Worship Matters
Worship Matters is a podcast from the worship team of Discipleship Ministries. Hosted by Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Dr. Derek Weber, it addresses the intricacies of planning worship each week. The show explores how to use the common lectionary to create engaging, relevant, and adaptable worship experiences and series for any church setting.
Episodes
Worship Matters: Episode 117 – Resources for October and All Saints
In this episode, the Worship Team introduces the October Worship Series, Choosing Faith. Faith is a multilayered reality that is part gift and part effort. The October series invites us to consider how we as individuals and a community understand and live out faith in our daily lives. The team also makes note that October has other events for our attention, including World Communion, Children’s Sa
Worship Matters: Episode 116 – Hey Preacher and Bridging Visions 2
In this episode, Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, has a conversation with the Rev. Dr. Reginald Lee, Senior Pastor of Hartsville Cooperative Parish in the South Carolina Annual Conference, and consultant to Hey Preacher. The main topic of conversation is the upcoming Bridging Visions 2, an event designed to help preachers bridge the prophetic and the pastoral in their preaching.
Worship Matters: Episode 115 – Resources for The Season after Pentecost
I Will Call Upon the Lord is a worship series for the month of September. Based on the lectionary Psalm texts, this series invites us to reflect on what it means to be known by God, to be a people of hope, to reflect the glory of God and to be safe in the shelter of the Lord. Listen in as Dr. Diana Snachez Bushong, Director of Music Ministries, and Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries
Worship Matters: Episode 114 – Servanthood of Song, a Conversation with Stan McDaniel
Dr. Stan McDaniel is a church musician, professor of music, and writer of sacred music for choirs, handbells and instrumental ensembles. His latest book is titled “Servanthood of Song: Music, Ministry and the Church in the United States.” Dr. Diana Sanchez Bushong leads this wide-ranging conversation on American history, liturgical history, various genres of sacred music, and more. McDaniel writes
Worship Matters: Episode 113 – Resources for The Season after Pentecost
Dear Children of God is a three-part worship series designed to carry us through the summer months with a sense of playfulness and encouragement. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t serious and weighty issues in this series. Based on the Epistle texts from the lectionary, Dear Children of God asks us how we might communicate the essentials of the faith with modern technology. Whether texting, email
Worship Matters: Episode 112 – Resources for Pentecost & Trinity Sunday
The third of the high holy celebrations of the liturgical year, Pentecost is sometimes called the birthday of the church. It is certainly a day of empowerment and celebration, as the Worship Team at Discipleship Ministries presents in the two-part series “All Access.” If Easter “rends the veil” and opens God’s heart to the world, then Pentecost is where we are equipped and transformed to be able t
Worship Matters: Episode 111 – Worship Resources for Eastertide
In this episode, Lisa Hancock interviews members of the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement who were part of a team that wrote worship resources for our Eastertide series “Believing Into Christ.” They discuss the intersectional perspectives on creation justice that weave throughout the resources and the various ways congregations can engage these materials throughout Eastertide and beyond.
