Virtual worship map on Disciples Home Missions’ Well Fed Spirit website
Send your online link information to wlynn@dhm.disciples.org.
Virtual Pulpit Supply every fourth Sunday in 2021 Available for download one week in advance, you will be provided with a scripture reading, sermon, and sending forth. Messages are relevant for worship, Bible study, small groups and workshopping. Archived on our website, you can download and incorporate VPS recordings for use on alternate Sundays or in a variety of contexts. VPS details here.
Third-party platforms available for worship
Churches Uniting in Christ is putting together some worship resources for All Saints Day, Christmas, and Watchnight. All Saints Day is the November 1st holiday through which we remember the saints of our faith. This year, stop and think about saints who have influenced the Church of Jesus Christ. Through the teaching of Rev. Dr. James Howell (author and pastor, Myers Park United Methodist Church) and Rev. Dr. Craig Atwood (Dean, Moravian Theological Seminary) and the preaching of AME Zion Bishop W. Darin Moore we take a look at saints in a new light. We will explore the history, common understandings, myths, saints of color as well as issues of social justice and inclusion that can accompany our observance of All Saints Day. https://www.churchesuniting.org/teaching-and-preaching
BrimProject.com “An Unexpected Gift”
We are realizing that we are collectively unwrapping the complexities of this season in our world–and that most of us in worship circles are tired. Here is one way to help you plug-and-play or jumpstart creativity in your context so that this different season will be one that is meaningful in the midst of the mess. Andra Moran and Suzanne Castle offer this inexpensive resource.
An Unexpected Gift includes the following resources for your worship needs with provision for in person, online or hybrid service models:
- A Candlelighting Liturgy, including ideas for at home Advent Wreath kits, and background videos for each week
- Sermon starters for each week of Advent + Christmas Eve on the following texts— Psalm 146, Micah 5:2-5, Isaiah 9:2-7, Luke 1:26-45, and Luke 2:1-20 (including scripture videos for these texts)
- Music suggestions from traditional hymns to modern pieces, for congregational and specials
- Original music files, including mp3s, lead sheets and music lyric videos for (5) songs
- Worship flow ideas, including ideas for families with young children
- Multiple Prayer station ideas and an option for an Advent Kit for worshippers meeting primarily at home, and printables that make it easy to use
- Social media graphics for Instagram, Facebook and YouTube covers
- Worship graphics for in person worship presentation software
NBA’s October 2020 Sermon Series: For Such A Time As This
The National Benevolent Association presents “For Such a Time as This” our October sermon series by prophetic voices from the Disciples of Christ and NBA community that will inspire you to think critically and act justly while also giving our pastors deserved time off from preaching during Pastoral Appreciation Month!
The NBA has a call to address issues of wellness equity. Specifically, we seek to prioritize the equitable sharing of knowledge, resources and support services for communities that are impacted by complex, oppressive systems.
A sermon by Florida Disciples Regional Minister is being provided to all Disciples congregations to be used for any Sunday Worship in October or for other discussions/studies.
Sermon in English
https://youtu.be/C_-J96vBBcY
Sermon with Spanish Translation
https://youtu.be/URdGLdhFKLA
Sermon with French Translation
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b5qvhvalb3j5d6u/zoom_0.mp4?dl=0
Pentecost materials available (May 26, 2020)
- Pentecost message from General Minister and President Terri Hord Owens | download | PDF – en español proporcionado por Obra Hispana
Odyssey Impact network offers free video resources based on the Lectionary (May 28, 2020)
Bring the world to your congregation!
As we continue to worship with care, there are many ways to bring the world to you congregation!
Global Ministries mission co-workers are available to join you virtually – either live or with pre-recorded presentations:
- to preach in a Sunday service
- to share in gatherings during the week
- to lead a Sunday school classes
Looking for engaging Sunday school ideas? Consider planning four Sundays of live presentations, pre-recorded presentations, or a mixture of both. Have an exciting month of learning about God’s work in the world!
Mission co-workers who have served in places like Kenya, the Dominican Republic, East Timor, and Greece are available.
For questions or to invite someone to share their story, please contact Cathy Nichols.
