Lit Liturgy

Continuing our series about milestones, learn ways you can celebrate some of the milestones high school students experience.  Plus shots for September 2021 and check out the conference Nevertheless She Preached September 19-21.

Continuing our series about celebrating milestones we look at those awkward tween years focusing on some of the things that happen around 4th through 8th grade. Remember the joy of acnes and braces!  And go get Elle Dowd's new book "Baptized in Tera Gas: From White Moderate to Abolitionist" wherever books are sold (but really buy it from someone who likes books and isn't just going to space with your money).

Kids hit all sorts of milestones. Here are some ways you can celebrate them in the congregation both in worship and at homes. Also check out the amazingness that is our chaser: Digivangelism at digivangelism.org

How can we meet parishioner's expectations of Mother's Day and Father's Day while still upholding all the many emotions these holidays have.  Our chasers are three blog posts with liturgies for Mother's Day that can easily be adapted for Father's Day.  “A Prayer for Mothers Day for All of Us” “An Open Letter to Pastors: a Non-Mom Speaks about Mother’s Day""A Litany for Mother's Day"

A year into remote worship we are looking at having another round having Holy Week with pandemic protocols. Here are some ideas on how to do Holy Week from a distance. And check out our great chasers. Barn Geese Worship: barngeeseworship.com and ConseCrate Subscription Box: consecrate.cratejoy.com

Many pastors or staff members are leaving changing calls, including Lydia recently, or congregations are starting to explore consolidation or mergers, including Becca's, so Lydia and Becca talk about ways to make these changes in the era of covid when we cannot rely on in-person gatherings as we once did.  For our Chaser check out the Nerds at Church podcast for some great fandom and biblical crossovers. 

Are you ready to celebrate Christmas in a pandemic. No, none of us are. But here are some ideas for in person, drive through, digital and at home options for Christmas Eve and some Blue Christmas ideas. Plus shots for the seasons of Advent and Christmas.   For our Chasers check out Worship Design Studios for some covid carols and a Blue Christmas liturgy and another Blue Christmas service from Young Clergy Women

Lydia and Becca talk about what to do as we face Advent in the time of Corona.  Some links to check out:  buildfaith.org/advent-in-a-box/ www.traci-smith.com/faithfulfamilieschristmas www.vts.edu/lifelong-learning/lifelong-learning

How can you do confirmation and youth ministry in the midst of a pandemic? Lydia and Becca discuss some options along with shots for October. For our chaser, check out Youth Ministry Consultants and their recent webinar on Zoomed Out Youth. 

As the calendar keeps moving along closer to the start of the fall program year, we are still in Covid-related social distancing mandates. Therefore Becca and Lydia talk about things to do for Sunday School and other fall programs that allow you to stay at least 6 feet away from anyone. 

We are all feeling "pandemic drain," therefore Becca and Lydia talk about some creative ministry ideas during the pandemic, on-line and off. 

In the wake of George Floyd's death and Covid, this time the Black Lives Matter protest feel different. Becca and Lydia give you a whole bunch of different resources for how to think about race in your congregation.  Some of those resources include this wonderful google doc, a list of books for kids, The Next Question, White Homework and so much more. 

Day 4 recap: reviews of sermons by Raphael Warnock and Robert Wright, a workshop/lecture by Raquel Lettsome and an interview with Neichelle Guidry.

Day 4 recap: reviews of sermons by Cynthia Hale, Lenny Duncan, and William Barber III, lecture by Katie Hays and an interview with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove

Day 3 recap: reviews of sermons by Olu Brown and Anna Carter Florence, and lectures by Karoline Lewis and Stacey Abrams 

Day 2 recap: a review of sermons by Otis Moss III and Joy Moore, a lecture by Ellen Davis and an interview between Karoline Lewis and Leah Schade

Lydia and Becca share there thoughts on the first day of Festival of Homiletics with lectures, sermons or interviews by Traci Blackmon, Katharine Hayhoe, Bill McKibben and Will Willimon.  Register for the rest of the week at www.festivalofhomiletics.com

As we are reformatting worship to be on line, we are having to deal with our word choices to reflect our worship situation. And as long as you are thinking about language choices, it is also the prefect time to think about other words choices we make and how our language can be more inclusive to our LGBTQIA+ siblings in Christ.  For our chaser: check out The Holy Other by The Hymn Society for a collection of LGBTQIA+ inclusive songs. thehymnsociety.org/resources/songs-for-the-holy-other/

Lydia and Becca share some ideas on how not to be the only person leading virtual worship. They also share ideas from the upcoming Holiday Trifecta of Ascension, Pentecost and Holy Trinity. 

