New Worship Resources for Wildfires, Hurricanes, and Arabic-Language Liturgies
As our communities continue to experience challenges such as natural disasters, shifting worship needs, and ethical concerns in music selection, new resources from ELCA Worship offer guidance and support for congregations.
Updated Worship Resources for Natural Disasters
ELCA Worship has released new liturgical resources for communities affected by natural disasters. These include:
• Worship Resources in the Face of Wildfires (available in PDF and Word format).
• Updated Worship Resources in Times of Hurricanes (also in PDF and Word format).
These materials provide liturgical guidance for responding to disaster with lament, prayer, and hope.
Arabic-Language Worship Resources Now Available
In a significant step toward inclusivity, new Arabic-language worship resources have been developed, with contributions from the Rev. Charbel Zgheib (ELCA) and the Rev. Hakim Shukair (The Episcopal Church). Read more about this milestone on the ELCA Worship blog.
Navigating Worship & Music Ethics
As discussions continue about how the church responds to allegations of misconduct by composers, ELCA Worship has updated its guidance in “When Trust Is Broken: Navigating Musical Decisions Amid Abuse Allegations.” This important resource offers insights for pastors, musicians, and congregational leaders discerning ethical worship choices.
Music That Makes Community: Training & Events
For those interested in paperless singing and communal worship, Music That Makes Community is hosting several training events, including:
• April 4-5: One-day workshop & community sing in Waco, Texas
• October 10-12: Three-day retreat in Albuquerque, N.M.
Additional events will be held in Kansas City, Detroit, Lexington, Raleigh, and Atlanta—stay tuned for details!
Their weekly Monday Morning Grounding series continues until April 7, offering song, sacred text, and community gathering. Register for the Zoom link here.
New Worship & Devotional Resources for Lent 2025
Looking ahead to Lent, Augsburg Fortress has released Life Renewed: Devotions for Lent 2025, featuring reflections on God’s renewal through scripture. This devotional is available in pocket size, large print, and e-book formats, with free promotional resources such as posters, bulletin inserts, and children’s activities.
Also newly published is Preparing the Assembly’s Worship: A Handbook for Worship Planning by the Rev. Craig Mueller, which provides guidance for congregations of all sizes in planning meaningful and theologically sound worship.
Stay Connected
Find more details, updates, and worship planning resources in this month’s newsletter:
