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On the campus of Calvin University
© 2026 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
These case studies of worship in other times and places will give your congregation the freedom and framework to deepen your discussion of worship.
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These case studies of worship in other times and places work well in personal devotions, small groups and classrooms.
A list of songs to shape Holy Week.
A list of songs to shape Epiphany.
A list of songs to shape Ascension Day.
Songs and scripture texts for worship based on Galatians 5:22-26, the Fruit of the Spirit.
A list of songs to shape the season of Christmas.
An article written by Bert Polman about the history of worship practices in the Christian Reformed Church.
A list of songs to shape the Advent season.
We say we are one church but when it comes to deciding what to sing many different and sometimes competing voices are heard. How did we get so many different worship music styles? Is one better than another? Do we need to choose just one? Understanding the roots and impulses of different streams of music helps us navigate them better in the context of worship ministry. During this session we will take a quick tour of the history of music in the church stopping to sing along the way.
An exploration of some ways that Christian congregations, depending upon the Spirit’s empowering presence, can become generous, welcoming places for tired, thirsty travelers, both guest and host alike, to refresh and bring blessing to one another and thus serve as signposts of the Gospel.
Throughout the average week people talk about their lives and their families and their work through stories about whosaid what, how a certain event came about, and what something looked like and felt like when it happened. But too oftenon Sundays preachers present sermons that are short on vivid stories and long on description and the doling out of facts.In this workshop those who preach sermons and those who listen to sermons will explore both why vividness in sermons is vital and some ideas on how to make this happen in sermons as well.
Isaiah is famous for his prophecies of shalom—a coming time in which God would make right all that is wrong with the world. All of creation would be fruitful and benign. All humans would be knit together in brotherhood and sisterhood. All creation and all humans would delight in God. In short, God and creation would once again be webbed together in justice, harmony, and delight. The Psalmists, too, pray for shalom. This workshop will discuss these prayers. How do psalmists pray for shalom and how are their prayers important for our own worship?
