Stanley & Monica Groothof

A couple years ago we went from approximately every other month (6-7 times a year) to once every 6 weeks or so (8-9 times a year). I was hoping that would be a step towards monthly celebration, but that step hasn't happened yet.

I found 2 resources here on the CRC website:
:: crcna.org/sites/default/files/model_church_facilities_2015.docx 
:: network.crcna.org/church-admin-finance/facilities-use-policies

Thank you, Eric, for sharing that link. It articulates the concerns I have with Jesus Calling. I see challies.com does not allow for comments. For sake of fairness, I'd be interested to hear any substantive rebuttals to Tim Challies's 10 problems. Anyone?

These aren't devotionals but our kids (and we as parents, too) have appreciated these over the years:
   :: Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Jago (highly recommended)
   :: Read with Me Bible illustrated by Dennis Jones (uses NIrV text)
   :: See with Me Bible: The Bible Told in Pictures illustrated by Dennis Jones
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Here's the Worship Team mandate from Trinity CRC in Rock Valley IA.

 

Objectives

 

      To achieve the stated purpose, the following objectives have been adopted:

1. The Team will administer the worship at Trinity.
2. The Team will promote the use of relevant worship at Trinity.
3. The Team will provide opportunities for members of Trinity to learn more about worship.

 

Membership

 

      The membership of the Team will consist of seven (7) members of Trinity. A Church Council member will also be appointed to serve as a member of the team and as a liaison with the Council. The Pastor(s) will serve in an advisory role on the Team.
      Gifts that will be valuable for this team are creative communication, administration, leadership, helps, and discernment.

 

Terms of Service

 

      The terms of service will initially be for three (3) years and will be staggered. The Council may ask a team member to serve for more than one (1) term.

 

Areas of Responsibility

 

      The areas of responsibility include:

1. Maximizing meaningful participation and use of member’s gifts in worship.
2. Develop leadership in worship.
3. Supervise and coordinate the worship planning team.
4. Receive yearly report from a Children in Worship representative which includes a synopsis of the past year, positive, negatives and requests for assistance.

Thank you, everyone so far. Good reminder, Ken! ~Stan

For what it's worth, I just finished serving a church where there were 4 deacons and 2 elders. This was based on the giftedness of the individuals who allowed their name to stand for council, though this also fit well with the needs of the church. (Ideally, at least one more elder would have made the workload more manageable.) Stan

Diane, I have a Word document with a bunch of contemporary songs we sing here at Telkwa CRC. I've "tagged" each song with its topic(s) and/or Scripture reference(s). It's likely not entirely what you're looking for, but if it sounds helpful, I can email it to you. Stanley Groothof

In addition to CCLI, you can also search songs by topic at www.hymnary.org.

My hardcopies go in the recycling bin. Everything on my office computer is regularly backed up in two locations.



The file names of my sermons are based on the Scripture reading.  Each file is stored in an appropriate subfolder (e.g. "OT Poetry," "NT Epistle").  When my sermon collection gets bigger, I may refine that even more as some of those folders are getting pretty large.  In addition, like Todd above, I maintain a database listing my sermon texts, titles, and a few comments.



Sometimes I think about all the sermon manuscripts that go in the recycling bin each week, each month, each year...  Having a notebook computer up front with my manuscript seems too "intrusive," getting in between me and the congregation.  An iPad, however...  Hmmm...  =)



~Stan

My trusty Worship Sourcebook says this about the opening elements of worship in general:

"The opening actions of a worship service should clearly establish worship’s purpose. They should make clear that in worship a congregation is called to listen to God and to respond in faith and prayer. This suggests three kinds of actions — a clear statement of God’s invitation to worship, an opportunity for the congregation to respond in praise, and some action that reinforces the public, communal nature of worship." (p. 45)

Then, about God's greeting in particular, it says:

"The words of greeting establish the lines of communication in worship. God always comes to us before we come to God. So it is fitting for worship to begin with scriptural words that convey God’s greeting to us (historically referred to in some traditions as the 'salutation')." (p. 56)

When I lead in the greeting, I sometimes remind the congregation that the words I use do not originate with me, but with God.  Not only do the people of the church welcome each other, but God Himself is delighted we have responded to His call to worship and let's us know that when we hear His greeting.  God's greeting reminds me and the congregation that God is present as we worship.

As for the history of the greeting, I suspect that goes wa-a-a-y back, but I'll have to leave that for someone else to answer.

Peace to you.

Stanley