Becca and Lydia re-discuss Holy Week in the light of social distancing. How to do Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday when you can gather together is discussed. 

Lydia and Becca are practicing this social distancing thing and talk about what they learned from a few weeks of streaming worship and give some thoughts on what you can do for your worship service.  Sorry no theme song today, Becca just couldn't figure it out and has reached her limit on learning new tech this week as many of you have as well. 

Don't stress out too much about Holy Week. Becca and Lydia share some ideas for Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil.  Check out the Palm Sunday scripts Becca talked about at this Google File.  And check out our chaser the Rooted Lenten devotion from LEAD

Becca and Lydia talk about Lent ideas - sermon series, midweek ideas, and more.  Check out Bryan Odeen's new evening prayer - Osage Evening Prayer - bryanodeen.wordpress.com

As we prepare for Baptism of Our Lord, Becca and Lydia talk about ways to celebrate baptisms. 

Lydia and Becca share some Christmas ideas, especially worship services that break the traditional liturgical mode and some ideas to do for those Sundays surrounding Christmas when you just don't have the energy to put into preaching. 

Becca and Lydia talk about some worship themes you can do during Advent that will take you off lectionary. For our chaser, check out Abidingsaviourlutheranchurch.org/everlasting_light for a Advent liturgy with the words written to Christmas carols. 

Becca and Lydia talk about all the many things you can bless and some basic structure and creative ideas you can have preparing to bless something whether a person, a place or a thing. 

Becca and Lydia share some tips and tricks on where and how to include some of the youngest of God's children in worship, especially during children's sermons, creating Pray Grounds and having children as worship leaders.  Our Chaser is ministrylinks.online a great site that has a host of information about children's ministries. 

Are you in charge of planning a worship service for a conference, assembly, continuing ed event or another group that are not used to worshiping together? Becca and Lydia give you some ideas on how to plan worship for a group of people who are not used to worshiping together, especially with ideas fresh from the ELCA Churchwide Assembly.   

In our mini-summer series of life passages, Becca and Lydia focus on funerals and how you can make them more creative by adapting the readings, music and prayers to honor the dead while also living in hope of the resurrection that comes through Christ. Also, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read out chaser "Dear Church" by Lenny Duncan, available wherever books are sold. 

It is wedding season. How can you as a pastor have some influence on some not so great wedding traditions? Becca and Lydia have a lot to say and so you do with BYOBs. Also check out our chaser The Bible Project thebibleproject.com

Becca and Lydia talk about Thursday at the Festival of Homiletics where they heard Traci Blackmon preach on the road of the Good Samaritan and talk about social justice preaching, Yvette Flunder preach on Easter and Jesus breaking out of the tomb and Sarah Ciavarri talk about how to use Brene Brown in preaching, plus poetry by Natasha Trethewey.  

Some reflections on Wednesday at the Festival of Homiletics as Lydia and Becca hear sermons, lectures and workshops by Brian McLaren, William Lamar, Cynthia Hale, Will Willimon

A minisode of some thoughts about the first two days of awesomeness at the Festival of Homiletics. 

A Mini-sode of just the June shots! 

Let's get out of here! How do you end worship in a fun creative way that sends the people out to do God's work in this world? Becca and Lydia give you some ideas.  Also there are scripture shots for the season of Easter.  And check out Re-worship who has cultivated a list of benedictions for all the RCL dates: https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2011/07/benediction-index.htm

It is time to celebrate the empty tomb! Shout Alleluia and throw confetti! Becca and Lydia share a bunch of ideas to make Easter fun and exciting whether it is Easter Vigil, Easter morning or Easter evening.

