Worship planning is not just for pastors. Most of the time weekly worship in Protestant churches is planned at least partly by a pastor or pastors. These days, however, many churches are discovering how much richer worship can be when it’s planned by church members as well. Whether you’re a lay (non-ordained) leader in a church who wants to get involved, or a youth whose turn it is to lead worship at a youth meeting, or a member of a church that is between pastors, this guide is meant to get you started in the process of planning worship.
Step 1
Pray.
Step 2
Reflect on last week's worship.
Step 3
Study the context of your worship as best you are able - the particular people, the culture, the local history, etc. This will help you to address their needs, experiences, hopes, etc.
Step 4
Choose scripture passage(s) on which the service will focus. If your church follows a lectionary such as the Revised Common Lectionary, consult it for the scriptures.
Step 5
Read the scriptures to get a first sense of the themes that the pastor may want to have lifted up in the prayers, the music, and the sermon.
Step 6
Be in conversation with the pastor or other members of the worship team (musicians, scripture readers, those writing or finding prayers, etc.), to understand the theme and direction being used.
Step 7
Review and understand the "shape" or outline of worship ordinarily used in your tradition. If you are from a prayerbook tradition (such as the Episcopal Church) you will need to follow this closely. Even if you come from a free church tradition, it is best to introduce changes gradually and with lots of interpretation. In most mainline churches the shape of worship will generally include
- some kind of gathering
- an encounter with scripture
- response to the encounter with scripture (e.g. prayers, call to discipleship)
- sending out/departing
Step 8
If it is appropriate to your tradition, try to include at least some time during the worship experience for stillness and silence. Whether before prayer or before the worship service begins, this can allow the congregation a time of transition from their busy lives into the calmness of God's sanctuary.
Tips
- Engage people in many different ways: images, hearing, smell, rational discourse, poetic language, emotions, dialogue or conversation, physical movement, music, etc. Different people need different approaches in order to enter deeply into worship.
- Consult your minister, worship team,minster of music and your congregation's office administrator early in the process. They will help you with the nuts and bolts of worship planning. Such as to whom and by when you need to communicate details about the worship service, the process of creating a bulletin,etc.
- If using a bulletin, welcome folks with a snazzy format, including nice pictures, suggested quiet meditation (if your pre-service time will allow for it), and order of worship with rubrics (when to stand, sing, sit, etc.).
- Also remember that it isn't about the entertainment value. Snazzy and attractive are good, but people can get that at home on their tvs. Challenge the people to enter something deeper that could potentially touch their souls.
- Become familiar with the congregation's context. This includes using language relavant to the people. For example, agricultural references in a city church may not convey your desired meaning.
- Try to find some time between days of worship to come into the sanctuary and just walk around. Is it neat and clean? What do the people see from the different locations in the room? What does the space feel like? Can it be shared easily?
- Is the sanctuary easily accessible for those who may need some type of physical assistance?
- If your worship experiences are recorded, it would be helpful to get the tapes/CDs and listen to them either privately or with a group. You may be surprised at what you will hear that goes out to the sick and shut-in, or persons who support the media ministry, etc. They may just have to have that "special" moment for eternity! :-)
- Include layity in the worship. This action results in a more communal aspect rather than a worship conducted solely by the planner. Suggestions include having layity lead,special music, children's time, read scripture,etc.
- Incorporate some type of meditative quiet time within the worship service to allow people to center themselves in the worship space.
- The worship experience should be authentic and focused in every aspect. The songs, prayers, and responsive readings should all point back to the days Scripture passage. All should also reflect an authentic Spiritual luring and not one of cohersion, or guilt.
- If you decide to use a prayer or liturgy from a worship resource ALWAYS acknowledge the source and make sure that by using it you will not be infringing on copywrite rules. If you are going to use hymns outside of your hymnal, buy a copywrite license. It is much cheaper than getting caught using copyed music. It is not only illegal to run off copies of copywrited music it is unethical.
Warnings
- The ability to evoke certain responses from people in worship can be addictive, and lead to worship that manipulates for the thrill of the effect.
- Be aware of the language that you use, as it sometimes takes people to a place of pain which you had not intended. It is goo for people to invest in worship, but it is also okay for them to have options for participation if it is causing them pain.
- Worship can not please everyone all of the time. Hear the grace and freedom in that statement. While at the same time this is not an excuse to not try.
- Prior to pew running it is important to make sure that the pews are bolted down.
- Change can be unsettling to some of the congregation. So take it slow. Don't try to change the entire format of service in one week. People need to have something familiar in the service that connects them with the Holy.
Things You'll Need
- God, Jesus, Holy Spirit
- A quiet/suitable place for focused work to be accomplished
- Try to ditch the cell phones, etc.
- A Bible
- Paper/writing pad
- Pen and/or pencil
- A Hymnal
- A love for God and the Word of God being genuinely expressed
- A love for the congregants
- Coffee
- A sense of humor
- A topical index of songs
- A listing of keys of songs for smooth transitions
- A book of prayers
- Lectionary readings, if they are part of your tradition
- Time, to plan and prepare
- Laity willing to participate not only in the worship but in planning the worship
