Worship Matters Worship Matters

Sustaining the glow after Easter Sunday has passed is always a struggle for the local congregation. The Worship Team shares the resources prepared for more of Eastertide and looks forward to another celebration of Pentecost. Last episode we presented the resources for the first three weeks after Easter in a collaboration with members of the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement (See Worship Matters Episode 101). Now we continue with another three weeks with a series called “How Shall We Love.” Central to our Christian witness is the command to love God and love neighbor. But what should that love look like in our own context? Join us as we share these resources. And then let’s plan for a grand and glorious Pentecost Sunday, with “These Bones Shall Live,” a weaving of Ezekiel and Acts to tell the story we need to hear today.

Eastertide makes an early appearance this year, giving us the opportunity to spend the first half of this season of Resurrection preparing for Earth Day, which also happens to be the Fourth Sunday of Easter. In this episode, Lisa Hancock interviews members of the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement who were part of a team who wrote many of the worship resources for our Eastertide series, “How Shall We Live.” Tune in to learn more about these worship resources, as well as tools and ideas for integrating creation justice into worship throughout the year!

If you would like to learn more and get involved in the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement, you can find more information here: https://umcreationjustice.org/. You can also find more worship resources developed by the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement here: https://umcreationjustice.org/library/.

The worship team takes a moment to reflect on the Worship Matters podcast – how it started, what we were trying to accomplish, and what we have learned along the way. We share our favorite episodes and guests, special events, and how Covid and the ongoing disaffiliation impact all redirected some of our content along the way. Listen as the team shares some of the outgrowths of the podcast, leading to Prayers for Anti-racism, the worship webinars, hymnal project updates, Hey Preacher resources, disability ministry, and many other current and future projects were podcast conversations on Worship Matters. Join us for this lighthearted anniversary edition of Worship Matters.

The season of Lent begins on Valentine’s Day in 2024. It seems a strange juxtaposition and yet a perfect opportunity to spend time reflecting on Depths of Love, which is our Lenten theme. Far from a hearts and flowers expression, the love presented in the Gospels gives us insight into the God we worship and the calling we have to live out this love by the commandment to love one another. Join the worship team as we discuss the possibilities for this important season and get us ready for Holy Week and the glorious celebration of Easter to come.

Here on the brink of another calendar year, the Worship Team shares some details – and some excitement – about the things that are coming for 2024. We start with the familiar and the Lenten worship resources already available, but then go on into worship webinars, teaching materials on sacraments and membership, workshops for annual conferences, the new iteration of School of Congregational Development coming in the summer, Hey Preacher, and much, much more. Listen in and be prepared to join us in our enthusiasm for what we are becoming together.

The Worship Team continues the journey through Year B with a discussion about Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord. There are some significant events coming up in this season, so listen in to how worship can help your church in “Becoming the People of God.” Ordinary Time is anything but ordinary, as you know, so let this season in January be a time of revitalization and hope for your local context. Then we present our standalone series for Transfiguration, titled “Crossing Over,” as a great transition from the Season after Epiphany into the Season of Lent. Join us as we present the themes and suggestions for this significant season.