Worship Matters: Recent Episodes
Worship Matters
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this episode, the Worship Team introduces the October Worship Series, Choosing Faith. Faith is a multilayered reality that is part gift and part effort. The October series invites us to consider how we as individuals and a community understand and live out faith in our daily lives. The team also makes note that October has other events for our attention, including World Communion, Children’s Sabbath, and Laity Sunday. Do we set aside the series in favor of these events, or can we somehow blend them together? Then the standalone All Saints Sunday resources can help your local church celebrate this amazing event. Join us for this helpful podcast.
In this episode, Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, has a conversation with the Rev. Dr. Reginald Lee, Senior Pastor of Hartsville Cooperative Parish in the South Carolina Annual Conference, and consultant to Hey Preacher. The main topic of conversation is the upcoming Bridging Visions 2, an event designed to help preachers bridge the prophetic and the pastoral in their preaching. It will be held January 15-17, at the North Georgia Conference Center in Duluth, Georgia. Watch for more details!
I Will Call Upon the Lord is a worship series for the month of September. Based on the lectionary Psalm texts, this series invites us to reflect on what it means to be known by God, to be a people of hope, to reflect the glory of God and to be safe in the shelter of the Lord. Listen in as Dr. Diana Snachez Bushong, Director of Music Ministries, and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, share some possibilities and opportunities for this busy time in the church year.
Dr. Stan McDaniel is a church musician, professor of music, and writer of sacred music for choirs, handbells and instrumental ensembles. His latest book is titled “Servanthood of Song: Music, Ministry and the Church in the United States.” Dr. Diana Sanchez Bushong leads this wide-ranging conversation on American history, liturgical history, various genres of sacred music, and more. McDaniel writes that he has been a passionate believer in the power of music to witness and the need for church musicians to minister to the communities in which they serve. Join us for this important conversation on music and worship in the church.
Dear Children of God is a three-part worship series designed to carry us through the summer months with a sense of playfulness and encouragement. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t serious and weighty issues in this series. Based on the Epistle texts from the lectionary, Dear Children of God asks us how we might communicate the essentials of the faith with modern technology. Whether texting, email, or snail mail letters the proclamation of the faith is both a responsibility and a joy for every Christian community. Listen in as the Worship Team walks us through this innovative series and invites each worship team to embrace the grace of summer worship.
The third of the high holy celebrations of the liturgical year, Pentecost is sometimes called the birthday of the church. It is certainly a day of empowerment and celebration, as the Worship Team at Discipleship Ministries presents in the two-part series “All Access.” If Easter “rends the veil” and opens God’s heart to the world, then Pentecost is where we are equipped and transformed to be able to fulfill the mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Trinity Sunday, then, continues the conversation as we explore our experience of the God who calls and equips and sends. Join us for this lively conversation about Pentecost, Trinity Sunday and our “All Access” pass into a future with hope.
In this episode, Lisa Hancock interviews members of the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement who were part of a team that wrote worship resources for our Eastertide series “Believing Into Christ.” They discuss the intersectional perspectives on creation justice that weave throughout the resources and the various ways congregations can engage these materials throughout Eastertide and beyond. Tune in to learn more about these worship resources, as well as tools and ideas for integrating creation justice into worship throughout the year.
Lent and Holy Week and Easter are often times of intense activity and special worship experiences in the local church. The Worship Team from Discipleship Ministries presents an innovative worship series that takes the worshiper from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Titled Steadfast Love: A Lenten Playlist, this series takes music from a variety of genres to help deepen our experience of the profound themes of this holy season. Listen in as the team shares their excitement about this series and then some highlights of other projects coming from Discipleship Ministries. You won’t want to miss it.
This high and holy season is a favorite in many communities. Join the Worship Team from Discipleship Ministries as they discuss resources for Advent with an experiential emphasis as again we are invited to “Come, Let Us Adore Him” this season. And then hear how we launch a new calendar year with reflections on what it means to be community with “Re-Membering the Body” for Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord Sunday and then “Where You Are” a reflective reorienting of self and congregation for Ordinary Time.
One of the most popular features on the Discipleship Ministries website is the ongoing series History of Hymns. These insightful articles give worship planners and music lovers a deeper look into our favorite hymns for worship. The editor and most frequent writer of the History of Hymns is Dr. C. Michael Hawn, DMA, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Church Music, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. He joined Perkins faculty in 1992 and retired from fulltime status in 2017. Previously he was professor of church music at two Baptist seminaries for a total of 15 years. In addition to teaching, he has served churches in Kentucky, Georgia, North Caolina and Texas as minister of music. In addition to over 500 articles, reviews books and curriculum materials, Dr. Hawn began writing the “History of Hymns” in 2004 for The United Methodist Reporter and now for Discipleship Ministries. Join us for this lively conversation, full of stories and music with Dr. Michael Hawn.
Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and Director of Music Ministries, discusses the project to vet contemporary music for its theological soundness and appropriateness for worship in United Methodist congregations. Joining her are two members of the 2024 team – Dr. Nelson Cowan, Project Manager; and Felicia Patton – both United Methodist musicians and worship leaders working in the church. Join us to learn about the criteria and process in this vital project for modern worship in The United Methodist Church.
Joining Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries for this episode is the Rev. Sara McKinley, formerly Director of the Office of Clergy Excellence at the Florida Conference Center in Lakeland and now Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Naples Florida. Sara was born in England, raised in Africa, worked in the Far East, traveled extensively throughout the world, and chose to live in the United States. Before her call to ordained ministry, she worked in the juvenile court system in Worcester, MA; international corporate business in the U.S and the Far East; and co-owned a graphic design business in Florida for 12 years. She has degrees from the University of Bristol, England; Clark University, Worcester, MA; and Candler School of Theology at Emory University. As a part of the Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative, Sara and a team of pastors and theologians developed worship resources called Wesleyan Rooted, https://www.wesleyanrooted.org/. These free resources are available outside the Florida Conference and are a part of the movement to reclaim our identity and roots as a Wesleyan rooted denomination. Listen in as we share more details about the resources and the creating team’s vision for the project.
In this episode, Diana Sanchez-Bushong and Lisa Hancock interview Becky Posey Williams, Senior Director of Sexual Ethics and Advocacy for the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCOSROW), and Rev. Stephanie Arnold, senior pastor at First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama, about their work planning and hosting a Service of Lament, Confession, and Hope for survivors of sexual misconduct, which was held during General Conference. They also discuss the resolution that passed at General Conference requiring that all annual conferences read an apology to survivors of sexual misconduct at their next meeting and the work ahead as GCOSROW continues to train and advocate for ethical conduct in The United Methodist Church. You can find the full text of the apology here. The full liturgy for the Service of Lament, Confession, and Hope is available in English, French, and Portuguese here. You can hear Bishop LaTrelle Easterling’s sermon on ending violence against women at General Conference here.
Ordinary Time is anything but! At least that is the choice before us. In this episode, the Worship Team introduces the first two worship series after Pentecost for this long summer season we call Ordinary Time. Ascribe to God begins on Trinity Sunday and reminds us of some of the attributes of the God we worship. That is then followed by Open Your Heart, a short series based on 2 Corinthians and is Paul’s invitation for us to be vulnerable as we worship God together. We are invited to open our hearts to God, to one another and to the world as disciples of Jesus Christ. Join us for this lively conversation on worship in Ordinary Time.