Worship Matters: Episode 110 – Resources for Lent through Easter Sunday
Lent and Holy Week and Easter are often times of intense activity and special worship experiences in the local church. The Worship Team from Discipleship Ministries presents an innovative worship series that takes the worshiper from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. Titled Steadfast Love: A Lenten Playlist, this series takes music from a variety of genres to help deepen our experience of the profoun
Worship Matters: Episode 109 – Resources for Advent, Epiphany & Ordinary Time
This high and holy season is a favorite in many communities. Join the Worship Team from Discipleship Ministries as they discuss resources for Advent with an experiential emphasis as again we are invited to “Come, Let Us Adore Him” this season. And then hear how we launch a new calendar year with reflections on what it means to be community with “Re-Membering the Body” for Epiphany and Baptism of t
Worship Matters: Episode 108 – History of Hymns, a Conversation with Editor Michael Hawn
One of the most popular features on the Discipleship Ministries website is the ongoing series History of Hymns. These insightful articles give worship planners and music lovers a deeper look into our favorite hymns for worship. The editor and most frequent writer of the History of Hymns is Dr. C. Michael Hawn, DMA, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Church Music, Perkins School of Theology, South
Worship Matters Episode 107 – CCLI Top 100 + Beyond 2024
Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Executive Director of Worship Ministries and Director of Music Ministries, discusses the project to vet contemporary music for its theological soundness and appropriateness for worship in United Methodist congregations. Joining her are two members of the 2024 team – Dr. Nelson Cowan, Project Manager; and Felicia Patton – both United Methodist musicians and worship leader
Worship Matters: Episode 106 – Wesleyan Rooted Series
Joining Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries for this episode is the Rev. Sara McKinley, formerly Director of the Office of Clergy Excellence at the Florida Conference Center in Lakeland and now Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Naples Florida. Sara was born in England, raised in Africa, worked in the Far East, traveled extensively throughout the world, and chose to li
Worship Matters: Episode 105 – Service of Lament, Confession, and Hope with GCOSROW
In this episode, Diana Sanchez-Bushong and Lisa Hancock interview Becky Posey Williams, Senior Director of Sexual Ethics and Advocacy for the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women (GCOSROW), and Rev. Stephanie Arnold, senior pastor at First United Methodist Church, Birmingham, Alabama, about their work planning and hosting a Service of Lament, Confession, and Hope for survivors of sex
Worship Matters: Episode 104 – Resources for Ordinary Time 2024
Ordinary Time is anything but! At least that is the choice before us. In this episode, the Worship Team introduces the first two worship series after Pentecost for this long summer season we call Ordinary Time. Ascribe to God begins on Trinity Sunday and reminds us of some of the attributes of the God we worship. That is then followed by Open Your Heart, a short series based on 2 Corinthians and i
Worship Matters: Episode 102 – Resources for Easter Season and Pentecost Sunday
Sustaining the glow after Easter Sunday has passed is always a struggle for the local congregation. The Worship Team shares the resources prepared for more of Eastertide and looks forward to another celebration of Pentecost. Last episode we presented the resources for the first three weeks after Easter in a collaboration with members of the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement (See Worship M
Worship Matters: Episode 101 – Eastertide and the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement
Eastertide makes an early appearance this year, giving us the opportunity to spend the first half of this season of Resurrection preparing for Earth Day, which also happens to be the Fourth Sunday of Easter. In this episode, Lisa Hancock interviews members of the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement who were part of a team who wrote many of the worship resources for our Eastertide series, “H
Worship Matters: Episode 100 – A Look Back
The worship team takes a moment to reflect on the Worship Matters podcast – how it started, what we were trying to accomplish, and what we have learned along the way. We share our favorite episodes and guests, special events, and how Covid and the ongoing disaffiliation impact all redirected some of our content along the way. Listen as the team shares some of the outgrowths of the podcast, leading
Worship Matters: Episode 99 – Resources for Lent
The season of Lent begins on Valentine’s Day in 2024. It seems a strange juxtaposition and yet a perfect opportunity to spend time reflecting on Depths of Love, which is our Lenten theme. Far from a hearts and flowers expression, the love presented in the Gospels gives us insight into the God we worship and the calling we have to live out this love by the commandment to love one another. Join the
Worship Matters: Episode 98 – Preview of Coming Attractions
Here on the brink of another calendar year, the Worship Team shares some details – and some excitement – about the things that are coming for 2024. We start with the familiar and the Lenten worship resources already available, but then go on into worship webinars, teaching materials on sacraments and membership, workshops for annual conferences, the new iteration of School of Congregational Develo
Worship Matters: Episode 97 – Resources for Epiphany and Ordinary Time
The Worship Team continues the journey through Year B with a discussion about Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord. There are some significant events coming up in this season, so listen in to how worship can help your church in “Becoming the People of God.” Ordinary Time is anything but ordinary, as you know, so let this season in January be a time of revitalization and hope for your local context. Th
Worship Matters: Episode 96 – Resources for Advent & Christmas
What could be more fun than planning for Advent and Christmas? Join the Worship Team as we present the resources prepared for the upcoming Advent season: Our Spirit Waits. The season of Advent reminds us both that we are waiting for the promise to be fulfilled and that this waiting is an active, passionate longing for what God has in store for us all. Listen in as we discuss resources and possibil
Worship Matters: Episode 95 – Resources for November and Christ the King
We continue from our previous episode to discuss the resources for the month of November posted on our website. The Worship Team shares the thinking behind the decision to depart from the lectionary and present a three-week series on the theme of Gratitude: “Our Hymn of Grateful Praise.” Listen in as we unpack some familiar biblical texts and liturgy and music as well as some creative ideas on how
Worship Matters: Episode 94 – Resources for Fall 2023
In this episode, the worship team share the resources that are available for the end of August through All Saints Sunday on November 5. Listen in as we share the ideas behind the lectionary worship series, the significance of the graphics chosen for each week and series, and the liturgical and musical highlights of each series and the season overall. You can get a little insight into how these res
Worship Matters: Episode 93 – Soul Work
A Conversation with the Rev. Linda Furtado, Director of Spirituality and the Arts, Scarritt Bennett Center.