Lent can seem so long and boring as we want to also be pious and penitent. Here are some ideas to spice it up while still keeping the meaning of Lent.  Check out Ourbibleapp.com for a great bible and devotional and podcast app. 

We kept the microphone's rolling after our Rip & Dip or Shots & Dots episode about the Meal portion of the ordo and shared some of our favorite communion stories. You will also hear from Josh, Lydia's boyfriend who was in the room, he is a double PK.  Enjoy some extra random stories. 

Can you do anything creative during communion? Becca and Lydia look at the "Meal" portion of the worship service and discuss ways to be creative around communion. Plus Scripture Shots for the month of February. Check out our Chaser of the cutest felt toys for a pray ground from Bethlehem Lutheran in Granada Hills CA. Check out the photos on their facebook page at goo.gl/nE49iD

The season after Epiphany this year is SUPER long this year. Becca and Lydia offer up a bunch of ideas on how to make the season creative and fun. Also check out the new resource how2charist.com  And support our awesome theme song composer Brain Odeen through his Patreon Page  www.patreon.com/join/bryanodeen?

Becca and Lydia discuss all things Merry and Bright on this Christmas episode, including Christmas Eve worship ideas, children's sermons and how to get rid of Aunt Edna's ugly Christmas Banner that has adorned the church walls since 1962. 

Are you preparing to prepare for Christmas? Lydia and Becca give you a bunch of ideas for Advent including some themes, decorations, and more. If you would like the 4 Ancestors idea Becca talked about check out the google doc at goo.gl/4Q4Qrh And our chaser is The Advent Door at adventdoor.com

Becca and Lydia talk about the Word portion of worship and how to be creative and innovated during that portion of the worship service. Scripture shots for November are also discussed.  And check out the chasers of biblical storytelling sites, Network of Biblical Storytellers at nbsint.org and Go Tell Communications at gotell.org

Lydia and Becca start a series talking about the order or the ordo (to speak church) of the service. Up first: The Gathering; how do you get people into worship, how do you greet them and start off worship. Our chaser this episode is Common Prayer, a book and website of liturgy for ordinary radicals. commonprayer.net

Lydia and Becca talk about how to uplift vocation in your congregation especially in light of many events that churches have at the end of the summer or early fall including Sunday School Kickoff, Blessing of the Backpacks and more.  Our chaser is IllustratedChildrensMinistry.com Check out the many resources they have available 

The Summer of Bread is almost here, aka the 5 weeks when all the RCL seems to talk about is Jesus as bread. How will you survive talking about bread for 5 weeks? Lydia and Becca have some creative ideas to help you keep on talking about bread for the rest of the summer and beyond. For the Chaser: check out a 2008 TED Talk by Peter Reinhart, one of the current kings of artisanal bread making.   https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_reinhart_on_bread

Tired of the same old boring intercessory prayers as even you as the prayer leader fall asleep as you await that refrain of "Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer"? Well so are Becca and Lydia. Explore with them ways to pray as a congregation from more forms of interactive corporate spoken prayers to prayer stations, or as Lydia dubbed them "Prayer Tapas"  Our chaser is the awesome "Still Waters" website by Theresa Echo with a whole lot of prayer station ideas that correlate with the liturgical year, lectionary or themes. Plus Scripture shots for July 2018 lectionary readings. 

Some great ideas for things to do throughout the summer in and out of worship to keep congregation members engaged even with all the craziness that summer brings.    Two Chaser's this episode A VBS curriculum by Grace Burson "God's City, God's Garden"  AND The Ultimate Camp Resource for all those silly games you might want to play at camp, VBS, during midweek worship or any other time just for fun. 

Becca and Lydia talk about things to do for Trinity Sunday. Don't worry this podcast is filled with tons of heresy along with some Lit Liturgy Stamp of Disapproval of some crappy theology books.  For our chaser check out the hymn Micah Garnett's Trinity Hymn at http://www.mytrinitylutheran.org/all-for-hymn.html 

Becca and Lydia talk about all the doves, fire, wind, languages, red, peace, blood, and smoky mist of Pentecost. For our chaser, check out an excellent Pintrest page for ideas of Pentecost at https://www.pinterest.com/revjoelle/pentecost-ideas-for-worship-and-celebration/