Video: Full Easter service prepared for April 12, 2020
Components available for download here
If you choose to download the individual portions of the service offered on Dropbox here or from the Easter YouTube playlist, please make sure you attribute the various pieces according to the artist attributions document in the PDF file. We are grateful to these many creators for their gracious gifts of music, word and image and want to acknowledge their work.Sermon transcription | Transcripción de sermones en español
Good Friday prayer service video
Northern Lights Disciples (our newest region) offers components for an Earth Day service Download here
As additional ideas, prayers and other resources are gathered, they will be posted here. Send your submissions to cwilliams@disciples.org
Music
- OneLicense.net webinar: Creative Musical Solutions for Worship
- Music, both printed and recorded, from the late Rev. David Edwards available (please credit composer/author upon use)
- Video: Notes from Chalice Press re: music licensing and more (March 13, 2020)
Prayers
- Litany: Poverty Admidst Plenty from the Poor People’s Campaign Text | Video
- A collection of prayers for this time by Rev. Lee Hull Moses | link to folder with prayers as separate graphics (March 30, 2020)
- Prayer for this time of COVID-19 by Dr. Valerie Bridgeman of Methodist Theological Seminary of Ohio as shared with Disciples Justice Ministries working group (March 18, 2020)
Giving
- Thanksgiving offering promotional materials available (Oct. 20, 2020)
- Stewardship webinar: What next? (Sept. 2, 2020)
- Third-party online giving platform (used at General Assembly and General Board) Givelify (March 16, 2020)
- One-page FAQ about online giving from the Center for Faith and Giving (March 20, 2020)
- Church Administration or Stewardship of the Body in Trying Economic Times by Rev. Thad Allen, regional minister (March 20, 2020)
- Online giving information from the Center for Faith and Giving (March 11, 2020)
Livestream how-to’s
“Broadcasting” via Facebook Live, Zoom and more
- Online communion tips from DisciplesNet online congregation (April 7, 2020)
- Building an inclusive online worship experience by Disciples Alliance Q (April 6, 2020)
- Tips for mitigating chance of disruptions on Zoom meetings (zoombombing) (April 2, 2020)
- Using Zoom for worship (up to 100 people) from Rev. Chris Morton, regional minister
- Ideas for connecting with online visitors collected by the Southwest region
- From the National Council of Churches: During this time of National Emergency due to the COVID-19 virus, the NCC has temporarily revised our permissions policy so that churches that livestream or broadcast their church sermons may use the Revised Standard and New Revised Standard Versions of the Bible without any special permission requirements. (March 20, 2020)
- Short tutorial (text) for simple live stream of worship (provided by the Nebraska region) | Setting up live streaming (provided by the Christian Church in the Southwest) (March 10, 2020) Copyright advice from Chalice Press (March 12, 202020) | 14-day free trial of Switcher live stream software (March 14, 2020)
Other
- Resources for funerals NOTE: links in document are not active (April 7, 2020)
- Refreshing spiritual practices from Disciples Alliance Q – beginning of 8-week series (April 6, 2020)
- Odyssey Impact offers free access to lectionary based videos (March 30, 2020)
- Online worship experience “Fear Not” offered by the Brim Project
Thoughts on worship suspension
By Rev. David Shirey, Central Christian Church, Lexington, KY
Our rationale for these decisions derives from principles grounded in our faith mandate to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. Simply stated, “In this circumstance, what does love require?”
- Love requires us to protect the vulnerable.
This virus puts the elderly and people with compromised health conditions at special risk. Like me, our congregation’s senior members are motivated by a fervent desire and unwavering commitment to worship God together. I and they will make every effort, regardless of the risk or cost, to be present for worship, feeling guilty if we do not make such an effort. Cancelling corporate worship this Sunday and offering a service available for home viewing safeguards our most vulnerable and relieves the deeply ingrained impetus to worship weekly.
- Love calls for us to seek the common good.
By voluntarily taking a sacrificial action such as cancelling corporate worship, we love our neighbors by doing our part to take an action that we hope will slow down the spread of the virus, thereby preventing as-yet-healthy persons from contracting the virus or making it easier for infected persons who may not yet know of the infection to spread it unknowingly to others.
- Love calls for us to act in solidarity with persons of good will.
Heeding the Kentucky Governor’s request and heeding the best wisdom of public health officials, we join a community-, state-, nation- and worldwide coalition of concerted caring whose cooperative efforts will the well-being of all people.
- Love calls for actions that minimize regret.
If we were to proceed with events or activities that lead to the infection of persons or the unwitting spread of the virus, we would rue the decision to proceed with “business as usual” when we could have chosen otherwise. Though it is debatable whether faith communities cancelling their services this weekend will indeed make a difference for the good, we can proceed with this decision knowing we did not choose to disregard or ignore this call for vigilance and caution.
