Workshops for the Anglican Worship conference

“Duties of religion performed by whole societies of men, ought to have in them accordinge to our power a sensible excellencie, correspondent to the majestie of him whome we worship.” —Richard Hooker in Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity (1597)

We're one week away from our conference, "Anglican Worship: A Conversation on Liturgy, Formation, Mission and Art." I'm excited to meet everyone who is coming. I've talked with our speakers and I think some very important work will be done at this event.

This will be the next-to-last entry I post on the conference. I'll write one more after the conference. In the meantime I've listed the workshops that we'll be offering and I'm only sorry that I can't be at them all.

Here are the key questions that will drive the discussion.

Here are commending words from pastors and theologians. Here are commending words from artists and worship leaders. What occasions this conference is here.

To register, go here. $99 for regular registration. $49 for artists, worship leaders, church planters and students. There is still time to register, so sign yourself up and come hang out with a sharp group of folks in an autumnal setting in North Carolina.

Here is biographical information on the workshop leaders.

THE WORKSHOPS
Ars est celare artem – “To conceal the art is the art.” | Martha Giltinan - Liturgical leadership is rarely thought of as a performance art, but there is an art and craft to both leading liturgy and preparing for this task. This workshop will explore liturgical leadership and the craft of serious preparation from Augustine to Arcade Fire.

Context, the Calendar and Creative Collaboration: the “How” of Incorporating the Visual Arts into Congregational Worship Life | Shannon Sigler - This workshop will look at the practical side of engaging the visual arts in your worship setting. We will discuss the importance of knowing your local congregational context, entering the Story of God through the Church Calendar; and finally, we will explore options, images and resources for incorporating the visual arts into different aspects of your congregation’s worship life.

Co-creative Community | Thomas McKenzie - Imagine a community formed around Christ in which creative people find their voice, exercise their gifts, and love the world through the talents God has given them. Imagine accountants, mechanics, and home-schoolers responding to the co-creative Spirit within. Imagine a church that values artists as people and art as something other than propaganda. This workshop offers practical suggestions based on real-life experience for making these imaginations a reality.

Culture, Vocation, and Mission | Chris Cairns - What does it mean for Christians to be “salt” and “light?” How can we cast a vision for vocation as mission? This workshop will explore ways that a local congregation can help parishioners undergo vocational assessment for mission while casting a parish-wide vision for engagement in culture-making.

How Liturgy Forms Disciples in the Local Church | Steve Breedlove - Is liturgical more than simply our style of worship? This workshop will explore how liturgical worship is at the heart of an Anglican church – particularly how it serves as the core of catechesis and the forming of disciples. We’ll look at how a congregation is anchored and oriented around liturgy.

Making Any Space Sacred | Jed Roseberry and Amy Waggoner - It’s not often that the space available to your church plant feels like sacred space. There are practical ways to make any room a welcoming environment that allows your congregation to engage in worship and to adapt your worship in liturgically faithful ways that can simplify Sunday mornings for any church plant. Some topics we will discuss are room layout, crowd flow, lighting, projection, sound, focal points, the use of color and space, and the challenges of using unconventional worship spaces.

The Spirit of God in the Creative Arts | David Clifton - A vision for Christian artists to once again return to the centre of cultural influence in society. “Art is not limited if we allow the Holy Spirit to enter.” John Tavener “Art is a lie that tells the truth.” Pablo Picasso This workshop will explore the calling of Christian Artists and look at how God is at work in the creative arts.

The Scourge of Screens: Technology and Anglican Worship | David Roseberry and Daniel Adkinson - For many Christians in North America, screens – flickering pixels – have become the focal point of the worship service. Whether it is depicting liturgical elements, song lyrics, video, or even a distant preacher, screens have become a way of life for many Christians. This workshop will look at the role technology should (or should not) play in an Anglican Worship service.

Seeing God and Singing the Sanctus with Isaiah | Jo Bailey Wells - Isaiah 6:1-7 contains a stunning vision of the Holy Lord upon his throne. The Prophet sees the Lord and hears the mighty cry: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory! This workshop will explore the implications of this key passage for our liturgical imagination and understanding of Anglican Worship.