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Renewed: Mary’s Song (Our King of Peace)

Wendell Kimbrough’s setting of Mary’s Song captures the wonder, fear, and obedience of Mary’s response to Gabriel’s message. The song is a perfect fit for Advent, Christmas, and Lessons and Carols services.

December 6, 2017 | 11 min video
The Geography of Worship

An annotated research guide from the field of geography, exploring the relevance of place, space, and human/environment interactions for the study of worship practices.

December 5, 2017 | 1 min read
Stephanie Smith on Raising Lay Leaders from the Margins

Those who experience homelessness, poverty, physical or mental illness, or addiction understand things that more privileged people may never know. Raising up peer chaplains from within this group can lead to renewal in both outdoor and building-based Christian communities.

December 5, 2017 | 6 min read

Stephanie Smith on Starting an Outdoor Church

People treated as the last and the least often feel unwelcome inside churches. That is why some church plants create a worshiping community outdoors. Many of their discoveries also apply to indoor churches.

December 5, 2017 | 8 min read
Born to Die, Born to Rise 2017

This service of Lessons and Carols from 2017 celebrates Christmas by proclaiming the Easter Gospel: "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again!"

December 1, 2017 | 13 min read
Renewed: Ready My Heart

What if we thought about Christ’s birth as an ongoing reality, rather than a one-time event? That’s just what Lois Shuford’s haunting Advent song “Ready My Heart” does: it helps us prepare our hearts for Christ to dwell in us every day.

November 27, 2017 | 10 min video

Round Two: Ordination Best Practices for Ministers, Elders, and Deacons

Our first roundup of ordination resources was so popular that we have now consulted five more experts from five more denominations. Their best practices will help you dig beneath the surface when you ordain or install ministers, elders, and deacons.

November 21, 2017 | 25 min read
A Conversation with David Crowder

View this conversation with pastoral musician David Crowder and Noel Snyder, program manager at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.

November 14, 2017 | 27 min video
Does Church Location Make Any Difference?

Because human beings are embodied creatures, the shape of the material world—in particular, the shape of the built environment—will affect their spiritual lives, both in relation to God and to each other.

October 24, 2017 | 10 min read

Renee Reimer on Being Rooted and Grounded in God’s Creation

Worshiping outdoors and bringing nature into worship helped one church experience more connections between God’s creation, worship, and neighbors.

October 10, 2017 | 7 min read