worship @ the CIVA conference

Last week I had the privilege of leading worship for the CIVA Bienniel Conference at Bethel University in Minneapolis. The theme of the conference was the question of culture and speakers included Miroslav Volf, Mako Fujimura & Cam Anderson. This was my first time to a CIVA conference and I was blessed to meet so many gifted artists. This was a diverse bunch of believers so I drew from many different Christian traditions in order to plan worship.

Thursday Night
As so many had traveled from so far to be at the conference I decided to read the Journey of the Magi by T.S. Eliot. As artists we often deal with the in-between-places of the faith so I sang Here In Between, a hymn I wrote for Holy Saturday, as an introduction to our time together.

Friday Morning
Call to Worship - Psalm 126.
Jesus Calls Us Here To Meet Him (first 3 verses by John L. Bell)

Jesus calls us here to meet him
as, through word and song and prayer,
we affirm God’s promised presence
where his people live and care.
Praise the God who keeps his promise;
praise the Son who calls us friends;
praise the Spirit who, among us,
to our hopes and fears attends.

Jesus calls us to confess him
Word of Life and Lord of all,
sharer of our flesh and frailness
saving all who fail or fall.
Tell his holy human story;
tell his tales that all may hear;
tell the world that Christ in glory
came to earth to meet us here.

Jesus calls us to each other:
vastly different though we are;
race and colour, class and gender
neither limit nor debar.
Join the hand of friend and stranger;
join the hands of age and youth;
join the faithful and the doubter
in their common search for truth.

Leader: We bow before You and pray to You, O good and loving God.
ALL: Hear our supplication: cleanse our souls and bodies from every defilement of flesh and spirit, and grant that we may stand before Your holy altar without blame or condemnation. 
Leader: Grant also, O God, progress in life, faith, and spiritual discernment to the faithful who pray with us, so that they may always worship You with reverence and love, partake of Your Holy     Mysteries without blame or condemnation, and become worthy of Your heavenly kingdom.
ALL: And grant that always guarded by Your power we may give glory to You, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. - from the Divine Liturgy
Wait For The Lord (Taize)
Reading – Genesis 11:1-9
Silent Prayer & Reflection (The Very Top by Jeremy Mangan)
This Is Our God (Tomlin)
In Christ Alone (Getty/Townend)
The Death of Death (Athanasius as translated by Scott Cairns)

Friday Night
I led a Compline service with Bobby Gross from the Book of Common Prayer with the music:
Irish Alleluia (Proulx)
Bless the Lord (Taize)
Gloria Patri (Eck)

Saturday Morning

Call to Worship – Colossians 1:15-20
In The Morning from Psalm 5 (Moss)
Come, Holy Spirit (Bell)
Reading – Exodus 14:21-31
Silent Prayer & Reflection(Light by Sandra Bowden)
Poor Wayfaring Stranger (Spiritual)
Exodus 15 (Moss)
A Prayer (Basil as translated by Scott Cairns)

Sunday Morning (Commissioning Service based on Psalm 145)

WORSHIP:  Acknowledging God’s Greatness

Invitation to enter the Lord’s presence
Silent Confession

8The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to  
   anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9The LORD is good to all, and his 
  compassion is over all that he has made.
1I will extol you, my God and King,
   and bless your name forever and ever.
2Every day I will bless you,
   and praise your name forever and ever.
3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be   
    praised; his greatness is unsearchable. 

In The Lord (Taize)

TESTIMONY:  Speaking of God’s Goodness

4One generation shall laud your works to another,
   and shall declare your mighty acts.
5On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
   and on your wondrous works, we will meditate.
6The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
   and we will declare your greatness.
7We shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,
   and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

Brief words: How have you encountered God at this conference

OFFERING:  Giving Ourselves for God’s Glory

10All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
   and all your faithful shall bless you.
11They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
   and tell of your power,
12to make known to all people your* mighty deeds,
   and the glorious splendor of your* kingdom.
13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
   and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

Personal Reflection: How will you respond to God as you leave this conference?

Collect:    Almighty God our heavenly Father, you declare your glory
and show forth your handiwork in the heavens and in the
earth: Deliver us in our various occupations from the service
of self alone, that we may do the work you give us to do in
truth and beauty and for the common good; for the sake of
him who came among us as one who serves, your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen.

Be Thou My Vision (Byrne/Hull)
       
BENEDICTION:  Departing in God’s Grace

21Our mouths will speak the praise of the LORD,
  and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.

Comments

[matt]

You set the gold standard for thoughtful, authentically led worship services in my book. I'm thankful i was there to partake in it.

[haley]

thanks for sharing this.