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.
What could be more fun than planning for Advent and Christmas? Join the Worship Team as we present the resources prepared for the upcoming Advent season: Our Spirit Waits. The season of Advent reminds us both that we are waiting for the promise to be fulfilled and that this waiting is an active, passionate longing for what God has in store for us all. Listen in as we discuss resources and possibilities for a memorable and meaningful season of Advent worship.
We continue from our previous episode to discuss the resources for the month of November posted on our website. The Worship Team shares the thinking behind the decision to depart from the lectionary and present a three-week series on the theme of Gratitude: “Our Hymn of Grateful Praise.” Listen in as we unpack some familiar biblical texts and liturgy and music as well as some creative ideas on how to incorporate Thanksgiving and Christ the King into the worship experience of the local church.
In this episode, the worship team share the resources that are available for the end of August through All Saints Sunday on November 5. Listen in as we share the ideas behind the lectionary worship series, the significance of the graphics chosen for each week and series, and the liturgical and musical highlights of each series and the season overall. You can get a little insight into how these resources are developed and how you might contribute to the process. Join us as we talk about worship in your setting and context.
A Conversation with the Rev. Linda Furtado, Director of Spirituality and the Arts, Scarritt Bennett Center. What happens in the intersection between spirituality and the arts? How does worship become a crucible for this intersection and foster an awareness of the spiritual? These questions and more form the basis of the conversation between the Worship Team and Rev. Linda Furtado. In addition to being Director of Spirituality and the Arts at Scarritt Bennett, Linda is also pastor at Beech Grove United Methodist Church in metro Nashville. She has an undergraduate degree in music education and is passionate about artistic expressions of many kinds. Rev. Furtado works to build holistic ways of being Christian with a wide scope of possibility and depth in both understanding and execution and seeks to make even the most challenging theological concepts into tangible and practical resources for building up God’s kingdom and kin-dom on earth. You can find more about her work from the Soul Work page on the Scarritt Bennet Center website: https://scarrittbennett.org/soul-work/. Join us for this conversation about art and spirit.
What can the preacher do to help their congregation navigate this time of disaffiliation as we look forward to General Conference of 2024? How can we lead from the pulpit? What images can help us find a way through? What do we cling to for hope in these complicated days of our denomination? Dr. Alyce McKenzie and Dr. O. Wesley Allen join the worship team to help us consider these and other important questions for preachers.Both our guests come from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas where they teach preaching. Dr. McKenzie is an ordained elder with pastoral experience from Pennsylvania and now, in addition to teaching, she directs the Perkins Center for Preaching Excellence. Dr. Allen is also an ordained elder from Indiana and a teacher in various settings. Both are prolific writers on aspects of the art of preaching. Together they produced a resource titled “Preaching to the Left Behind: Ideas for Preaching in the Wake of Disaffiliations and as the Denomination Looks Forward to General Conference 2024.” You can access this resource here: https://pcpe.smu.edu/Preaching_to_the_Left_Behind. Many more resources are available at their website: https://pcpe.smu.edu/.Join us for this vital conversation for The United Methodist Church.
Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Diana Sanchez Bushong, and Director of Worship Arts, Dr. Lisa Hancock, invite Dr. Marcell Silva Steuernagel, Assistant Professor of Church Music and Director of the Master of Sacred Music and Doctor of Pastoral Music program at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, to discuss performance and worship music. Dr. Steurenagel served as Minister of Worship, Arts, and Communication at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Curitiba, Brazil; is an internationally active composer and performer, performing in both popular and concert environments in Brazil, North American, Europe, Africa and Asia; has released pop-rock albums, premiered choral, and orchestral compositions in churches and universities; and edited hymnals and writes at the intersection of church music, theology, musicology, and performance theory in both Portuguese and English. Listen in as the team discusses how performance enhances worship and how our theology demands good performance for God’s glory.
Does music proclaim even without words? That’s the question that the worship team raised in conversation with the Rev. Joe Stobaugh, Senior Pastor of University Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas. Rev. Stobaugh previously served as Pastor of Modern Worship at Grace Avenue UMC in Frisco, Texas, and as Executive Minister of Worship and Arts. He is also an ordained deacon in the North Texas Conference and has led in worship design and leadership. Rev. Stobaugh has served on the national level as a worship designer, song enlivener, conductor, preacher, and worship leader, including preaching at the United Methodist Student Movement’s National Forum, an event whose previous preachers include the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., among others. His sermon “Melody and Countermelody” was featured as a distinguished sermon on the One Campaign’s (founded by Bono of U2) website in 2007. Join us for this lively conversation about the role that music plays in worship.
Rev. Dr. Natalya A. Cherry, assistant professor in Methodist studies and theology at Brite Divinity School and elder in the Susquehanna Annual Conference, talks with Dr. Lisa Hancock, director of worship arts for Discipleship Ministries, about her recent book "Believing Into Christ: Relational Faith and Human Flourishing." Join us for this thoughtful conversation about how one footnote led Cherry on a journey to discover that digging into awkward Latin grammar could shift the way we understand the nature of belief, the recitation of the Creeds, and the practice of the sacraments in worship. Click here to learn more about Cherry’s work: https://www.natalyacherry.com/
Connye and Kevin are local musicians who have produced a “Jazz Vespers Experience” that they call “On the Rise” and have begun to take it to churches and community groups as a way of beginning conversations about crossing the divides that separate us. Connye is a North Carolina native and an award-winning vocalist, actor, published songwriter and teaching artist. She has toured on and off Broadway, has released two studio albums, and has created several biographical music presentations for Nashville Jazz Workshop’s popular series, “Jazz on the Move.” Kevin, an Indiana native, is a versatile studio musician, producer, programmer, arranger, and music director. He has played on, produced, and conducted more than three thousand recordings and two thousand live shows, supporting a long roster of artists that includes Leon Russell, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson, and countless others. Kevin serves as Director of Music for Edgehill United Methodist Church and as ensemble leader/pianist for “Vespers and All That Jazz” at Scarritt Bennett Center. Join us for this important conversation about worship and music that has the power to heal and create community. More information can be found by contacting them directly at betterworldontherise@gmail.com.
Worship Team Executive Director Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong speaks with Camisha Chambers, the executive director of The Fellowship of Worship Artists (formerly The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts); Trenton Teegarden, the chair of the convocation committee for the national event in Dallas; and Michael Doughtery, the chair of Music and Liturgical Arts week held annually in June at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. Join us for this informative and lively conversation about the work of the Fellowship and their upcoming sponsored events. For more information and how to register click here: https://www.thefellowshipowa.org/events-1/music-worship-arts-week-2023-1.
