Kevin Soodsma

Hi! I'm the worship director at Beckwith Hills CRC in Grand Rapids.  I am basically the "jack of all trades" when it comes to worship.  I'm the organist, choir director, praise team organizer, orchestra arranger, scheduler, worship planner, etc.  

Hi! I'm the worship director at Beckwith Hills CRC in Grand Rapids.  I am basically the "jack of all trades" when it comes to worship.  I'm the organist, choir director, praise team organizer, orchestra arranger, scheduler, worship planner, etc.  

We do when it fits well with the sermon text.  I also mix it up as far as musical genre.  We love some of the older metrical and 1912 Psalter settings, but also have grown to love the new settings also.  Check out Psalms For All Seasons.

We are going the "Traditional" route since I have a brass group, organ, piano, guitar, bass, strings, etc.

Christ The Lord Is Risen Today

See What A Morning

Low In The Grave He Lay

What The Lord Has Done In Me (Because we are having a baptism)

Crown Him With Many Crowns

Message me or skype me.  [email protected]  I use the organ all the time with a worship band.  It's more than a paragraph to post.

I am doing the exact same thing on March 25.  Greg Scheer is leading the workshop and I'm leaving it in his hands.  But the day is shaping in this manner:

9:00 am - Opening.

"the Art of Worship"

Going through each instrument and explain the who/what/when/where/why part of their role in the group.

using occasional instrumentation (brass, woodwinds, etc)

Working with various abilities/skills (we have a wide range so explaining how to include beginners and not dumb down more experienced musicians, and also those who are self-taught and formally taught.

- Working out a lunch in there somewhere.

Also, the idea that we will be using the music from the workshop into an actual worship service is also important to me - so the repertoire we are using on Saturday will be the repertoire for the service on Sunday.

We are also extending an invitation to other worship & band leaders, musicians, etc. from other churches.

Have you tried the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship online resources?  This isn't a book, but if you would like to study a particular topic that your worship committee would like to explore further, they may have some articles, etc.

Also, Greg Scheer has some books on worship "how-to" etc.  

There was a book at one time published by Faith Alive, "Authentic Worship in a Changing Culture".  The short story is that excellence in worship is achieved based on ability and skills.  Don't' ask a 3 year old to sing an aria from Handel's Messiah.  at the same time, don't insult an advanced musicians to play just the melody line of a song.  Don't ask the 3rd grade Sunday School class to create a banner in the style of Van Gogh, at the same time, don't stifle an inspiring visual artist to a felt board.  I realize these may be extremes, but hoping you get the picture.  If you ask the beginning piano student to play a simple melody during the worship service that the person is able to achieve then you have done both excellence and community.  If you ask your more advanced musicians to play a more advanced or original piece, then you have created excellence based on ability, and you have created appreciation for that person, thus fostering community.

Having said this, I do feel that commitment among members is also a factor, sometimes they aren't as dedicated to the life of the church and don't always feel the commitment to prepare for worship for various reasons.  As a worship director, I also find this difficult to see people who I know have the talent and are consistently not playing to their abilities.  So a lower expectation of excellence is required on your part to make them still feel "community" and to achieve "excellence" that you are looking for.

We meet weekly with each other and we have a few members who join us.  Sometimes we ask a group to participate because it is lent, advent, or a specific series.  I never get the picture of the pastor's message because he doesn't write his sermon until later in the week.  All I can go by is the sermon text, season, series theme, etc.  90% of the time I can draw some elements (songs, readings, etc) that support the sermon.  Sometimes I receive the information and let the sermon stand on its own.  Not necessarily ignoring the sermon information, but sometimes, I don't have the exact resources to make a supportive theme.  That's not all bad either.

Don't give up, it's the right thing.  Sometimes i find it helpful to read a brief concordance on the text to get a general overview of the text (a study Bible works most of the time).  Then drawing from your reading, you can at least derive some theme.  Also try using the lectionary (www.textweek.com) and search for the text and then see the corresponding passages (psalm, OT, Epistle, NT, etc.) and sometimes I can draw from that also.

I also agree with using something like planning center, etc to start the process and keep your worship participants informed.  I'm just starting this myself.

I read this post and gave a lot of thought.  I am coming from the "well-established" congregation experience.  You have some valid points about what to include, not include, etc, in the perspective of Reformed Worship and new church plants, small congregations, etc. We don't always do that either.  Some seasons of the church year or if a sermon series calls for an emphasis of something, then we might lessen some of the other elements to give focus to the theme or focus.  

But I would have to disagree with you that you are dumbing down to those who you are trying to reach.  No, they aren't going to get it all and it all shouldn't be thrown at them at once, but if you start somewhere "one-inch" at a time, I truly believe they will receive it well and it will become the fabric of the worship experience.  How you present it is the "Robert Schuller" grade you will get from the congregation.  Robert Schuller did some unorthodox things to gain TV ratings, not to instill good liturgy.

I was at a seminar with a Christian college Chaplain and he described his new position and the worship life of the student body.  He described the Sunday chapel service as a "Holy Ruckus" when he first arrived.  SLOWLY, the dean of the chapel developed a well meaning liturgy one semester at a time.  This is a few years ago so I'm sure some great progress has been made and it all started with lighting the Christ candle and acknowledging God has called them to worship and God's presence in worship.

The people we are "reaching out" to are intelligent, the only ignorance is not knowing.  Telling them and showing them why it is important and why God has called us to confess our sins in a time of confession, etc. is just as important and making them aware of the Psalm 150 incorporation that all called to "Praise the Lord".  We aren't very good at telling what is important to us as reformed Christians as far as heritage, worship, traditions, etc. because we are afraid to offend them.  Other well established religions are not afraid to tell and show - and they are growing! 

Yes, we cannot assume that they automatically walk into worship knowing those things, but neither does a 3 year old child.  But as they mature in their faith, so doesn't their worship and their approach in worship, but only if you tell them and show them.

As for a unified thematic approach to worship, I don't always have one, sometimes it is better.  Themes and "take home" messages don't always present themselves up front.  But I always trust that the Holy Spirit will guide the worship and that we will give God the glory and be edified by his Word.

I'm sorry for this post if it sits with you in a different way, but I would have to disagree with your post. I could say more, but I'll end it here, reach out to where they are - meet them - and walk with them in a way that they should go.

Love this concept - can't wait for the next post...