Liturgies for a Worship Team's Weekend Retreat

Using Essentials in Worship Values by Dan Wilt

Compiled by Barry Christensen

September 28, 2012

Introduction

One of the most effective ways to inspire, build teamwork, and impart a sense of mission in a local church's worship team is to have a weekend retreat together. As the saying goes, we need to "come apart" (get away) before we "come apart" (burnout in our ministries).

Although commonly considered "retreats," these group experiences are better called "advances" because they help us look forward to enhanced ministry and build a shared vision. It is best to choose a location that is far enough away from home that it inspires us but is not too far away so as to be prohibitively expensive.

This set of four liturgies is based on the four sections of Essentials in Worship Values by Dan Wilt. The four worship experiences can be interspersed with study sessions based on the book, with team building exercises, and with free time for reflection and contemplation. Add some great meals and warm beds to sleep in and the results can be transformative.

Additional liturgical elements may be added to these services to meet needs of specific church traditions and customs, such as Holy Communion or readings from Prayer Books. In addition, the plan could be stretched out to include a Sunday morning time frame as well.

Friday night worship liturgy on Intimacy and Integrity

Inspired by Music

(choose some songs used by the team that speak to Intimacy, followed by prayer)

Inspired by Worship Leaders

(Quote prepared and read by a participant)

"Again there is this element – how do you present a God who is beyond presentation?

How do you explain a God who is beyond explanation? How do you sing, how do you pick a song that best describes either who God is or even how we feel?

It's always just slightly beyond us, and so there is always that feeling in the pit of my stomach saying, 'What did I do? How did I get talked into this?' And then I remember,

'Oh yeah, God, you called me to do this. Okay, I'll do it again.'" Brian Doerksen

Inspired by Scripture

(passage prepared and read by a participant)

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out." Romans 12:1-2, The Message

Inspired by Joining Our Voices

(prepared and lead by a participant)

One: In pursuit of intimacy, we choose

Many: Honesty

One: In pursuit of intimacy, we choose

Many: Vulnerability

One: In pursuit of intimacy, we choose

Many: Healing

One: In pursuit of intimacy, we choose

Many: Freedom

One: In pursuit of intimacy, we choose

Many: Connectedness

One: In pursuit of intimacy, we choose

Many: Restoration

Inspired By a Homily

(prepared by a participant using such thoughts as, What does it mean for the value of intimacy to be central in our gathered worship settings? Is self disclosure with God in a growing relationship close to the biblical heartbeat of worship? What does it mean for us to worship with integrity – in the songs we sing and the ways we live?)

Inspired by Music

(choose some songs used by the team that speak to Integrity)

Inspired by Worship Leaders

(quote prepared and read by a participant)

"...Why (do) we sing songs in the first place? We do it because it is something that we can do together.

There are probably other things that we could do to express our love and our worship to God that would be, in one sense, just as valid. But they're not easy for us to do together.

Yet we can get ten people, or a hundred people, or a thousand, or a hundred thousand - whatever number we choose - and we can all get together and sing a song.

That song reflects what is going on in our hearts and our minds, together. There is truth that we're affirming, but there's also affection that we're expressing.

That's why I think that singing as an expression of worship has stood the test of time." Brian Doerksen

Inspired by Joining Our Voices

(prepared and lead by a participant)

One: In pursuit of integrity, we choose

Many: Authenticity

One: In pursuit of integrity, we choose

Many: Character

One: In pursuit of integrity, we choose

Many: Truthfulness

One: In pursuit of integrity we choose

Many: Honesty

One: In pursuit of integrity, we choose

Many: Consistency

One: In pursuit of integrity, we choose

Many: Simplicity

(closing prayer and benediction prepared by a participant)

Saturday morning worship liturgy on Accessibility & Cultural Connection

Inspired by Music

(choose some songs used by the team that speak to Accessibility, followed by prayer)

Inspired by Worship Leaders

(Quote prepared and read by a participant)

"To open doors for people to enter into enlivening places, or to build bridges for people to make a way for them to cross chasms real or imagined – these are stunning acts of love.