What happens in the intersection between spirituality and the arts? How does worship become a crucible for this intersection and foster an awareness of the spiritual? These questions and more form the basis of the conversation between the Worship Team and Rev. Linda Furtado. In addition to
Worship Matters: Episode 92 – Preaching to the Left Behind
What can the preacher do to help their congregation navigate this time of disaffiliation as we look forward to General Conference of 2024? How can we lead from the pulpit? What images can help us find a way through? What do we cling to for hope in these complicated days of our denomination? Dr. Alyce McKenzie and Dr. O. Wesley Allen join the worship team to help us consider these and other importa
Worship Matters: Episode 91 – Church Music as Performance
Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Diana Sanchez Bushong, and Director of Worship Arts, Dr. Lisa Hancock, invite Dr. Marcell Silva Steuernagel, Assistant Professor of Church Music and Director of the Master of Sacred Music and Doctor of Pastoral Music program at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University, to discuss performance and worship music. Dr. Steurenagel served as Minister
Worship Matters: Episode 90 – Instrumental Music and Proclamation in Worship
Does music proclaim even without words? That’s the question that the worship team raised in conversation with the Rev. Joe Stobaugh, Senior Pastor of University Park United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas. Rev. Stobaugh previously served as Pastor of Modern Worship at Grace Avenue UMC in Frisco, Texas, and as Executive Minister of Worship and Arts. He is also an ordained deacon in the North Texa
Worship Matters: Episode 89 – Believing Into Christ: A Conversation with Natalya Cherry
Rev. Dr. Natalya A. Cherry, assistant professor in Methodist studies and theology at Brite Divinity School and elder in the Susquehanna Annual Conference, talks with Dr. Lisa Hancock, director of worship arts for Discipleship Ministries, about her recent book "Believing Into Christ: Relational Faith and Human Flourishing." Join us for this thoughtful conversation about how one footnote led Cherry
Worship Matters: Episode 88 – On the Rise: A Conversation with Connye Florance and Kevin Madill
Connye and Kevin are local musicians who have produced a “Jazz Vespers Experience” that they call “On the Rise” and have begun to take it to churches and community groups as a way of beginning conversations about crossing the divides that separate us. Connye is a North Carolina native and an award-winning vocalist, actor, published songwriter and teaching artist. She has toured on and off Broadway
Worship Matters: Episode 87 - Music & Liturgical Arts Week
Worship Team Executive Director Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong speaks with Camisha Chambers, the executive director of The Fellowship of Worship Artists (formerly The Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts); Trenton Teegarden, the chair of the convocation committee for the national event in Dallas; and Michael Doughtery, the chair of Music and Liturgical Arts week held annually in Ju
Worship Matters: Episode 86 – Stand Up Preaching: A Conversation with Dr. Jacob D. Myers
Dr. Jake Myers, the Wade P. Huie, Jr. Associate Professor of Homiletics at Columbia Theological Seminary, talks with Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries for Discipleship Ministries, about his most recent book, Stand-Up Preaching: Homiletical Insights from Contemporary Comedians. Jake is also the author of Making Love with Scripture: Why the Bible Doesn’t Mean How You Think It Means;
Worship Matters: Episode 85 – Out of the Ashes
Join the Discipleship Ministries Worship Team for a conversation about the upcoming service of lament and subsequent webinars helping the church navigate the emotions and experiences of this time of disaffiliation within The United Methodist Church. The Out of the Ashes service is shaped around Psalm 77 and the expression of lament and then the grounding of hope. This service will be broadcast on
Worship Matters: Episode 84 – Metamorphosis Moment
