Music
Pray to God: hymn lyrics for a time apart
Here are some alternate hymn lyrics written to the traditional Japanese hymn tune, *SAKURA. Written during the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. * see for more information about this tune: https://hymnary.org/tune/sakura_japanese Pray to God, Pray to God, for the healing of the world. for our loved ones far apart, for the hope we need to live, for the faith that holds us close Pray to God, Pray to God, today and forever © Rev. Sally May, 2020 Rev. Sally May is currently the pastor of Mallett’s Bay Congregational Church, UCC...
read moreSimple Afternoon Taizé Service
Description & Overview Our main sanctuary was painted recently and our fellowship hall became our Sunday morning worship space for a few weeks. Since our regular attendance is bigger than our fellowship hall can hold, we decided to offer our regular Sunday morning service and an afternoon (4pm) Taizé style service to give our congregation some worship options. Below is a simple liturgy for our afternoon service with Taizé chants, silence, Scripture readings and Holy Communion. After the service we pushed chairs into a circle and shared...
read moreCan We Call Evil (& Good & Joy)?
Here are hymn lyrics by Rev. Thomas Cary Kinder set to the hymn tune: Finlandia. Tom wrote this about his work: “The lyrics were inspired by the Amos passage particularly, but Psalm 90 and the Mark passage as well. Most of all it came out of the [10/8/2018] IPCC climate report and the new reality that we have at most 12 years to completely change our society to become the realm of God’s love and justice and well being for all.” You can also find the music and lyrics here formatted to print as a bulletin insert TOM...
read moreTo Be a Doer of the Word
Here are hymn lyrics by Rev. Thomas Cary Kinder set to the hymn tune: Tallis’ Canon (composed by Thomas Tallis). The lyrics are a reflection on James 1:17-27 and were written to be used in Sunday morning worship at the United Church of Strafford, VT on September 2nd, 2018. You can also find the music and lyrics here formatted to print as a bulletin insert TOM REQUESTS THAT YOU CREDIT HIM AND THAT YOU LET HIM KNOW WHEN YOU USE IT AT: rev.thomas.cary.kinder@gmail.com To Be a Doer of the Word (L.M. Tallis’ Canon) text: James 1:17-27...
read moreShow the Way
Here are hymn lyrics by Rev. Thomas Cary Kinder set to the hymn tune: Aberystwyth (composed by Joseph Parry) which is found in many common hymnals. The lyrics call upon the biblical texts, Mark 6 and Ezekiel 33 and were written to be used in Sunday morning worship at the United Church of Strafford, VT in July of 2018. You can also find the music and lyrics here formatted to print as a bulletin insert TOM REQUESTS THAT YOU CREDIT HIM AND THAT YOU LET HIM KNOW WHEN YOU USE IT AT: rev.thomas.cary.kinder@gmail.com Someone needs to show the way,...
read moreThanksgiving in July/August
In many of our churches the summer months include the vacations of pastors and other worship leaders. This can make worship planning in general and pulpit supply in particular difficult. Is it possible to provide your congregation with an inspiring and educational worship experience without a sermon? YES! One simple approach is to pick a theme, select Scripture verses and hymns based upon this theme, and weave them together. Done well, your congregation might not even notice there wasn’t a sermon! Below is a sample service outline...
read moreTransfiguration: Still Glowing
Our congregation often begins worship with a spoken call to worship….maybe yours does too. To enter into Transfiguration Sunday in a different way, you may consider the simple Call to Worship below. It weaves together Scripture, song and prayer. The Scripture is from Mark 9:2-8 (Common English Bible translation). The song is “Bless the Lord,” by John Bell. See more info about song here. Others songs could certainly be used. MANY: [SING] Bless the Lord… One: “Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and brought...
read moreNewSong
Most congregations have a canon of hymns that they know, love and sing often. I’ll pause while you make a mental list of your congregation’s hymn canon… … … … … You know though, there are countless hymns and songs in this world that your congregation rarely or never sings. New hymnals and songs come out every year, of course, but there are also many old songs in your own hymnals and music file cabinets you never sing either. Maybe, just maybe, some of these are inspiring and could become...
read moreWorship/Event
Many churches have a Sunday morning or two throughout the year when the congregation hosts both a worship service and a special event. Maybe your church hosts a Christmas fair, an Easter brunch, a breakfast fundraiser for a mission you support or something else. In our church, the last Sunday in September is always reserved for day two of our annual Old Fashioned Harvest Market which draws thousands from all over our region. I know from experience that on this particular Sunday our congregation’s attention and energy is divided...
read more“Xmas Eve on Fire”
Imagine this: Christmas Eve Snow blanketing the ground Early/family service begins at 5:00 p.m. and the time is now 4:30 p.m. Portable firepit on the front lawn of the church with logs blazing Hot chocolate in vacuum pots on a table nearby Small Christmas tree with a box full of ornaments Families, individuals, couples, whoever, arriving, grabbing a cup of cocoa, hanging an ornament, warming themselves by the fire, giggling with Christmas excitement At 5:05 p.m. booklets with Christmas carols are handed out and people sing their favorites At...
read more