When one chooses to open doorways, when one chooses to build bridges, there is no trumping the power of such generous actions.

As the people of Jesus, we must decide that this kind of neighbor love is a normal way of being truly human.

If not, we become like those who close doors and burn bridges – the self-perceived elite who

apparently do not inherit anything in the Kingdom of God." Dan Wilt

Inspired by Joining Our Voices

(prepared and lead by a participant)

One: In pursuit of accessibility, we choose

Many: Simplicity

One: In pursuit of accessibility, we choose

Many: Sensitivity

One: In pursuit of accessibility, we choose

Many: Excellence

One: In pursuit of accessibility, we choose

Many: Vulnerability

One: In pursuit of accessibility, we choose

Many: Participation

One: In pursuit of accessibility, we choose

Many: Hospitality

One: In pursuit of accessibility, we choose

Many: Awareness

Inspired by Scripture

(passage prepared and read by a participant)

"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." I Corinthians 9:19-22, NIV

Inspired By a Homily

(prepared by a participant using such thoughts as, Building bridges for others to meet with the Father seemed to be a central theme of Jesus' ministry. Would it help us to see that making our worship expressions accessible to those unfamiliar with us or the Gospel is doing what Jesus' did? Does connecting with our culture matter in worship?)

Inspired by Music

(choose some songs used by the team that speak to Cultural Connection)

Inspired by Worship Leaders

(quote prepared and read by a participant)

"…We approach the service with the assumption that the average Sunday attendee is already convinced that worshipping God is the right thing to do.

That's why they come to church.

…Remember, the worship leader functions like a midwife who brings people to God and helps give birth to the experience of worship.

If people don't get on board with a certain song, don't use it. There are plenty of proven songs that can get the job done.

This is a good example of the servant role of the worship leader." Andy Park

Inspired by Joining Our Voices

(prepared and lead by a participant)

One: In pursuit of connection, we choose

Many: Visionary leadership

One: In pursuit of connection, we choose

Many: Cultural sensitivity

One: In pursuit of connection, we choose

Many: Diversity

One: In pursuit of connection, we choose

Many: Shared community

One: In pursuit of connection, we choose

Many: Outreach

One: In pursuit of connection, we choose

Many: Growth

(closing prayer and benediction prepared by a participant)

Saturday afternoon worship liturgy on Kingdom Expectation

Inspired by Music

(choose some songs used by the team that speak to Kingdom Expectation, followed by prayer)

Inspired by Worship Leaders

(Quote prepared and read by a participant)

"If we don't expect that God will speak, move, heal and deliver as we come together to offer thanks and reciprocate love, then why would we expect the community to expect that God will act among us?

It seems clear that, to some large degree, the expectation of those leading a time of gathered worship before God precipitates others' expectations.

After all, why would we expect God to respond to the indifferent heart, the soul that is going through the motions of preparation without any evident hunger in their spirit?

While we make the music, execute the movements, rehearse the visuals and prepare the spaces, we must do so as those intent on God responding with favor to our efforts – not simply as those assuming that some helpful information or creative reflection will be offered to the congregants.

God meets us in many places, and He often meets in the place of humble expectation." Dan Wilt

Inspired by Scripture

(passage prepared and read by a participant)

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 13:44-50, NIV

Inspired By a Homily

(prepared by a participant using such thoughts as, Throughout the millennia, followers of Jesus have always expected that God would, in some way, do the things He promises that He will do when we gather in His Name. Is it important for the worshiper, and those who lead worship, to expect God to act – to establish His Kingdom among us? What Is The Kingdom Of God?

Biblically, the primary language that Jesus used to speak of God's rule and reign being enacted in the world (and among the Jews) was embodied in the terms "Kingdom of God" or "Kingdom of heaven." These terms appear over 100 times in the New Testament, and form the basis for Jesus teaching about God's work in the past, God's work in the present, and God's ultimate work in the future.)

Inspired by Joining Our Voices

(prepared and lead by a participant)