Dr. Jake Myers, the Wade P. Huie, Jr. Associate Professor of Homiletics at Columbia Theological Seminary, talks with Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries for Discipleship Ministries, about his most recent book, Stand-Up Preaching: Homiletical Insights from Contemporary Comedians. Jake is also the author of Making Love with Scripture: Why the Bible Doesn’t Mean How You Think It Means; Curating Church: Strategies for Innovative Worship; and Preaching Must Die! Troubling Homiletical Theology. He has launched a website offering preaching coaching at www.preachingdr.com, and he has a YouTube channel resourcing preachers about all things homiletical, https://rb.gy/qmjjgy. Jake is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Join us for this in-depth conversation about comedy and preaching and how we can proclaim a profound truth in ways that get heard and build community.
Join the Discipleship Ministries Worship Team for a conversation about the upcoming service of lament and subsequent webinars helping the church navigate the emotions and experiences of this time of disaffiliation within The United Methodist Church. The Out of the Ashes service is shaped around Psalm 77 and the expression of lament and then the grounding of hope. This service will be broadcast on Thursday, April 20 at 11 a.m. CDT. It will then be archived and available for viewing at other times. We follow the service with a webinar unpacking the service and inviting local churches or other bodies to contextualize the service for their local setting. Two more webinars follow in succession, on Courageous Conversations and then on Stewardship and Generosity through the Storms of Disaffiliation. You can register for this event here: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/out-of-the-ashes. Join us for this important conversation.
Dr. Marcia McFee is the creator and visionary of Worship Design Studio, author of The Worship Workshop, Spiritual Adventures in the Snow: Skiing and Snowboarding as Renewal for Your Soul, and Think Like a Filmmaker: Sensory-Rich Worship for Unforgettable Messages. Connecting worship professionals and volunteers to their passion and depth of spiritual leadership is Dr. McFee’s aim in teaching and consulting, equipping them with skills to carry this out. She has led hundreds of participants through annual retreats at Lake Tahoe over the last twelve years, and is in demand as a speaker and retreat leader in many congregations and denominational settings. Join the worship team as we learn together of the possibilities before the church outlined by Dr. McFee her latest article “Metamorphosis Moment: Ritual Artistry and the Work of the People” in Liturgy: A Journal of the Liturgical Conference, Vol. 38, Issue 1 (2023). If you want to read the article we reference or to know more about Marcia McFee’s recent work, here are some helpful links: Link to read the article: https://bit.ly/3EQ7q3g, Link to the Emerge worship series: www.worshipdesignstudio.com/emerge, Link the worship series on change: www.worshipdesignstudio.com/reshaped.
Join the Discipleship Ministries Worship Team as we walk through three upcoming lectionary worship series for the upcoming high holy season. We begin with “In Awe of Grace,” a worship series that begins on Palm Sunday, then includes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter. We share the thought behind grouping the special days in this way and some suggestions on how you might use them in your local context. Next, we explore the Eastertide series “A Living Hope,” which combines the Psalm assigned for each week with the Epistle as a way of helping us remember how to live out the Easter event in our daily living. Finally, we offer a two-week series for Pentecost and Trinity Sunday which we are calling “When God Came Down Like Fire.” We note that Pentecost, especially, is often a day of joy and excitement, but could also be a quieter observance when we compare the Acts chapter 2 event with the gospel reading from John (20:19-23) where Jesus breathes the Spirit into them. We finish with Trinity Sunday, a celebration of the mystery of the knowable unknowable God. Join us for this lively gallop through these special worship moments in the life of the church.
Dr. Joseph Bush is professor emeritus at Wesley Theological Seminary and is now serving as a United Methodist minister in Evergreen. He has taught congregational ministry in theological programs around the world, including Fiji and New Zealand, as well as New Jersey and Minnesota. The worship team explores with Dr. Bush how themes of creation are already present in both our scriptures and the liturgical cycle. His resource, “Worshiping in Season” is full of both theological reflection and liturgical adaptations that might transform your worship. Join us for this lively conversation on a vital subject.
Our lectionary worship series for Lent 2023 is titled “Learning to Live Inside Out.” In this episode of Worship Matters, the worship team discusses what is behind the thrust of this series and how local churches can shape these resources to fit their context in a dynamic way. Lent has always been considered an important time in the worship and discipleship life of a community of faith, but it can also be a time of great creativity and innovation, even while maintaining valued and useful traditions. Listen in on the conversation as we explore learning to live inside out.
The Worship Team discusses the new project that came from a Lilly Grant to explore and enhance preaching in the local church. Dr. Derek Weber, in addition to the Director of Preaching Ministries for Discipleship Ministries, is the project director the Compelling Preaching Initiative. In this episode, he shares with the team the intent to create resources and foster relationships to encourage and help anyone who preaches and those who listen to preaching in the local setting. Join us as we explore the hopes and dreams of this initiative for the next few years.
A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Marcelo GomesDr. Marcelo Gomes is an Ordained Elder in the New England Conference of The United Methodist Church and is Director of Training and Church Planting Systems for Path 1 with Discipleship Ministries. A native of Brazil, he served the Methodist Church of Brazil for 12 years. He was also a university professor and president of one of the public colleges in Rio de Janeiro. Gomes worked as a church planter in Miami, adjunct professor at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary, and is a licensed psychoanalyst in Vermont and the U.K. With Gomes, the worship team explores a wide range of topics around the idea of how worshiping communities are formed and come to shared understandings of meaning and identity. We also consider the immigrant experience and how worship helps hold on to shared culture as well as begins to shape a new way of being in the world. Please join us for this fascinating conversation around worship and church planting and more.
The worship team of Discipleship Ministries looks back on 2022 and looks ahead to 2023 in this wide-ranging conversation about resources and possibilities and directions. Join us to meet new members of the team and some new initiatives and priorities that we will be working on for the new year. It continues to be a joy to serve The United Methodist Church and beyond as we seek to provide inspiration and direction for churches of all sizes to provide vital worship for these interesting times in which we live. Thank you for being a part of all that we do.
Katie Schoenhoff is director of programs for the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund in Hutchinson, Kansas. Among other things, she is responsible for the early childhood development portfolio, which includes social emotional health, breastfeeding support efforts, and the Community Health Worker project for the organization. She also leads the Healthy Congregations Initiative, a Health Fund program engaging over 100 United Methodist churches in Kansas and Nebraska to implement ministries that improve social determinants of health. Katie worked in partnership with now Discipleship Ministries Director of Worship Arts, Dr. Lisa Hancock to produce a series of worship guides dealing with public health issues from a biblical and theological perspective, which can be found guides on the UMHMF website: https://healthfund.org/a/sermon-guides/. Join us for a lively conversation around this vital topic.
Rev. John Thornburg is director of research at the Texas Methodist Foundation, where his recent work in encouraging congregations centers in five practices: grieving well, discerning purpose, walking alongside neighbor, de-centering power, and expanding imagination. He's retiring next week after ten years at TMF, and 43 years in ministry settings both in the United States and West Africa. Whether we are a part of a church that is staying in The United Methodist Church, or we are at one that is leaving the denomination, or we are leaving a church community, there is grief. That’s naming the reality of where are right now. Rev. Thornburg, along with Mark Miller, wrote “When There’s Trust in the Room.” In this episode of Worship Matters, we discuss this hymn and how music and worship can help congregations going through changes to sit with their grief, to share in lament as a way to then make space for hope, anticipation, and new beginnings. Join us for this timely conversation.
