Preaching And Worship
Preaching is one of the basic functions of parish ministry. At its best, the sermon is both pastoral and prophetic, calling preacher and the congregation alike to deeper consideration and just action. I received my Doctor of Ministry degree in preaching back in 2010. My greatest interest and concern during that time centered on the issue of context. How do we take a "text" that we wish to explore (a scripture passage, and idea, philosophical/theological concept or poem) and make it understandable using the symbolic language of a specific local community?Since then, I have tried to apply the lessons I learned in that program to the contemporary practice of what is, after all, an ancient art.
Of course, preaching is only part of the worship experience. Our understanding and relationship with the Divine comes from our hearts as well as our heads. The rituals and sacraments of the church enable us to inhabit that relationship in a way that is lasting and profound. Lately I have been trying out different formats, built around different ways of experiencing the worship act. It is important to keep on exploring this collaborative art. One of the ways we have done this at the Eliot Church is through amateur folk bands. It started years ago with a ukulele-based "Ukestra" for the children in Sunday School. As they got older, they--actually we--played in worship regularly. During the Covid worship era, many of the adults involved the music ministry helped out to create music for our online YouTube services.
Here you will find four recent sermons. Each has a brief introduction to set them in the context of the readings and the day. I have also included two videos from our music program. They are both recent performances that were part of our "Second Sunday" experimental worship series. Finally, I included a full service from Advent of 2024 that reflects our Second Sunday format and style. I hope these will give you a sense of what worship is like at Eliot Church!
Of course, preaching is only part of the worship experience. Our understanding and relationship with the Divine comes from our hearts as well as our heads. The rituals and sacraments of the church enable us to inhabit that relationship in a way that is lasting and profound. Lately I have been trying out different formats, built around different ways of experiencing the worship act. It is important to keep on exploring this collaborative art. One of the ways we have done this at the Eliot Church is through amateur folk bands. It started years ago with a ukulele-based "Ukestra" for the children in Sunday School. As they got older, they--actually we--played in worship regularly. During the Covid worship era, many of the adults involved the music ministry helped out to create music for our online YouTube services.
Here you will find four recent sermons. Each has a brief introduction to set them in the context of the readings and the day. I have also included two videos from our music program. They are both recent performances that were part of our "Second Sunday" experimental worship series. Finally, I included a full service from Advent of 2024 that reflects our Second Sunday format and style. I hope these will give you a sense of what worship is like at Eliot Church!
PREACHING
|
|
|
|
WORSHIP MUSIC
|
|
Second Sunday Sample
Here is most of the Second Sunday service from Advent, 2024. I have removed the interludes and the offering so as to make the whole thing easier to watch. The format changes slightly on each Second Sunday. However, this one is fairly typical in its collection of Biblical, religious, and secular readings. Also the liturgical band plays two hymns.