worship throughout scripture and history is culturally diverse, not monolithic, reflecting the diversity of God and his creation. True biblical worship is also holistic, involving the soul, the mind, and the body. This workshop explored the culturally diverse and holistic nature of worship, with reference especially to African American, Caribbean, and Hispanic worship.
This session explored what the book of Job teaches about the meaning and spiritual significance of worship, and offered worshipers both theological insights and some evocative poetic images to guide their approach to worship.
This session raised the question as to whether some, if not all, of the ministries of the church might be enriched if they could be re-integrated around particular geographic locations. Specifically, this session will suggest the possibility that choosing where to live or what ministries of the church to affiliate with based on where one lives can be a fundamental act of Christian discipleship.
This workshop discussed how contemporary short stories from writers such as Flannery O'Connor, Doris Betts, and Raymond Carver resonate with New Testament themes and how such stories might help preachers find ways to relate contemporary themes to their listeners.
This session introduced participants to the world of 16th century printing and focused on books used in early Reformed worship. Participants were able to look closely at these rare books and to gain a better sense of the impact of printing on the faith and practice of early modern Christians.
This interactive seminar explored the cultural forces shaping teenagers' attitudes towards life as well as current research on teenage spirituality, in order to help think strategically about connecting young people with the Christian faith through worship.
The 21st century is characterized by people moving and mixing all over the world, trying to fit into new communities that are varied and diverse. That reality is pushing the church to be multiethnic like the church of the 1st century. We'll explore how to plan worship that is inclusive, allowing everyone to feel welcome by including musical gifts from their culture and worship "back home" in their new church home.
This session considered what we can learn from the early Christians about dealing with musical problems in the midst of a pagan culture.
The relationship between churches and the news media is too often one of mutual indifference or mistrust. This session explores practical ways of connecting with local reporters and maintaining healthy and beneficial relationships with the media.
