Worship resources and publications

Are you thinking of starting a new worship service?  Or changing your current service?  Or perhaps you’re a new worshiping community that needs help structuring a worship service.  If so, you’ll need to start by having a conversation about what constitutes good worship and by what theological norms you make that judgment. Then you can start planning particular services.

Read “Presbyterian Worship Beyond the Local Congregation ” (2002), a guide for planning worship at presbytery and other church council meetings.

Learn about Invitation to Christ, the 2006 sacrament study of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and the simple practices that are revitalizing sacramental life in our denomination.

Read “These Living Waters”and “This Bread of Life,” reports from Catholic / Reformed dialogues on the Sacraments.

See the sacraments page or materials on our Teaching Worship page.

Read “Respectful Presence,” guidelines for interfaith prayer and celebration, and the accompanying study guide.

 Learn about the “Use of Flags in Church Sanctuaries.”

A solemn assembly is a special gathering of God’s people to confess their sin and need of Christ’s grace in order that they might receive power from on high to be God’s faithful people in ministry to the world.

Teaching worship is a way to pass on the faith as well as help people enter more fully into the transformative presence of God.

In times of disaster, the church is called to support the people of the world with our prayers, asking God to save them, shelter them from danger, and sustain them in the work of recovery.

This is a service of pastoral care for families, couples, or individuals who have lost a home to earthquake, fire, flood, hurricane, tornado, or other disaster. It should be adapted according to specific needs and local circumstances.

Hymns, litanies, prayers and blessing for use in mission events.