For more than twenty years, Lake Harbor has taken a collaborative approach to planning worship. Planning for a whole year just takes this collaborative process to the next level. In September 2017, our Worship Connections Team gathered for a very productive two-day retreat to plan worship for 2018. It has become an annual event.
Each retreat’s success was due largely to the work done prior to the retreat. We sought input using prompts from an article, “Planning One Year of Big Idea Sermons” by Dave Ferguson. Members recalled the conversations they have had with people in and outside the church. What needs to be addressed? What needs are not being talked about, but should be? How can we approach seasonal series, like Lent and Advent, in a fresh way? What ideas can we glean from other churches and adapt them to Lake Harbor?
Covid changed how we “do church.” Sunday morning worship, small groups, mission work, and worship planning look different than they did just eighteen months ago. People who might never have stepped through our doors are worshiping with us online, attending a small group, or joining us for a parking lot activity. In some ways, Covid forced us to do church differently (better) to carry out our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Our goal is to plan worship for one year, starting with Advent 2021 and going through November 2022. A single yet to be determined year-long theme will drive the planning. Please prepare by reading the background information* below and anything else that will help you prepare.
*LHUMC Worship Retreat Preparation 2021 last updated 9/1/21
Lake Harbor UMC Sermon Series last updated 9/1/21
Worship Planning Retreat Agenda Sept 2021 – tentative last updated 9/1/21
‘Luca’ Review A Matter of Scale(s) – WSJ
Grief Can Weigh You Down, but It Doesn’t Have to Pull You Under | Christianity Today
June 27, 2021 Healing – A First Person Imaginative Retelling of Mark 5:24-34
My Six-Month Experiment with Christianity Turned into 12 Months, Then 24 … | Christianity Today
New song for Michigan Conference – The Michigan Conference
So Much More to Say | Preaching Today
Ten Objections to Christianity and How to Respond | Bible Studies
When It Is Okay to Judge | Preaching Today
Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, and What It Isn’t | By Allen Barra – WSJ
The Inn Advent 2021 – working Scriptures and Synopses
Come-Home-for-Christmas-Advent-Year-C-PDF
Here is what we came up with:
2022 Worship (PDF)
2022 Worship (Word document)
And pictures of the retreat:
