Church Responses to Infertility, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy Loss
After decades of silence, church leaders and congregations have begun accompanying people who mourn losing children before or soon after birth or letting go of dreams to form a family.
A Prayer for the Grieving
A prayer during COVID-19 written by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr.
Shaping Worship During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Offering Hope at Grace and Peace Christian Reformed Church, Chicago, Illinois
Chantel Varnado, worship arts director at Grace and Peace CRC, shares her insights for leading worship in the time of COVID-19, drawing wisdom and her own experience from her multicultural worshiping context.
Shaping Worship During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Jesus’ Presence among First Nations Anglicans in Canada
In this conversation, Mark L. MacDonald shares his insights challenges for worshiping in time of COVID-19 in his context of indigenous congregations in the Anglican Church of Canada.
Nikki Lerner and Wendell Kimbrough at 2020 Symposium of Worship
A worship service from the 2020 Symposium of Worship
Stacey Edwards-Dunn on African American Infertility and the Church’s Response
People experiencing infertility often suffer in silence. African Americans experience more infertility than other racial groups. But churches can offer healing when they open the door for conversations and include these sorrows in worship.
Shaping Worship During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Maintaining Community via Virtual Worship at St. Monica Catholic Community, Santa Monica, California
St. Monica Catholic Community aims to welcome and engage every member toward deeper participation in worship and parish life. In this edited conversation, Dale Sieverding explains how to keep members of a church community feeling connected even though they cannot commune together.
Shaping Worship During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Sparking New Connections at New Mount Zion Baptist Church, Roxboro, North Carolina
Like many congregations, New Mount Zion Baptist Church has people with varying abilities, incomes, and technology access. In this edited conversation, LaTonya McIver Penny shares how to use a mix of digital and old-fashioned ways to help worshipers and community members stay connected.
Dennis R. Edwards on 1 Peter and Good Shepherd Sunday
For lectionary Year A, Good Shepherd Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Easter, includes a reading from 1 Peter. New Testament scholar Dennis R. Edwards explains why Peter’s first letter is especially relevant as people deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shaping Worship During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Ministry of Presence at St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church, Roseville, California
Greek Orthodox Christian worship is consciously embodied. Christopher Flesoras, a Greek Orthodox priest, discusses pastoral discernment for serving the faithful when public health needs require social distancing, also known as physical distancing.
Shaping Worship during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Reviving Wesleyan Discipleship at Grant United Methodist Church, Fairmount, Indiana
Not every church has the capacity to move worship online when pandemic public health directives require social and physical distancing. Pastor Constance Cherry explains how her small rural Methodist congregation is drawing on its Wesleyan heritage to help members worship and disciple each other.
Shaping Worship during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Asking Good Questions in Chinese-Language Evangelical Churches in Vancouver, British Columbia
In this edited conversation, Herbert Tsang shares how to use a mix of digital and old-fashioned ways to help worshipers and community members stay connected. He suggests good questions to think about regarding how technology and COVID-19 will form churches and worshipers.