Dr. Marcia McFee is the creator and visionary of Worship Design Studio, author of The Worship Workshop, Spiritual Adventures in the Snow: Skiing and Snowboarding as Renewal for Your Soul, and Think Like a Filmmaker: Sensory-Rich Worship for Unforgettable Messages. Connecting worship professionals and volunteers to their passion and depth of spiritual leadership is Dr. McFee’s aim in teaching and c
Worship Matters: Episode 83 – Planning for Holy Week, Easter Season & Pentecost
Join the Discipleship Ministries Worship Team as we walk through three upcoming lectionary worship series for the upcoming high holy season. We begin with “In Awe of Grace,” a worship series that begins on Palm Sunday, then includes Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter. We share the thought behind grouping the special days in this way and some suggestions on how you might use th
Worship Matters: Episode 82 - Worshiping in Season: Ecology and Christ through the Liturgical Year
Dr. Joseph Bush is professor emeritus at Wesley Theological Seminary and is now serving as a United Methodist minister in Evergreen. He has taught congregational ministry in theological programs around the world, including Fiji and New Zealand, as well as New Jersey and Minnesota. The worship team explores with Dr. Bush how themes of creation are already present in both our scriptures and the litu
Worship Matters: Episode 81 – Lent 2023
Our lectionary worship series for Lent 2023 is titled “Learning to Live Inside Out.” In this episode of Worship Matters, the worship team discusses what is behind the thrust of this series and how local churches can shape these resources to fit their context in a dynamic way. Lent has always been considered an important time in the worship and discipleship life of a community of faith, but it can
Worship Matters: Episode 80 – The Compelling Preaching Initiative
The Worship Team discusses the new project that came from a Lilly Grant to explore and enhance preaching in the local church. Dr. Derek Weber, in addition to the Director of Preaching Ministries for Discipleship Ministries, is the project director the Compelling Preaching Initiative. In this episode, he shares with the team the intent to create resources and foster relationships to encourage and h
Worship Matters: Episode 79 – Rethinking Worship: Symbol-making and Communal Expression
A Conversation with Rev. Dr. Marcelo Gomes
Dr. Marcelo Gomes is an Ordained Elder in the New England Conference of The United Methodist Church and is Director of Training and Church Planting Systems for Path 1 with Discipleship Ministries. A native of Brazil, he served the Methodist Church of Brazil for 12 years. He was also a university professor and president of one of the public colleges in Ri
Worship Matters: Episode 78 – Year in Review, and Looking Ahead to 2023
The worship team of Discipleship Ministries looks back on 2022 and looks ahead to 2023 in this wide-ranging conversation about resources and possibilities and directions. Join us to meet new members of the team and some new initiatives and priorities that we will be working on for the new year. It continues to be a joy to serve The United Methodist Church and beyond as we seek to provide inspirati
Worship Matters: Episode 77 - Worship at the Intersection of Faith & Public Health
Katie Schoenhoff is director of programs for the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund in Hutchinson, Kansas. Among other things, she is responsible for the early childhood development portfolio, which includes social emotional health, breastfeeding support efforts, and the Community Health Worker project for the organization. She also leads the Healthy Congregations Initiative, a Health Fund prog
Worship Matters: Episode 76 – When There’s Trust in the Room
Rev. John Thornburg is director of research at the Texas Methodist Foundation, where his recent work in encouraging congregations centers in five practices: grieving well, discerning purpose, walking alongside neighbor, de-centering power, and expanding imagination. He's retiring next week after ten years at TMF, and 43 years in ministry settings both in the United States and West Africa. Whether
Worship Matters: Episode 75 - Worship in a Coffee Shop
On this episode of Worship Matters, Lisa Hancock, Director of Worship Arts, talks with Rev. Katie Newsome, Lead Pastor and Executive Director of Union Coffee, a missional congregation, non-profit, and business all wrapped up into one generous coffee shop in Dallas, Texas. Listen as they talk about how Union Coffee’s worshiping community Kuneo got started, how Kuneo looks similar to and different f
