Changes to Worship Starting in February

Recent Changes in Worship: What to Expect and Why As you may have noticed, we’ve made a few changes to our worship service. These adjustments are meant to help us engage more deeply in worship and scripture. Here’s an overview of what’s changing and why: 1. Lyrics Only for Hymns and Songs Over the past year, Matt and I have got feedback on some of the challenges with music. We are trying to consider different perspectives. For some reading music makes worship easier while others it makes it harder. Taking this into consideration, we are trying out a new approach: displaying lyrics only , this will be a trial period. During this time, we ask that you notice what feels different and why? Share your feedback with us in the linked below. We hope it will make participation in worship more accessible to all. 2. Two Scripture Readings Instead of Three or Four We have also made a shift in how we approach scripture in worship. For many years, we followed the Revised Common Lectionary, which includes multiple readings each Sunday. However, we have now transitioned to the Narrative Lectionary, which is designed to help us engage more deeply with the full story of scripture. Instead of reading multiple short passages, the Narrative Lectionary follows a single continuous story over nine months, allowing us to see how God’s work unfolds throughout scripture. In the fall, we will focus primarily on Old Testament stories, with an accompanying Gospel reading to connect them to Jesus’ life. From Christmas through Pentecost, we will journey through one Gospel account, experiencing its unique perspective on Jesus. In the spring, we will explore the early church through Acts and Paul’s letters, with Psalms as supporting texts. Some churches following the Narrative Lectionary read only one primary lesson each Sunday, while others include an accompanying reading. We will adapt in a way that best serves our congregation. To learn more about Narrative Lectionary click here. What’s Next? These changes are intended to help us worship more fully and engage scripture more deeply. We encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences over the next few weeks so we can continue to shape worship in a way that nurtures our faith community. Thank you for your patience and openness as we explore these adjustments together! Grace and peace to you. Pr. Emillie Binja, Matt Weiers