Worship Renewal

An Introduction to Worship Renewal

Worship Renewal can be apart of your congregation's efforts to revitalize or redevelop itself in order to move into a future that only God can imagine. Many congregations find themselves working on new outreach efforts, updating their facility and, training in new methods of hospitality. We have done all those things too, but first we realized that at the heart of our ministry was worship.

Worship was the place we all entered the church and became excited about living a life of faith. Honest reflection helped us to understand that our worship, while meaningful, was not stirring us the way it once had. We decided to renew our worship as our first step in revitalizing our congregation. As a result, our entire ministry was renewed.

We hope these resources will assist you and your congregation in a journey through Worship Renewal!

An excerpt from the Worship Renewal Journey Guide, Trying to Get Home

Today, in churches all over this country, and perhaps even around this world, people gather for worship. Not as many as a few decades ago, for with all the competing claims on our time, talent and money, our numbers seemed to grow smaller each year. Nevertheless, worship remains a vital part of our society, and for many, our lives.

But it is also true that, today, as people make their way into communities of worship they know less and less about church, our history, stories, rituals and language, our songs and our hymns. Today, faith gatherings are made up more and more of people that have no allegiance to what we do or why we do it. They are looking for things that have meaning in the here and now.

If we are to be the church for all people, in every time and place, we must have the courage, find the time, and trust the Spirit enough to allow our worship to be made new even in the very midst of being the church.

This Journey Guide and Video is our attempt to share with you the story of our congregation’s journey through worship renewal. We pray that something we experienced or even a word that is shared will inspire or encourage you and your community of faith on its journey. Consider it company for your road trip… a trusted friend to travel with that perhaps has not been to your exact destination, but has traveled the same road on which you have decided to go.

Pastor Denise

Rev. Denise R. Mason, Pastor

Community of Reconciliation Church

Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Here’s to the glory of God that manifests itself through our worship!