On this episode of Worship Matters, Lisa Hancock, Director of Worship Arts, talks with Rev. Katie Newsome, Lead Pastor and Executive Director of Union Coffee, a missional congregation, non-profit, and business all wrapped up into one generous coffee shop in Dallas, Texas. Listen as they talk about how Union Coffee’s worshiping community Kuneo got started, how Kuneo looks similar to and different from Sunday morning worship in the local church, and the significant role Kuneo’s worship planning team plays in the dreaming and implementation of highly contextual weekly worship. Lisa and Katie also explore how Union has determined when to close out worship experiments and the approach they use for ending one venture so that new possibilities have room to emerge.
Kevin McBeth, Director of Music at Manchester United Methodist Church in suburban St. Louis joins the worship team for this episode as we discuss worship planning for multiple types of worship expression. We discuss the terms “modern” and “traditional” as applied to various services of worship, as well as where liturgy and music can help connect across multiple worship times. We reflect on churches rebounding after COVID and how the worship space can help and hinder the experience. Above all we talk about planning, who should have a say, and how we involve many people for a sense of ownership of worship. Join us for this wide-ranging conversation.
In this episode of Worship Matters, the worship team discusses the worship series created for Year A and posted on our website: “An Advent Song of Ascents” for the four weeks of Advent, and “God of the Dark and the Light” for Christmas and special services of the season. Both series cover a range of human experiences and invite us into the unique celebration of the incarnation. Listen in as the team shares ideas and ways of using these resources and of contextualizing them for your local setting.
On this episode of the Worship Matters podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Scott Hughes, the new Associate General Secretary (World Service) at Discipleship Ministries. Scott is a United Methodist elder in the North Georgia Conference, but has served (and continues to serve while seeking a replacement) as Director of Adult Discipleship with Discipleship Ministries. Scott has co-hosted the Small Groups in the Wesleyan Way podcast, is the creator of the Courageous Conversations project, and facilitator of several eLearning courses including: The Church’s Ministry with Dementia, How to Start Small Groups, and Courageous Conversations. He has also led several trainings around Intentional Discipleship Systems in local churches, districts, and conferences. Join us as we engage in a lively conversation about the mission of making disciples and present the Rev. Dr. Scott Hughes.
A Conversation with Dr. William P. Brown
Bill Brown is the William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. His writings explore the intersecting issues of ecology, justice, faith, and science from various biblical perspectives. He is the author of numerous essays and several books, including Wisdom’s Wonder, The Seven Pillars of Creation, Seeing the Psalms, Sacred Sense, Handbook to Old Testament Exegesis, and most recently Deep Calls to Deep (Abingdon). Much of his work is driven by the desire to promote dialogue among diverse participants to foster mutual understanding and equity. Bill is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and loves teaching Sunday School. Join us for this lively conversation about the functions and purposes of dialogue in the Psalms and in the church of today.
Dr. Lisa Hancock is the newly hired Director of Worship Arts at Discipleship Ministries. Lisa is a lifelong United Methodist whose passion for worship and the arts began when she joined children’s choir at 3 years old, eventually leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees in sacred music. While completing her Master of Sacred Music at Perkins School of Theology, Lisa discerned a call to develop a systematic theology through the lens of disability. She earned a PhD in Religious Studies with the dissertation “Jesus Christ, Revelation of Love: A Christology of the Disabled Christ.” Lisa’s recent work included worship guides for the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund and co-authoring curriculum on disability theology and anti-ableism for “The Julian Way,” a ministry of education and empowerment with, for, and by persons of diverse embodiments that she co-founded with her spouse, Rev. Justin Hancock. Join us for this fascinating conversation about worship, embodiment, and art.
A Conversation with Rev. Sara Nelson, Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Have you ever considered a ministry coach? Perhaps you’ve received an email or read a social media post inviting you to consider working with a coach for your preaching or leadership or even a life coach of some sort. Many annual conferences in our United Methodist Church are training and deploying coaches for the clergy in their conference. It seems to be a growing phenomenon in leadership circles and professional development. Rev. Sara Nelson shares her personal experience with coaching for ministry and preaching as she transitioned into a new appointment during the pandemic. Join us for this lively conversation.
On this episode of Worship Matters, we’re joined by Dr. David Lose, Senior Pastor of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Lose is the former President of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and previously held the Marbury E Anderson Chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary, where he also served as director of the Center for Biblical Preaching. His 2013 book, “Preaching at the Crossroads” (Fortress Press) forms the basis of this conversation, with reflections from his current role. Lose and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, discuss preaching that engages culture and provides a sense of Christian identity to worshipers, inviting them into the story that shapes their world. Join us for this crucial conversation.
In this episode of Worship Matters, Diana Sanchez Bushong, Executive Director of Worship Ministries, talks with Dr. Raquel Martinez, retired church musician in the Rio Grande (now Rio Texas) Conference for over 40 years, and editor of Spanish Language Hymnal “Mille Voces” in 1996; and Bishop Joel Martinez, retired from the episcopacy in 2008. He co-authored "Fiesta Cristiana" in 2003 with his wife Raquel. Now they present a new bilingual resource titled "Fiesta Jubilosa" to the whole church, with songs in Spanish and English and worship resources aplenty. Listen in as they share their motivations and hopes for this resource and how it will help move the church toward a renewed sense of beloved community.
Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching for the Worship Team, meets with Dr. Kimberly Wagner of Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago to talk about her work in trauma and preaching. Kim helps us understand what trauma is and what it does to individuals and communities, and gives suggestions to preachers on how to preach both trauma-responsive and trauma-informed sermons.
“Trauma often takes away language,” Dr. Wagner said. “The preacher can help give individuals and the community words to express their grief and the impact of trauma. Giving permission, but also blessing their pain."
Listen to this fascinating conversation and then go read more of her writing at www.preachingandtrauma.com. Dr. Wagner also has a book coming out in January of 2023.
The worship team sits down with newly named General Secretary Jeff Campbell to discuss his path through the agency and ministry in The United Methodist Church, as well as his hopes and dreams for the future of disciple-making in the UMC. Even in the midst of so much change and turmoil in our denomination and the world around us, Campbell manages to keep a hopeful approach to doing ministry and sharing the faith on a local and global level. Join us as we listen to and learn from one of those behind #SeeAllThePeople, General Secretary, the Rev. Jeff Campbell.
The shape of worship as the pandemic ends continues to change. Many congregations, preachers, and worship leaders are talking about moving forward with what they are calling “hybrid worship,” a blending of online and in-person worship. But is it really hybrid? And what does the future of “hybrid worship” hold for the church? Dr. Scanlan-Holmes, with a background in media and technology as well as theological training, brings a fresh understanding of worship in this new world and raises questions about how churches can navigate this transition time. He is also working with United Seminary in Dayton Ohio, https://united.edu/, to develop and Doctor of Ministry in Digital Theology to help equip worship leaders and church tech folk for a changing future.
