Home
Music-Worship Commission Expands Focus
CHICAGO, IL (April 29, 2005) - Worship leaders will have the opportunity to
receive formal training and enjoy enhanced connections with one another
as a result of the expanded focus of the Commission on Church Music and
Worship, which historically has been responsible for major resource
projects such as new hymnals and books of worship for the Evangelical
Covenant Church.
The broadened focus, under the guidance of the Department of Christian
Formation, centers on four areas: connecting and networking worship
leaders and pastors, providing resources, giving input on worship
planning aspects of denominational events, and training and educating
leaders, according to Jane Hutchins-Peterson, commission chair.
A key element in the new direction is coordination of the efforts of
various educational institutions, including North Park Theological
Seminary, North Park University and The Worship Center located on the
campus of Covenant Bible College in Windsor, Colorado.
During a workshop last weekend at the seminary, instructors Katie
Martinez and Doug Vetvick of The Worship Center shared practical ways to
improve congregational worship. One of the workshops offered insight to
forming a "worship ensemble" that involves many in the church beyond the
musicians in planning worship services.
Churches have increasingly sought trained worship leaders to add to
their staff, says Doreen Olson, Christian Formation executive minister.
"The pool of resources for that was very shallow," she notes. The focus
on training for worship fits the broad theme of the Christian Formation
department–GROW–that seeks to provide opportunities to grow in God's
word, relationships, obedience, and worship. "That helped us uncover a
felt need out there in the church," Olson says. "Worship leaders were
expressing that 'finally there is a home for us' " in response to the
expanded focus.
"It is the desire of the commission to work to meet the needs of
congregations and their worship leaders in creative ways," says
Hutchins-Peterson. "I have great hope that as we engage in this critical
dialogue, the open spirit that I have observed in our leadership will
result in new ventures."
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
