All Day Planning Retreat - 9:30 a.m - 12:00 p.m.:
9:30-9:45 Devotions (short litany/prayer/song - see litany sheet)
9:45-10:00 Introduction
Addresses general issues related to worship and orders of worship, such as: What is worship? What is Prayer? Is there a difference? What is Liturgy? How do we view it as Lutherans/Methodists/etc.? How do the newest members/visitors see us? How does the community around us perceive us? How do we use ritual? What are our particular rituals?
10:00-11:20 How do we approach worship and worship planning?
Scriptural Worship: Worship based on scriptural texts, evangelical (i.e. preaching the Gospel), Eucharistic, worship is/as prayer
Prophetic Worship: Worship which emphasizes some scriptural “virtue”, “goal”, or “need” which calls for a change in attitude, spirituality, thought, and/or action by those who participate in worship; “comfort the afflicted, afflict the comfortable”
Social/Emotional Worship: Worship which speaks/touches to the emotions, ideals, culture, politics, etc. of the individuals. Music works on two levels: knowledge/emotion, teaching aid “what we sing we come to believe”
Worship styles: Discuss traditional, contemporary, blended, contemplative, festal, liturgical (meaning of “liturgy”), non-liturgical, passive, active, Martin Luther’s comments re worship/order
Worship Practicalities: Facility possibilities/restrictions/configuration, size of congregation (i.e. how many go to communion), time constraints, budgetary considerations, technological considerations, talent available/restrictions, receptivity of worshipers, lectionary/non-lectionary
11:20-11:30 Hymn choosing exercise
Take a sample lectionary (from the previous or upcoming Sunday would be best), set out how many hymns are needed (Gathering, Theme, Sending), give them one hymnal, and have them choose hymns which meet the themes they see in the lessons provided.
11:30-12:00 Discussion
How did they all feel about doing this? Have them explain why they picked the hymns they did.
12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. Lunch
12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Worship Planning for 20__
Identify the following in the congregation (where are the "weak" or "blind" spots, prejudices, current emotional needs such as deaths, births, societalupheaval, etc.):
Scriptural Emphasis
Prophetic Needs
Social/Emotional Needs
Worship Style preferences
Practical Needs/Restrictions
Develop Worship Goals/Outline/Timeline