The Worship Team spoke with Rev. Dr. ST Kimbrough about his new book with Dean McIntyre titled: A Theology of the Sacraments Interpreted by John and Charles Wesley: Including Hymns for Baptism and Holy Communion with Commentary and New Musical Settings. Focused on the Wesleyan Theology of the sacraments, this book introduces Wesley hymns on baptism and communion. Dr. Kimbrough suggests that in an era of institutional struggle, turning to the Wesleys, who declare that our unity is in our theology of the sacraments might be a way through back to a sense of oneness. Kimbrough and McIntyre worked hard to invite composers from a variety of backgrounds to compose new settings for these hymns. The book is available from the publisher, WIPF and Stock Publishers, or on Amazon.
The Worship Team spoke with the Rev. Dr. Nelson Cowan about his article in Ministry Matters, “Lent: The Original Quarantine” https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/11173/lent-the-original-quarantine, and planning for worship during the waxing and waning of the pandemic. Dr. Cowan shares historical reflections of the meaning of the Lenten season and contemporary applications for worship today. You can learn more about Nelson by searching for him on Facebook or at his website www.nelsoncowan.com.
New Dean of The Upper Room Chapel, Dr. Amy Steele, and Dean Emeritus, Rev. Beth Richardson join the Worship Team for a lively conversation about worship in The Upper Room and beyond. Like most local churches, The Upper Room Chapel had to navigate the pandemic and the shift to virtual worship and now is looking to become a hybrid worship community. Come and meet Dr. Steele and Rev. Richardson in conversation. You can also learn more about them and the worship work of The Upper Room through their websites: upperroom.org and upperroombooks.com, and listen to the Academy Podcast from the Academy for Spiritual Formation.
The Worship Team is joined by Rob Hutchinson and Mike Symonds of Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, and Steven Adair from United Methodist Communications to talk about the perils and pitfalls, but mostly about the joy and possibilities of digital media for worship today. We hear about the cohort of churches in North Carolina learning together about “Both/And” worship with the help of Jason Moore of Midnight Oil Productions. Join us for a lively conversation about how the church is adapting and changing to a new digital world.
In this episode of the Worship Matters podcast, the Worship Team shares favorite resources they find helpful in worship planning. From books to websites and videos, Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Dr. Derek Weber offer suggestions on how to deepen both understandings and practice of designing and presenting worship in your local church. Especially important today are resources that can help us expand our cultural awareness and add new flavors—sounds and rhythms to our weekly worship experience. Join us for this vital conversation.
In this wide-ranging conversation, the Worship Team – Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Dr. Derek Weber – remember together their personal highlights of Worship Matters podcasts in 2021. We remember special guests and topics that challenged and stretched us and themes such as multiculturalism and hybrid worship that recur again and again. Then we end with a peek into the future and the topics and plans we have for 2022. Through it all we emphasize that worship is a part of the church’s disciple-making ministry. And we give thanks for listeners and invite responses and suggestions from all.
Chris Wilterdink, Director of Young People’s Ministries of Discipleship Ministries, joins the Worship Team for a wide-ranging conversation about youth and worship. Chris advocates for intergenerational worship that draws from the giftedness of all and finds worship leaders from young people to work alongside other generations in enlivening the worship experience. We also discuss the National Youth Event—Youth 2023 and the early stages of planning, inviting the whole church to be in prayer for this post-pandemic, large-scale event happening in Daytona Beach in the summer of 2023. Plus Chris shares his excitement about new materials to help those thrust into youth leadership in a series of courses called Crash Courses in Youth Ministry (see more here: https://www.umcyoungpeople.org/lead/crash-courses-in-youth-ministry).
The Worship Team concludes this miniseries on grief and loss with an amazing conversation with the Rev. Dr. Heather Murray Elkins. Dr. Elkins shares her wisdom gained from indigenous cultures and ancient texts that help us find ways of breaking through the walls of grief and the numbness that is often an instinctual reaction to loss, by waking others into life. In part this is paying attention to a world around us and in part it is letting others say their name. Listen in as we share this hope-filled transformative conversation. To see more of Dr. Elkin’s work, go to her blog, https://altaringtheworld.com/blog/ or find her YouTube channel “the Holy Stuff of Life, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3ff_PeRKKX4BoBq8EN_eJQ/videos.
In this episode, the worship team is joined by the Rev. Stephen Handy, Senior Pastor at McKendree UMC in Nashville. Rev. Handy shares from his own personal experience of grief as he was leading a congregation through loss during the pandemic. He also shares about the unique opportunities of communal sharing in a multicultural setting for healing and for wholeness. Join us for this lively and personal conversation.
All Saints Day is coming soon, and we are still faced with overwhelming loss from the pandemic, both in terms of lives lost and economic devastation. How can worship respond to this ache in the hearts of so many of our congregations and community? Listen in as the worship team discusses worship as pastoral care, covering themes such as lament and joy; and naming and altar building in special services and Sunday by Sunday.
That might seem like an odd question; worship just is! But the worship team suggests in our new resource “Forming Disciples Through Worship” (available https://store.umcdiscipleship.org/shop-all/) that worship has the intent of forming disciples. Listen in as Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Dr. Derek Weber present this resource and discuss how worship teams and leaders might use this resource, what evaluation of worship means, and, of course, what worship is for.
This episode, the worship team presents the upcoming worship series posted on UMCDiscipleship.org. Bring your calendar and note pads as Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Dr. Derek Weber talk worship planning, lectionary series, music, and liturgy for the rest of Year B and the beginning of Year C. They also cast a vision for worship beyond the confines of culture and traditional practice. Worship reflects what is and casts a vision for what might be—the kin-dom of God. Join us for this practical and inspirational approach to worship planning.
A Conversation with Raymond Trapp
Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, welcomes Raymond Trapp, Director of Music/Organist for Vanderveer Park UMC in Brooklyn, New York, and Music and Worship Director of the UMC General Conference 2022. As well as navigating all the shifts and changes of the pandemic, Trapp has been shepherding the preparations for General Conference and bringing in groups who will help lift the delegates and attendees into a spirit of worship and cooperation. Raymond also shares about another project with which he is involved called I.M.A.G.E. If you’d like to know more listen in on the conversation. If you want to hear music by I.M.A.G.E. and vote, visit Bethany.org/battle, and scroll to Alpha & Omega, Raymond Trapp and I.M.A.G.E.
A Conversation with the Rev. John Thornburg
Director of Learning at the Texas Methodist Foundation and a frequent guest on Worship Matters, John Thornburg shares with Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, what it means to decenter power in worship. How can the preacher and worship leader make sure that other voices are heard, and other wisdom is shared during an act of worship which comes from all the people? How can the “variety of gifts” be utilized as a regular practice in worship? In this time of rethinking how we do church, questions of power and access become crucial.
Worship Team Executive Director, Dr. Cynthia Wilson invites Pastor and Musician the Rev. Marilyn Thornton to share about her wide-ranging ministry in the local church, as editor of African American Resources through the United Methodist Publishing House, and as Director/Campus Ministry at the Wesley Foundation at Fisk University. It is there that Rev. Thornton developed, with the Wesley Foundations at Tennessee State University, Belmont University, and Austin-Peay State University, the Elijah Project. The Elijah Project is designed to help young leaders develop relationships as they examine the impact of racism and white supremacist ideology on society. Join us as we hear how the fundamental Christian value we call “the golden rule” became a way of opening eyes and working for change.