Worship Matters: Episode 74 – Planning Worship: 'Modern' and 'Traditional'
Kevin McBeth, Director of Music at Manchester United Methodist Church in suburban St. Louis joins the worship team for this episode as we discuss worship planning for multiple types of worship expression. We discuss the terms “modern” and “traditional” as applied to various services of worship, as well as where liturgy and music can help connect across multiple worship times. We reflect on churche
Worship Matters: Episode 73 - Worship Resources for Advent & Christmas
In this episode of Worship Matters, the worship team discusses the worship series created for Year A and posted on our website: “An Advent Song of Ascents” for the four weeks of Advent, and “God of the Dark and the Light” for Christmas and special services of the season. Both series cover a range of human experiences and invite us into the unique celebration of the incarnation. Listen in as the te
Worship Matters: Episode 72 - A Conversation with Dr. Scott Hughes
On this episode of the Worship Matters podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Scott Hughes, the new Associate General Secretary (World Service) at Discipleship Ministries. Scott is a United Methodist elder in the North Georgia Conference, but has served (and continues to serve while seeking a replacement) as Director of Adult Discipleship with Discipleship Ministries. Scott has co-hosted the Small Groups in
Worship Matters: Episode 71 - Psalms as a Model for Dialogue
A Conversation with Dr. William P. Brown
Bill Brown is the William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. His writings explore the intersecting issues of ecology, justice, faith, and science from various biblical perspectives. He is the author of numerous essays and several books, including Wisdom’s Wonder, The Seven Pillars of Creati
Worship Matters: Episode 70 - Introducing Dr. Lisa Hancock
Dr. Lisa Hancock is the newly hired Director of Worship Arts at Discipleship Ministries. Lisa is a lifelong United Methodist whose passion for worship and the arts began when she joined children’s choir at 3 years old, eventually leading to undergraduate and graduate degrees in sacred music. While completing her Master of Sacred Music at Perkins School of Theology, Lisa discerned a call to develop
Worship Matters: Episode 69 – Coaching for Preaching and Ministry
A Conversation with Rev. Sara Nelson, Senior Pastor of First United Methodist Church, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Have you ever considered a ministry coach? Perhaps you’ve received an email or read a social media post inviting you to consider working with a coach for your preaching or leadership or even a life coach of some sort. Many annual conferences in our United Methodist Church are training
Worship Matters: Episode 68 - Preaching at the Crossroads with Dr. David Lose
On this episode of Worship Matters, we’re joined by Dr. David Lose, Senior Pastor of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. Lose is the former President of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and previously held the Marbury E Anderson Chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary, where he also served as director of the Center for Biblical Preaching. His 2013 book, “Preaching
Worship Matters: Episode 67 - Fiesta Jubilosa, Bilingual Worship Resource
In this episode of Worship Matters, Diana Sanchez Bushong, Executive Director of Worship Ministries, talks with Dr. Raquel Martinez, retired church musician in the Rio Grande (now Rio Texas) Conference for over 40 years, and editor of Spanish Language Hymnal “Mille Voces” in 1996; and Bishop Joel Martinez, retired from the episcopacy in 2008. He co-authored "Fiesta Cristiana" in 2003 with his wife
Worship Matters: Episode 66 - Preaching & Trauma with the Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner
Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching for the Worship Team, meets with Dr. Kimberly Wagner of Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago to talk about her work in trauma and preaching. Kim helps us understand what trauma is and what it does to individuals and communities, and gives suggestions to preachers on how to preach both trauma-responsive and trauma-informed sermons.
