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Keeping Christmas — All Twelve Days

By Carol P. Myers

Repeated traditions, it seems, help all of us know and remember who we are, developing our identity as God's children. And celebration of the themes and seasons of the church year helps families express their faith. Read more about family worship at Christmas.
 

What? I have to Preach the Christmas Story Again?:
Fresh approaches to planning

By David A. Vroege

I find myself pulling out my hair and shouting, “What? I have to preach the Christmas story again?!” Not to others, of course. Certainly not to my parishioners. But inside I do. How can I pull off another Christmas sermon? Read more.
 

Let’s Put the Communion Back into Christmas

By Daniel Meeter

"Joy" is a word made cheap by modern Christmases. So much of our celebration strikes me as "make-joy." ...Every December finds us looking for new things to do, new ideas, new banners. But when, in our attempt to be fresh, we leave out Holy Communion, we really miss the center of the celebration. Read more
 

7 Tips for Choir Directors

By Brent Assink

Seven guidelines that should help choir directors develop and nurture longer-lasting, better-sounding choirs. Read more
 

Advent Resources from Calvin Institute of Christian worship available here  

Worship Quest: An Exploration of Worship Leadership. A new book by Steven D. Brooks that serves as a guide to understanding foundational questions about worship and leading in worship. Available here

Children and Worship Webinar: Helping Children Experience God. This hour long webinar given by Olivia Stewart gives information on spiritual formation in children and practical tips for leading them in worship. Watch here

“Color Added” — article on worship space by Dr. Reggie Kidd — It’s a delight to play with visual and aural textures, and to take on the challenge of imagining anew the Christian story week after week.”  Read more

Print on Demand (POD) worship products — Authentic Worship in a Changing Culture and more. A high-speed digital printing press produces books in any quantity, as few as one at a time. POD titles can be ordered, printed, and shipped in one or two weeks, not months. See titles available from Faith Alive Christian Resources.

Advent Devotions — free to your email box from the Office of Social Justice, CRCNA. Sign up here.

Downloadable Advent Prayer Guide from World Vision available here.

Singing In Christmas — new Christmas CD by Ken Medema available here

New Images for Worship and Christmas cards from Eyekons available here

Sundays and Seasons for 2016 Year C — if you plan worship with the Revised Common Lectionary, this is a helpful tool available from Augsburg Fortress.

Connecting to the Lectionary

• November 8 — Pentecost 24/Proper 27B/Ordinary 32B
  Symbols of the Atonement 
  Songs: Amazing Grace; Praise the Lord, Sing Hallelujah
   
• November 15 — Pentecost 25/Proper 28B/Ordinary 33B
  The Gift of True Strength 
  Songs: My Soul Cries Out; Holy, Holy, Holy
   
• November 22 — Christ the King 
  Awesome in Glory 
  Songs: Soon and Very Soon; In the Day of the Lord
   
• November 29 — Advent 1 
  Linking the Advent Wreath to Our Stories 
  Songs: Imagine; Toda la tierra/All Earth is Waiting
   
• December 6 — Advent 2 
  Figures of Faith: A Children’s Message for Advent 
  Songs: Prepare the Way of the Lord; O Come, O Come Emmanuel

Lift Up Your Hearts is available for iPad and newly released for Android!. Check it out and download yours today!

Lift Up Your Hearts Large print! Recent arrival! Click on the link for details.

2016 Symposium on Worship, January 28 - 30, 2016, Grand Rapids, MI. Registration is now open!

Vital Worship Grants — now is the time to begin thinking about this exceptional resource. Check out the details online and talk with your worship teams. Applications for 2016 are available now.

Prayers of the People — available in print copy, E-book, or Mobipocket. Contains model prayers, prayer outlines, and other helps for incorporating prayer into worship. The contents of this book are excerpted from the second edition of The Worship Sourcebook and originate from a wide range of sources.         

Psalms for All Seasons Digital Edition This new version allows you to copy and paste the Psalms, hymns, and responses into your bulletin or worship folder! Order now.

Psalms for All Seasons is available as an App for your iPad or Android. First, download the free Hymnals app from the the App Store (iPad users) or Google Play (Android users), and then search for Psalms for All Seasons. Click on the title for information.

Calendar/Conferences

• U.S. Thanksgiving, Nov. 26
• First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 29

• Inclusive Worship Symposium
  November 21, 2016, Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights, IL
   
• Children and Worship Training Events
  November 21, 2015 at Knox Presbyterian Church, Oakville, ON
   
• Children and Worship, January 28, 9am - 3pm:
  Enrichment Training on StoryTelling by Olivia Stewart;
  Central Reformed Church, 10 College Ave, NE, Grand Rapids, MI  
  
  January 28, 6 - 8pm:
  Introduction to Children & Worship, by Olivia Stewart;
  Central Reformed Church (see address above)
   
• 2016 Symposium on Worship 
  January 28 - 30, 2016, Grand Rapids, MI.
   
• Worship Together, 2016 
  February 4 - 5, 2016, Church of the City, Franklin, TN
   
• Animate
  June 20 - 24 or June 27 - July 1, 2016. Registration open February 1, 2016.