Bishop Cynthia Fierro-Harvey, Resident Bishop of the Louisiana Area and the President Designate of the Council of Bishops, joins Worship Team members Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong and Dr. Derek Weber to consider the future of The United Methodist Church. While Bishop Harvey claims no ability to read the future, we can share hopes and glimpses of the kin-dom even in this difficult time. While change is inevitable, the church will continue. Bishop Harvey issues a compelling call to pray for the ability to trust again as we seek to move forward into God’s future. Join us for this important conversation.
The impact of the year-plus-long pandemic on singing in the church and on choirs in particular is difficult to overstate. Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries, gathered a panel of church musicians for a conversation on where we go from here with the church choir. Kevin McBeth, Director of Music and Worship Arts, Manchester UMC, St. Louis, Missouri; Rev. Amy Martin, Minister of Music, Reidland UMC, Paducah, Kentucky; Keum Hwang, Minister of Worship, First UMC, Heath, Texas; James Wells, Director of Choral Ministries, Brentwood UMC, Nashville, Tennessee; and Rebecca Garret Pace, Minister of Worship & The Arts, White Rock UMC, Dallas, Texas, share ideas and strategies and hope for the future of choirs in worship. Join us for this lively conversation.
This week, Executive Director of Worship Ministries, the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Wilson has a conversation with former student and newly Ordained Elder Rev. Brittney D. Stephan about her work for diversity in the Michigan Conference of the UMC. Rev. Stephan is a member of the Indiana Conference, but works as Associate Director for Multicultural Vibrancy in the Michigan Conference. Join us as she explains what that involves and how churches can contribute to the call to dismantle racism in the UMC.
In this episode of the Worship Matters podcast, the worship team discusses things to consider in the time of transition out of the COVID-19 pandemic. What questions ought we ask as we make our plans, or continue our task of shifting into in-person worship? The team raises both logistical and pastoral issues for consideration as churches continue to take the next steps. The emphasis is to be intentional about worship as we reopen and perhaps move toward a hybrid model of both in-person and virtual worship. Can these two styles live together as we seek to be the body of Christ in our own place? What ought we consider setting aside from the “old normal” and what can we take up as we work to revitalize worship in the local setting? Join us for this important conversation.
Dr. Kim Harris joins Drs. Cynthia Wilson and Diana Sanchez-Bushong of the Worship Team to discuss the tradition and use of African American Spirituals in worship today. Dr. Harris is Assistant Professor of African American Thought and Practice in the Department of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University. She is a liturgist, composer, and expert in spirituals and freedom songs. To help churches effectively use this vast musical tradition, Dr. Harris has composed Welcome Table: A Mass of Spirituals (see http://www.drkimharris.com/welcome_table_000.htm for more information). Join us for this lively conversation around the rich heritage of spirituals and freedom songs.
The Rev. Lydia Munoz joins the Worship Team for a conversation about her work with the Latinx UMC community in the U.S. and beyond. Rev. Munoz, Pastor of Swarthmore UMC in Pennsylvania, has teamed up with Alma Perez, who serves as the Director of Hispanic/Latino Resourcing with Discipleship Ministries, to envision a multilingual worship resource for Spanish and bilingual congregations within the UMC. She hopes to listen especially to the young Latinx worship leaders who are shaping a new vision for worship and a new understanding of church. If you would like to contribute to the project or know more about what they are doing, you can contact us here, or Rev. Munoz directly: pastorswarthmore@gmail.com.
John Thornburg returns to the podcast as the Worship Team discusses his article “When We Return” after a year of two pandemics. Rev. Thornburg, of the Texas Methodist Foundation, says that now is the time to ask big questions about the nature of the church and how we go about Seeing All the People. In light of the pandemic of systemic racism, Rev. Thornburg invited the church to move from an understanding of “safe space” to a more prophetic “brave space” that acknowledges differences of opinion and belief and understanding and yet allows room to speak truth that leads to transformation. Join us for this thrilling and challenging conversation.
In this episode, Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Director of Preaching Ministries, Dr. Derek Weber, regather with part of the panel from early last summer to talk about what is new and what priorities have changed a year into the pandemic response. Listen in as we learn from Rev. Joe Stobaugh, Senior Minister at University Park UMC, Dallas, Texas; Keum Hwang, Music Ministries Director at First UMC Heath, Texas; and Dr. Andrew Scanlan-Holmes, Pastor at Roberts Park UMC in Indianapolis, Indiana, as we discuss plans and hopes and possibilities for the church in this new world post-pandemic.
Continuing our miniseries discussing the opportunities and challenges of returning to in-person worship, Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong gathers a panel of worship music leaders from around the denomination to discuss issues related to singing during the pandemic. Even as the vaccine continues to help us bring an end to this difficult time, there are concerns with how best to reintroduce vocal music into the worship of the local church. Listen in as these leaders share from their knowledge and experience.
The panel includes Steve Lindsey, Director of Music Ministries/Church Administrator Nashville; Raymond Trapp, Director of Music, Vanderveer UMC Brooklyn, GC 2022 Music Director; Ann Ables, Director of Music and Fine Arts, Memorial Drive UMC Houston; Brian Hehn, Director of Center for Congregational Song, Hymn Society of North America and Canada; and Steve Harter, Minister of Music and Arts, First UMC Colorado Springs.
The worship team begins a miniseries discussing the opportunities and challenges of returning to in-person worship. In this first episode, Director of Preaching Ministries, Dr. Derek Weber, has a conversation with the Rev. Nancy Nichols, Senior Pastor of First UMC Michigan City, Indiana, and the Rev. Stephen Handy of McKendree UMC in Nashville, Tennessee, about navigating the pandemic and online worship and the move to in-person worship. With an abundance of caution, both pastors are moving their congregations to a hybrid experience of online and in-person worship and discipleship that promised to become the post-pandemic church.
If you have experiences and wisdom to share on how your congregation is making the move, contact us and share your story. You could be our next guest on Worship Matters!
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong and Dr. Derek Weber talk with the Rev. Beth Richardson about her new book and Upper Room eCourse for the season of Lent: Walking in the Wilderness. Join us for this conversation about the struggles of daily living and the desire to find hope and beauty in a difficult time.
