Based on the experiences of those who have selected music for worship at Seekers, the responses by members in the congregation to that music, and ongoing conversations with other interested Seekers, Celebration Circle offers the following guidelines to those who will be selecting music in the future.
Music should undergird the season's theme, the week's lections and/or the sermon. Preachers should be consulted when selecting music, but those who select music need to keep the larger picture of Seekers worship in mind. Consider the variety of hymnals available:
Inserts of lyrics or music from other sources that include proper indication of copyright permission from CCLI, GIA or copyright holder.
a) Prelude
b) First hymn
- understood as part of the Call to Worship
- spirituals or other songs easy for children to learn
- worshipful, theological content appropriate for both children and adult
- generally upbeat
c) Second hymn (preparation for the Word)
d) Offertory
- 2 - 3 minutes
- bring closure to the Word
- match tone/complete images/....
e) Third hymn
- bring closure to the service
- send us forth to action/mission
- short, or with verses that may be omitted
- not the place to try new hymns
- Language and style considerations
- style may be contemporary, classical, traditional, folk, etc. as fits the occasion (see #1)
- language should reflect the theology of Seekers as found in the Commitment Statement:
"We worship God as triune being. We believe:
- that the Creator - father and mother to us all, ground of being - loves, sustains and calls us;
- that Jesus Christ, who for our sake lived, was crucified, died, rose from the dead, and now bids us to a ministry of love and justice'
- that the Holy Spirit, as the empowering presence and breath of God, confronts and inspires us to do God's work in the world."
- be inclusive - speak to and for all God's people
- be mindful that people come from a variety of traditions and differ over theology
- be willing to explain musical choices rather than just springing them on the community
"Our interest in singing hymns is not antiquarian but communitarian - singing to God from where we are... It is traditional for hymn-texts to be altered.... Language, like music, has formative power....[like] invisible mending, elegant changes [are] close to the spirit, language, and theology of the original."
from "Why Do They Keep Changing the Good Old Hymns" by Brian Wren
Always leave room for the Holy Spirit
Revised 1/26/2004
The Children's Word: Tips to Consider
The Children's Word at Seekers Church is a time when we intentionally communicate our Christian perspective with the children of our community. We hope that the following points will help you in your preparation.
The Children's Word should be geared primarily towards the children even though adults always enjoy listening too. Consider your audience to be the 5-6 year olds and use words and concepts that they will be able to understand. Try to keep it simple. If they understand then you know that everyone will understand.
The time allocated for the Children's Word is five minutes. Because of this time limitation it is best if you have only one or two ideas that you want to cover. Stories, concrete examples, or using objects are good ways to build interest and communicate your ideas.
Try to consider the lectionary scriptures in what you have share with the children. If you wish you may want to coordinate with the preacher forth for that Sunday.
Be sure to take the offering and have a brief prayer before dismissing the children. On Communion Sunday it is not necessary to take the offering since the children will be in the service for the offering.
Thank you for being willing to share with our children.
Guidelines for Preaching
These are guidelines, not rules. Each of us who offers the Word to the community during worship must, in the end, be guided by God's Spirit as we prepare and present what we have to offer. The Celebration Circle seeks to encourage your creativity, while maintaining a sense of our faith journey together as a community.
As you select the form of your preaching offering, consider the variety - teaching, prophecy, visioning, participative, non-verbal, etc. We encourage variety, and want you to use a form that empowers you. If you want to talk over an unconventional approach, call the Celebration Circle.
- Consider how your sermon can be related to the theme for the worship season.
- Consider how your offering is grounded in your personal theological understanding: use your own story as one part of our story as a Christian community.
- Consider how your offering can build the life of the Seekers. Encouragement, teaching and prophetic confrontation all have a place, but the goal is to engage with us as a community and help us be on our journey.
- Consider how you can invite us to an encounter with God, and a relationship with Christ.
- Consider how you can invite each of us into a deeper connection with the Seekers' Church.
- Consider how you can invite us to an outer journey in mission as well as an inner journey of spiritual growth.
- Consider how you can link us to our Christian tradition.
- Consider how you can shed light on the meaning of Christian Discipleship in terms of our heritage within the Church of the Saviour - servant leadership, committed membership, mission, call, gifts, etc..