“Trauma often takes away
Worship Matters: Episode 65 - The Rev. Jeff Campbell
The worship team sits down with newly named General Secretary Jeff Campbell to discuss his path through the agency and ministry in The United Methodist Church, as well as his hopes and dreams for the future of disciple-making in the UMC. Even in the midst of so much change and turmoil in our denomination and the world around us, Campbell manages to keep a hopeful approach to doing ministry and sha
Worship Matters: Episode 64 - Rev. Dr. Cynthia Wilson
Former executive director of Worship Resources, Dr. Cynthia Wilson, rejoins the Worship Team to talk about her new venture as the founder and director of the Junius B. Dotson Institute. Listen in as Cynthia shares vision and plans of the Institute and how it figures to be both innovative and historical, archiving a rich tradition for the whole church and at the same time grounding and training new
Episode 63 - Hybrid Worship & Digital Theology with the Rev. Dr. Andrew Scanlan-Holmes
The shape of worship as the pandemic ends continues to change. Many congregations, preachers, and worship leaders are talking about moving forward with what they are calling “hybrid worship,” a blending of online and in-person worship. But is it really hybrid? And what does the future of “hybrid worship” hold for the church? Dr. Scanlan-Holmes, with a background in media and technology as well as
Worship Matters: Episode 62 – Wesleyan Theology and Hymns with ST Kimbrough
The Worship Team spoke with Rev. Dr. ST Kimbrough about his new book with Dean McIntyre titled: A Theology of the Sacraments Interpreted by John and Charles Wesley: Including Hymns for Baptism and Holy Communion with Commentary and New Musical Settings. Focused on the Wesleyan Theology of the sacraments, this book introduces Wesley hymns on baptism and communion. Dr. Kimbrough suggests that in an
Worship Matters: Episode 61 – Planning Lent with Nelson Cowan
The Worship Team spoke with the Rev. Dr. Nelson Cowan about his article in Ministry Matters, “Lent: The Original Quarantine” https://www.ministrymatters.com/all/entry/11173/lent-the-original-quarantine, and planning for worship during the waxing and waning of the pandemic. Dr. Cowan shares historical reflections of the meaning of the Lenten season and contemporary applications for worship today. Y
Worship Matters: Episode 60 – Meeting the Deans of The Upper Room
New Dean of The Upper Room Chapel, Dr. Amy Steele, and Dean Emeritus, Rev. Beth Richardson join the Worship Team for a lively conversation about worship in The Upper Room and beyond. Like most local churches, The Upper Room Chapel had to navigate the pandemic and the shift to virtual worship and now is looking to become a hybrid worship community. Come and meet Dr. Steele and Rev. Richardson in co
Worship Matters: Episode 59 – Digital Media: What We Have Learned
The Worship Team is joined by Rob Hutchinson and Mike Symonds of Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church, and Steven Adair from United Methodist Communications to talk about the perils and pitfalls, but mostly about the joy and possibilities of digital media for worship today. We hear about the cohort of churches in North Carolina learning together about “Both/And” worship
Worship Matters: Episode 58 – Resources for Worship Planning
In this episode of the Worship Matters podcast, the Worship Team shares favorite resources they find helpful in worship planning. From books to websites and videos, Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Dr. Derek Weber offer suggestions on how to deepen both understandings and practice of designing and presenting worship in your local church. Especially important today are resources t
Worship Matters: Episode 57 - Year in Review
In this wide-ranging conversation, the Worship Team – Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Dr. Derek Weber – remember together their personal highlights of Worship Matters podcasts in 2021. We remember special guests and topics that challenged and stretched us and themes such as multiculturalism and hybrid worship that recur again and again. Then we end with a peek into the future an
Worship Matters: Episode 56 – Worship and Youth
Chris Wilterdink, Director of Young People’s Ministries of Discipleship Ministries, joins the Worship Team for a wide-ranging conversation about youth and worship. Chris advocates for intergenerational worship that draws from the giftedness of all and finds worship leaders from young people to work alongside other generations in enlivening the worship experience. We also discuss the National Youth