You can sign up for the course here: https://urelearning.upperroom.org/p/walking-in-the-wilderness/?product_id=2585348&coupon_code=PODCAST. And for listeners to the podcast there is a coupon for 50 percent off that is good until April 3, 2021. You can order Rev. Richardson’s book here: https://upperroombooks.com/book/walking-in-the-wilderness/
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this episode of the Worship Matters podcast, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries, talks with Shelley Walters, Director of Faith Development at Saint John’s UMC in Austin, Texas, and Rev. Lisa Straus, Senior Pastor of Buda UMC in Buda, Texas, about how to have a COVID-safe observance of Ash Wednesday. With all the restrictions and limitations still in place, what might our Ash Wednesday look like this year? What about Holy Week and other Lenten services? Listen as we discuss these vital and practical issues with practitioners. Supporting this podcast, the worship team posted this article with other helpful information: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/tips-for-ash-wednesday-during-covid-19. You can also contact our guests via email: Shelley Walters, shelley@stjohnsaustin.org; and Rev. Lisa Straus, pastorlisa@budaumc.org.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
A conversation with the worship team and Dawn Wiggins Hare, General Secretary of the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (COSROW) for the United Methodist Church; and the Rev. Dr. B. Kevin Smalls, Senior Pastor of Hope United Methodist Church in Southfield, Michigan. What is Dr. King’s vision of the “beloved community” and is it possible in our time to get there? Hear the team with Secretary Hare and Dr. Smalls consider what it takes to move toward such a dream. For more information about COSROW, visit www.gcsrw.org and www.umsexualethics.org. For more on Hope UMC in Southfield, visit www.hopeumc.org.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
The worship team provides a glimpse into the beginning of 2021. It’s a new year with new hopes and new ideas. We are putting worship series out there for your adaptation. The team discusses the components of the worship series and how you can use them to the best advantage. Plus, there are a few hints as to other projects in the works. And an invitation to you to tell us what you want to hear about this coming year. Go to Contact Us to send us a suggestion!
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
The worship team, Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Dr. Derek Weber, look back over a year’s worth of podcasts and lift up moments of surprise and change, of teaching and learning, but also liturgy, music, and preaching. The team also issues a request to the listeners to help shape content for 2021.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of the Worship Team at Discipleship Ministries, speaks with the Rev. Bryan Tener, Director of Contextual Evangelism, Community Engagement, and Church Planting/Path1. Rev. Tener’s work with the Oklahoman Indian Missionary Conference (OIMC) gives him unique insight into the necessity and blessings of multicultural worship. Listen in as Cynthia and Bryan discuss the key elements vital worship in multicultural settings.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, talks with his wife, La Donna Riddle Weber, librarian at the Scarritt Bennett Center and mother of two adult children, about their experiences of worshiping at home during Advent. Listen as they discuss ways the church can partner with families and individuals worshiping at home to make this Advent season a fully engaged experience of worship even at home.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries, discusses the project to vet contemporary music for its theological soundness and appropriateness for worship in United Methodist congregations. Joining her are two members of the 11-member team. Dr. Nelson Cowan, Project Manager, and Dr. Gerald Liu, both United Methodist pastors and academics trained in worship and preaching. Join us to learn about the criteria and process in this vital project for modern worship in The United Methodist Church.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
The Worship Team discusses the meanings and traditions of Advent in this wide-ranging conversation. In light of COVID-19 and the restrictions in place, how will we be able to celebrate this holy season? Maybe unlike anything we’ve done before, but it is certainly still worth doing. Listen in for ideas and inspiration as the Worship Team explores Advent worship 2020.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship for Discipleship Ministries, invites the Rev. Pam Pirtle, Director of Leadership and Accountability for the Commission on the Status and Role of Women (COSROW), an agency of the UMC, to discuss the upcoming event titled “I Am Her” and the work of COSROW to bring “Awareness, Monitoring, Advocacy, and the Empowerment of Women for participation in the total life and mission of the church” – the four areas of focus of the agency. “I Am Her” is a women’s leadership summit sponsored by COSROW and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, October 8-10 and accessible virtually. For more information, visit: https://www.garrett.edu/events/i-am-her-womens-leadership-summit-2020
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, shares some ideas about preaching online. The online worship experience grew out of a sense of urgency, but will remain as a viable asset to the proclamation of the Word to new and wider audiences. It is, therefore, up to every preacher and worship team to consider how to use this medium to maximize the unique advantages available. Paying attention to preaching online is a vital part of this new ministry.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
While it is easy to think about all that has been lost or changed or what we have suffered from the pandemic, there are also blessings to embrace. Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries, and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, discuss what blessings might be found in the upset caused by the safe at home sheltering mandates and how the Church continues to adjust and adapt and maybe reclaim some essential practices of being the church.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this episode of the Worship Matters podcast, Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of the Worship Team, discusses with Rev. Hank Jenkins about advocating for, welcoming, and including people with disabilities within our communities. Rev. Jenkins is a part of the Disability Ministries Committee of the United Methodist Church (visit umcdmc.org for more information). They also discuss what each local church can do to better serve people with disabilities. More resources on ableism can be found at https://umcdmc.org/resources/christian-education/theology/. More information on the Accessibility Audit for churches can be found at https://umcdmc.org/resources/accessibility-and-united-methodist-churches/accessibility-audit/.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this episode of the Worship Matters podcast, Director of Preaching Ministries, Dr. Derek Weber talks with Dr. Eric Barreto, Weyerhaeuser Associate Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary. Dr. Barreto wrote “Preaching About Racism in America: What Comes Next?” which was first published on ChurchAnew.org. Many preachers took the bold step of preaching about the racism pandemic after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the subsequent protests that sprang up around the world (see: https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/articles/sermons-on-anti-racism). Dr. Barreto argues that while a good beginning, there is more work to be done. Listen in on the conversation for some answers as to what’s next.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong has a conversation with David Bone, executive director of the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts, about the pressures on choirs and singers during the pandemic in this episode of Worship Matters. Music is central to our United Methodist worship so caring for singers and musicians is vital for our communities of faith. The Fellowship wants to be a partner in providing this care. Join them for a free prayer retreat, or enjoy a six-month complementary membership, or join the Fellowship Convocation next year. Find out more about these opportunities on their website: https://www.umfellowship.org
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Senior Pastor Carol Cavin-Dillon, of West End United Methodist Church, joins with Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, for this episode of Worship Matters. Following the last episode where Diana Sanchez-Bushong and Derek Weber discussed some of the issues related to the re-opening of churches for in-person worship, we now have a practitioner’s view and a little bit of insight into the working of a local church during this pandemic. Short answer: it’s complicated! Listen in as we share in learnings and experiences from Pastor Carol.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Time to reopen? This week’s podcast is a conversation between Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director or Music Ministries, and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, around all the issues of reopening churches. Listen in as they share research and a variety of experiences from around the denomination about the pitfalls and joys of reunion as churches begin to reopen for in-person worship, settling on the common advice from lots of corners – take it slow!
