Worship Resources and Events

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March 2023

Greetings, We enter these latter weeks in Lent and anticipate the Three Days, attentive to the depth of human experience these days bring. As expressed by Isaac Watts, “sorrow and love flow mingled down” (“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” ELW 803). Amid deep grief and great joy, pain and pleasure, quiet prayer and jubilant praise, God is with us. In this and every season the ELCA Worship staff note resources and events below that can be helpful to you in your ministry. Prayers as you continue in your Lenten journey and anticipate the Easter feast! Jennifer Baker-Trinity Program Manager for Worship Resource Development "For What Shall We Pray" (formerly "Prompts for Prayers of Intercession") For over a year ELCA worship has offered weekly prompts "Prompts for Prayers of Intercession" to nourish your congregation's prayer life. Many of you have consulted this resource and offered helpful feedback in a November 2022 survey. A post by Melissa Bills, project coordinator, describes how this weekly blog, to be renamed "For What Shall We Pray" beginning in Lent, can be used more widely. Weekly blog posts will continue on the ELCA Worship Blog and the ELCA Worship Facebook page. For additional resources for crafting intercessions, visit this annotated list. Readings for the Assembly (Emended) is available for provisional use Readings for the Assembly was first published in the mid-1990s and presented the Revised Common Lectionary texts in a version emended from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. While these texts are still available, the provisional Readings for the Assembly (Emended) is newly available to subscribers in downloadable PDFs from the Sundays and Seasons Library. A helpful blog post from Augsburg Fortress provides further information about this emended version, including a link to additional background and principles. Content will be added to the Sundays and Seasons Library in quarterly installments. Sundays and Seasons Did you know that the service “For the Healing of Creation” from Holden Prayer Around the Cross” is included in the Sundays and Seasons library for ELCA worshiping communities that subscribe? Under the “Library” tab, go to: Sundays and Seasons Resources/Seasonal Rites/Seasonal Rites for Easter/Prayer Around the Cross: For the Healing of Creation. Appropriate for the Easter season near the observance of Earth Day, or at a time later in the year, this meditative service is rooted in Psalm 104 and Psalm 145 and offers space for embodied prayer for creation in all its diversity. New blog posts to help you learn more about All Creation Sings New blog posts from Augsburg Fortress will support your use of All Creation Sings: Learn more about the “Kids Celebrate” resources. Learn more about the Assembly Song Companion to All Creation Sings. The All Creation Sings family of resources includes the Pew Edition, Leaders Edition and Accompaniment Edition. Also available is the volume Indexes to Evangelical Lutheran Worship and All Creation Sings and the All Creation Sings Booklets for Kids. These four booklets—Kids Celebrate Worship, Kids Celebrate Hymns and Songs, Kids Celebrate Creation and Kids Celebrate the Trinity—are designed to be used as activity books with the pew edition of All Creation Sings. Music that Makes Community MMC continues to offer a range of programming with a focus on skills and resources to support worship leaders in their vital ministries. Upcoming online programs include another “Composing Ourselves,” which focuses on writing liturgical music for your context. Join us in May in the Twin Cities for the workshop “Paperless Practices for Choirs” as well as a Community SING. In June we will offer an intergenerational, One-Day Workshop in Nashville. Find more opportunities on the MMC calendar. Lutheran Summer Music Academy & Festival June 25–July 23 Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, Ind. Nominate high school musicians for LSM! Students come together from all over the country to immerse themselves in joyful music-making and build a supportive and welcoming community. They receive advanced music instruction through a variety of classes and activities. Do you know a musical student from your congregation? Hear from Omaldo Perez, Ryan Hostler, and Johanna Johnson on why you should nominate students for LSM, and nominate one for LSM today at lsmacademy.org/nominate.

Association of Lutheran Church Musicians Local workshops for church musicians “Hearts • Hands • Voices” is a series of local, half- or full-day, skills-based workshops organized and hosted by ALCM members. These events provide opportunities for you to learn new skills, share best practices, build both relationships and support systems among musicians in your area, and introduce others to the ALCM community. Resources from the Center for Church Music Established in 2010 at Concordia University Chicago, the Center for Church Music is a place where one can tap into an expansive online (or on-site) library of resources and perspectives on the music and art of the church, with a focus on a Lutheran context. The center offers video conversations on various topics in church music, including a recently featured video conversation about a fine arts camp for elementary-aged children. The video conversation considers the how-to's, benefits and joys of such an event and offers a free, 30-page, downloadable PDF on how to get started. Worship resources from Augsburg Fortress A Place For You   Baptismal Certificates   Operation Restoration VBS Starter Kit Kids Celebrate All Creation Sings Connect with Us You have received this email as a member or supporter of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. To ensure that you continue to receive these emails, please add worship@ELCA.org to your address book or safe list. © Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631-4101 800-638-3522 Home | Privacy | Unsubscribe  .