Guidelines for Liturgists
Introduction
When Seekers Church worships, a different person preaches each Sunday. To model gender balance in leading worship, when a woman preaches we have a man serve as liturgist, and vice versa. Most of the time our liturgists are members of Celebration Circle mission group. Occasionally, though, we invite other members of Seekers Church to serve as liturgist.
In our worship, the liturgist carries these key functions:
- Hold the space so all who are worshiping can relax and open themselves to the unexpected movement of the Holy Spirit.
- Lead the community in prayer by offering poetic bidding prayers that hold up images for praise, thanksgiving and intercession, images that are grounded in the lections for the week as well as events in the world and in the life of the community.
- Allow for and honor unexpected opportunities for improvisational response to the movement of the Spirit.
- Bridge any gaps in the flow of worship to minimize disruptions for those worshiping.
- Gently bring our worship to completion within the expected time.
It is a tall order, and we often fall short of the mark somewhere along the line. These guidelines are an attempt to capture our almost 30 years of experience in this approach to facilitating worship. They are not rules, but those of us who frequently serve as liturgist have found them useful as a reminder of what we have found that works for us.
General
When speaking, honor the rhythm of what you say; allow time for people to hear.
Chronology (Assuming 10:00AM Start of Worship)
10:00 Finish Circle Time
PRELUDE
All sit in silence through prelude
Candles lighted during prelude
Stand at lectern as people settle down
Liturgist reads silent reflection paragraph
Hold short silence (~15 seconds)
10:05 CALL TO WORSHIP
All stand for call to worship
If 2 voices, identify them before beginning call to worship
INVOCATION
All remain standing for Invocation
Addressed to God
Acknowledge presence of God
Lead us into awareness of God’s presence
Include some Trinitarian reference
FIRST HYMN
All remain standing for first hymn
WORD FOR THE CHILDREN
All sit for word for the children
Liturgist stands while children and teachers leave
SILENCE
Liturgist stands for silence
Invite time of silence and reflection
Hold silence until quiet returns (~1 minute)
RESPONSIVE READING
Liturgist stands, people sit for responsive reading
If 2 voices, identify them (or remind people) before beginning
SILENCE
Liturgist stands for silence
Hold silence for longer time (~3 minutes)
PRAYERS
Liturgist stands for prayers
Liturgist invites all to continuing prayer, and common confession
If 2 voices, identify them (or remind people) before beginning
All say common confession
Liturgist invites individual confession; holds space
Liturgist offers assurance
Liturgist invites prayers of praise and thanksgiving
Invitation prayer opens breadth of things to pray for
Invitation prayer is long enough to let people enter in more deeply
Include references to lectionary readings when appropriate
Liturgist invites individual prayers of praise and thanksgiving; holds space
Liturgist invites prayers of intercession and petition
Invitation prayer opens breadth of things to pray for
Invitation prayer is long enough to let people enter in more deeply
Include references to lectionary readings when appropriate
Liturgist invites individual prayers of intercession and petition; holds space
Liturgist invites all to pray as Jesus taught
10:30 Finish Prayer time
SCRIPTURE
Liturgist announces readings; invites readers by name
Liturgist remains standing at lectern
Readers offer lessons from within congregation
Pause between readings for short (15-30 second) silence if time permits
After reading Gospel lesson, reader brings Bible to altar table
SERMON
Liturgist introduces preacher
<Avoid references to “my best friend.” >
Liturgist sits down as preacher comes to lectern
11:00 Finish sermon
SILENT REFLECTION
Liturgist remains seated; holds short silence
OFFERING
Liturgist stands and invites giving gifts to God
Liturgist hands offering plate to designated offering taker
Liturgist sits with preacher while offering is gathered
Liturgist stands at lectern after offering gathered
(and music finished if possible)
Liturgist silently invites all to stand as offering is placed on altar table
Gatherer offers prayer/movement as desired
Include other “gifts” during offering time
(blessing ribbons, etc. as part of offering)
SHARED REFLECTIONS
Liturgist introduces reflection time
Reflect on lessons, worship …
Call on individuals (by name)
Insure newer/more reticent people are recognized
Liturgist actively monitors time remaining
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Liturgist introduces as part of worship “…our ministry beyond this place…”
Liturgist monitors time
11:10 Finish announcements
FINAL HYMN
All stand
BENEDICTION
All remain standing
LEAVING THE SANCTUARY
Liturgist greets visitors
Collecting bulletins gets you to all parts of the sanctuary
11:15 Worship complete
August 29, 2010