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this episode of Worship Matters, Director of Preaching Ministries, Dr. Derek Weber, talks with Kevin Johnson, Director of Children’s Ministries. The issues of children and worship were already complex with differing opinions on how to keep children engaged during worship, but adding in the pandemic and online worship has escalated those issues. Join us as we wrestle with some pros and cons of worship with children.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this stress-filled time, the Worship Team – Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Derek Weber, and Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong – talk with the dean of the Upper Room Chapel, Beth Richardson about caring for your own soul as you lead others in worship and spiritual life. This episode of Worship Matters just might help strengthen your grip on your walk with God. Listen as the team and Beth discuss prayer and spiritual direction and leading worship even in a time of pandemic.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
This week’s episode of Worship Matters features a conversation between Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries for the Worship Team here at Discipleship Ministries, and Brian Hehn, who is the Director of The Center for Congregational Song with The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada. Diana and Brian wrestled with the crucial and complicated issue of singing in worship in this post-quarantine, COVID-19 pandemic age. Questions on every worship leader’s mind are addressed in this lively conversation.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
This episode of Worship Matters features Director of Preaching Ministries, Dr. Derek Weber in conversation with the Rev. Jeffrey Campbell, Associate General Secretary of Discipleship Ministries talking about preaching. Preaching is part of the pastor’s identity and also a task that must be performed with frightening regularity, and the season has caused preachers to rethink the task of preaching for a new era. Listen as they discuss what preaching is and can be, and what online preaching can teach us about this task.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this week’s episode of the Worship Matters podcast, Dr. Cynthia Wilson, executive director of the Worship Team of Discipleship Ministries, and Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, director of Music Ministries, speak with Rev. Nathalie Nelson Parker, program coordinator for the National Network of Young Adults, a program of Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century (SBC21), a national plan of the United Methodist Church. SBC21 is dedicated to helping predominately black congregations become effective and fruitful in mission and ministry. This is done by offering specific services to collaborating churches based on needs identified by annual conference bishops, cabinets, local congregations, clergy, and laity.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this week’s episode of Worship Matters, Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of the Worship Team of Discipleship Ministries, speaks with Dr. Safiyah Fosua, of Indiana Wesleyan Seminary, and formerly part of the Worship Team at Discipleship Ministries, about the Africana Worship Project. This latest worship resource is being written by young practitioners whose vision of the Africana worship experience is both based on tradition but embracing a new spirit.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
The Worship Team was excited to welcome the Rev. Olu Brown of Impact United Methodist Church in Atlanta to our conversation in this episode. The motto of Impact Church is “Doing Church Differently,” and Rev. Brown and the leadership team have modeled that in many creative ways, one of which is the use of technology in all levels of ministry and worship. Consequently, they were uniquely placed for this unique time. The Worship Team attempts to listen and learn from the failures and successes of this amazing church.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
As churches have moved to offering more online worship services, the questions keep coming in as to what is legal to stream and what is not. The broader question of copyrighted materials, who owns them, and who can give permission to use them for our worship is discussed with Jay Sudarma, Global Marketing Manager, and Nate Scott, the Director of Publisher and Songwriter Relations, who represent one of the largest copyright licensing companies, CCLI, Christian Copyright Licensing Inc.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this episode, the last of the special interview editions of Worship Matters, Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director for Worship Resources & Director of Liturgical Resources is joined by Scott Hughes, Executive Director for Congregational Vitality & Intentional Discipleship, and Director of Adult Discipleship. During the unprecedented time of the pandemic and social distancing, churches are struggling to maintain relationships and to continue to make disciples. Yet there are signs of hope and innovation even now as the mission of the church goes forward. The church continues to be the church and a vital part of our world.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In another special edition of Worship Matters, Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries for the worship team invites Ken Sloan, Director of Stewardship and Generosity for Discipleship Ministries to share wisdom on church and finances. This is a tenuous time for many organizations, the church included. What avenues for online giving are available, how do we fund our ministries going forward, and should stewardship be a once a year proposition are just some of the questions covered in this wide-ranging conversation.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this Episode of Worship Matters, the worship team is joined by Rev. John Thornburg of the Texas Methodist Foundation to discuss his article “When We Return.” Driven by the question, “What are we learning about ourselves and our ministries during the COVID-19 quarantine?” Rev. Thornburg and the team explore possibilities and signs of hope. We shouldn’t miss this opportunity to ask the important questions about why we do what we do and what it means to be the church in an ever-changing world.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this podcast, Chris Wilterdink, Director of Young People’s Ministries discusses the effect of the COVID-19 virus on youth and young adults and gives suggestions on how to proceed with end-of-year services and celebrations during this time of physical distancing.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
The Worship Team from Discipleship Ministries talks with practitioners from across the country about the wisdom gained from dealing with quarantine and online worship. We also open up a whole new conversation about where we go from here, worship in the "new normal."
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
The Worship Team discusses the hope behind the Easter Season Series “Revive Us Again.” Recorded before the “Shelter in Place” that now keeps us from worshipping in person, we discuss how worship should be a means of continuing the joy of Easter in the weeks that follow. Even more now, the community of faith needs a sense of being Easter people every day. Let us call call upon the Spirit to “Revive Us Again.”
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
In this special edition of the Worship Matters podcast, the worship team weighs in on worship during the COVID-19 quarantine. Despite being unable to gather as a body, there are ways we can connect as a worshiping community. Listen in as we discuss the struggles and possibilities, and then offers a word of hope and comfort to all those struggling with being the church in this unprecedented time. Keep checking UMCDiscipleship.org for updates and suggestions.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Palm Sunday and Easter: Holy Week is surrounded by these two grand celebrations in the worship life of the church. The worship team discusses the joy and wonder of creating worship on these high holy days. A Palm Sunday worship without a taste of the Passion, for example, could leave the congregation unprepared for the glory of Easter. No matter what resources are available, the experience of these two powerful expressions of our faith can be memorable and moving.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Holy Week is one of the highest of holy seasons in the life of the church. In this episode, the worship team discusses a variety of ways a congregation might prepare for and create services that are meaningful and culturally relevant. These special services are also a wonderful time to join with other congregations in your community and to share in the power of the story, perhaps even reaching out for interfaith experience around the tradition of the Seder meal.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Preaching Doubt: Director of Preaching Ministries, Dr. Derek Weber, and special guest Melanie Bockmann, Ph.D. candidate from Vanderbilt Divinity School, discuss her work in the area of homiletics and Liturgics. Her paper was titled “Preaching Doubt: Toward a Metamodern Homiletic in the Aftermath of Deconstruction.” Considering the shifting landscape of church, what do we need to know about how to communicate with an increasingly secular world? What is authentic preaching today? Join us for this crucial and timely conversation.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Selah: In this episode of Worship Matters, the worship team discusses worship in the season of Lent, with a special emphasis on music for the season. Our worship series, Selah – Life in a Minor Key, is based on the lectionary Psalms for the Sundays in Lent and pairs the scripture text with a spiritual from the African American tradition. The team also discusses the mood of worship during Lent and the meaning of the word Selah.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
The Discipleship Ministries worship team explores one of the six “special days of United Methodism” as a way of setting the tone for the season and the year of worship and service in the life of the church. Bookended by Epiphany and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Human Relations Day sounds a note of unity in a divided world, a way of “seeing all the people” on our way to making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
“Worship Matters” is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries, designed to deal with the intricacies of planning worship each week. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and the Director of Liturgical Ministries; Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries; and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, this podcast explores how to plan worship using the common lectionary while creating worship experiences and series that are engaging, relevant, and adaptable for any church setting.
Episode 01: Epiphany – The team shares about the history and interpretation of the high holy day called Epiphany, and why it might be worth taking some time just after all the excitement of Christmas to refocus and center on the light that is Jesus the Christ. We discuss why the season following Epiphany is called Ordinary Time and how the liturgical year has an overall flow where the seasons and special days are distinct but overlap and fold into one another.