Tips

Resource Help
Where do you find __________? It is a popular question within the area of Worship Related Ministries. This resource sheet (PDF) will give you a glimpse into many of the sites helpful for worship leadership today. Feel free to print a copy and share it with those on your worship team who might find it useful. For more information about resourcing worship, check out ReConnecting Worship on the Resource page of this website.

Musical Help
Another area of frequently asked questions revolves around issues within the music ministry of the congregation. In response to the volumes of questions received, ReKindling Your Music Ministry was written to answer many of those questions. This book is included in ReConnecting Worship Kit but can also be purchased as a book or e-book from www.cokesbury.com. It is a “short” read but can help to spark many ideas to help with traditional and nontraditional music ministries today.

Worship Tip #1: Food is Fabulous!
Team building is an important part of ministry. It is important to be proactive in the team building process. Don’t wait for conflict and petty issues to creep into the ministry teams with which you serve; provide a framework that promotes other before self. As we follow God’s call, we do so as brothers and sisters in Christ. One of the best ways to strengthen the bonds of family is to share a meal together.

Many people’s first response is that “we don’t have time to stop and eat together.” My response would simply be this: Eating together provides more time to do ministry because your team members work more effectively when they break bread together. Think of creative ways for your team members to incorporate eating together into their ministry area responsibilities. Below you will find a few examples of adding food to your ministry plan:

*Have someone live their gift of hospitality by cooking breakfast for the musicians on Sunday morning.

*Reserve a section of a spacious restaurant in town that will work out three dishes to be offered for a large group (this cuts down on prep time in the restaurant). Invite your entire Usher and Greeter ministry to have dinner together on a weeknight or after worship on the weekend. Celebrate the Hospitality ministry with great hospitality!

*Have your musicians, or video crew, or drama team grab their favorite fast food on the way to rehearsal. Begin the time together by breaking bread and sharing in fellowship together to begin your rehearsal.

Don’t underestimate the power of food and fellowship to strengthen your ministry treams!

Worship Tip #2: Intentionally Sharing the Joy of the Ministry
From week to week people within my congregation share with me the way in which different elements in the worship service contain powerful meaning. From music, to spoken word, to visual elements, to creative movement, I receive a great deal of feedback from the congregation. Obviously this type of information helps those in worship leadership evaluate and plan for the future; however, it also provides a perfect opportunity for strengthening the power of the teams that work together to allow worship to unfold each week.

How is it that you affirm and thank those who serve on your ministry teams? Use weekly feedback as a tool to encourage those in your ministry area. Sometimes we try to focus on a big “thank you” event or some yearly “gift” for those who serve throughout the year; I am not proposing that these are bad ideas. However, sharing little “snipits” with your team throughout the year will help keep your team members reminded of the importance of living their gifts. It may be through a short email, it may be a verbal affirmation when you see one of your team members in the grocery store or at the bank, or it may be a conversation over the phone in which you intentionally share how the person is making a difference in the lives of the worshipping community. Here are some simple examples of sharing what you hear from others with those on your ministry teams:

“Thank you for preparing the bread for communion today; communion is such an important part of worship and in the baking of bread you take part in sharing God’s story with others.”

“The harmony line you sang in the special music this weekend made such a difference in the overall depth of the song. I’ve received so many comments on how meaningful the music was this weekend and each musician’s part made such a huge difference.”

“Children’s time is such an important part of our worship service yet it would be so hard for the congregation to see if it were not projected in the worship service. Our video ministry does so many wonderful things, but it is often those things that seem like “no big deal” that make a difference in the congregation’s worship experience. Thank you for operating a camera for worship each weekend.”

“I noticed you ushering this weekend; you did a wonderful job of not only welcoming people and handing them a bulletin, but helping them to find a seat in the worship space. You play such an important role in allowing people to feel welcome in our church home. Thank you.”

Intentional communication throughout the year greatly affirms those persons living their gifts in worship ministry. Taking the time to notice the little things gives you great opportunity to thank and encourage your team members. After I finished this article I called a member of the Welcome Team for the way in which she helped me to acclimate a new youth member to our Sunday morning routine. The youth had no idea about our new youth facility or what opportunities were available to her on Sunday morning. I saw a Welcome Team member who was not officially “welcoming” that weekend and she took the youth “under her wing” as I dashed off to start the next service. It might have seemed like a small act but it made a huge difference. A quick phone call reaffirmed the importance of a welcoming heart.