Welcoming All, Empowered by Christ, Sent Forth to Serve

Planning One Year of Sermons

Why I Think Now Is the Time to for US to Try It

by Karen Booth

How many times has our worship planning team gone to a workshop and heard that we should be planning worship a year at a time? More times than we can count! As much as our worship planning team understands how important it is to look ahead, it is easy to get wrapped up preparing for Sunday’s worship service, the current series, and then next series. The urgent gets in the way of important.

So why do I think that we are ready to start now? There are three main reasons. The first reason is a pair of articles, below, from Preaching Today that came out in the fall of 2016. The other two reasons are listed in the June edition of our newsletter, The Harbor Light.

Planning One Year of Big Idea Sermons” by Dave Ferguson offers specific process we could follow.

Developing a Big Idea Series and Sermon” by Tammy Melchion shows how that church develops each series and message; we do this with our brainstorming. We have one pastor, so the message development piece doesn’t apply to us.

In July’s newsletter, I offered a little history of the strategies used by pastors in planning worship. We have decided we are ready to begin:

Worship Planning Retreat

Founder’s Home, Maranatha Bible and Conference Center, 4759 Lake Harbor Road, Muskegon Mi 49441
Friday, October 6 at noon – Saturday, October 7 at 2:00 pm

The event is open to anyone from the congregation who is willing to read the background information (above and below) and commit to actively participate in every aspect of the two day retreat. Our goal is to plan one year of sermon series: Advent 2017- November 2018. Click on the links below for more details.

Worship Planning Retreat Agenda (last updated 9/14/17)

Planning Retreat – Meeting Preparation – Needs & Series Ideas (last updated 9/27/17)

Planning Retreat – Meeting Preparation – Addendum (last updated 10/6/17)

Faith in Film 2018 – Movie Possibilities (last updated 10/6/17)

Lake Harbor UMC Sermon Series – Epiphany 2012 through Present (last updated 8/25/17)

Blank Planning Sheet (last updated 9/14/17)

Registration: $30 commitment fee payable to LHUMC. This will help offset the cost of the meeting site for 16 people; supplies; four meals; snacks; and overnight accommodations. Staying overnight is optional and will be offered on a first come, first serve basis; the Founder’s Home sleeps 6-12 people comfortably.

Registration deadline:  Registration closed on September 15.

Contact: Karen Booth or Pastor Mary Ivanov at church (798-2181) for more information.