Worship Matters: Episode 55 – Facing Grief and Loss, Part Three: Waking into Life
The Worship Team concludes this miniseries on grief and loss with an amazing conversation with the Rev. Dr. Heather Murray Elkins. Dr. Elkins shares her wisdom gained from indigenous cultures and ancient texts that help us find ways of breaking through the walls of grief and the numbness that is often an instinctual reaction to loss, by waking others into life. In part this is paying attention to
Worship Matters: Episode 54 - Facing Grief and Loss, Part Two: A Personal Journey
In this episode, the worship team is joined by the Rev. Stephen Handy, Senior Pastor at McKendree UMC in Nashville. Rev. Handy shares from his own personal experience of grief as he was leading a congregation through loss during the pandemic. He also shares about the unique opportunities of communal sharing in a multicultural setting for healing and for wholeness. Join us for this lively and perso
Worship Matters: Episode 53 - Facing Grief and Loss: Worship as Pastoral Care
All Saints Day is coming soon, and we are still faced with overwhelming loss from the pandemic, both in terms of lives lost and economic devastation. How can worship respond to this ache in the hearts of so many of our congregations and community? Listen in as the worship team discusses worship as pastoral care, covering themes such as lament and joy; and naming and altar building in special servi
Worship Matters: Episode 52 - What is Worship For?
That might seem like an odd question; worship just is! But the worship team suggests in our new resource “Forming Disciples Through Worship” (available https://store.umcdiscipleship.org/shop-all/) that worship has the intent of forming disciples. Listen in as Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Dr. Derek Weber present this resource and discuss how worship teams and leaders might use
Worship Matters: Episode 51 – Advent & More, Resources for Worship Planning
This episode, the worship team presents the upcoming worship series posted on UMCDiscipleship.org. Bring your calendar and note pads as Dr. Cynthia Wilson, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Dr. Derek Weber talk worship planning, lectionary series, music, and liturgy for the rest of Year B and the beginning of Year C. They also cast a vision for worship beyond the confines of culture and traditional p
Worship Matter: Episode 50 – General Conference Worship
A Conversation with Raymond Trapp
Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, welcomes Raymond Trapp, Director of Music/Organist for Vanderveer Park UMC in Brooklyn, New York, and Music and Worship Director of the UMC General Conference 2022. As well as navigating all the shifts and changes of the pandemic, Trapp has been shepherding the preparations for General Conference and bringi
Worship Matters: Episode 49 – Decentering Power in the Chancel
A Conversation with the Rev. John Thornburg
Director of Learning at the Texas Methodist Foundation and a frequent guest on Worship Matters, John Thornburg shares with Dr. Derek Weber, Director of Preaching Ministries, what it means to decenter power in worship. How can the preacher and worship leader make sure that other voices are heard, and other wisdom is shared during an act of worship which
Worship Matters: Episode 48 - Overcoming Racism through Developing Leaders
Worship Team Executive Director, Dr. Cynthia Wilson invites Pastor and Musician the Rev. Marilyn Thornton to share about her wide-ranging ministry in the local church, as editor of African American Resources through the United Methodist Publishing House, and as Director/Campus Ministry at the Wesley Foundation at Fisk University. It is there that Rev. Thornton developed, with the Wesley Foundation
Worship Matters: Episode 47 – The Post-General Conference UMC
Bishop Cynthia Fierro-Harvey, Resident Bishop of the Louisiana Area and the President Designate of the Council of Bishops, joins Worship Team members Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong and Dr. Derek Weber to consider the future of The United Methodist Church. While Bishop Harvey claims no ability to read the future, we can share hopes and glimpses of the kin-dom even in this difficult time. While change is
Worship Matters: Episode 46 - Rebuilding Church Choirs after the Pandemic
The impact of the year-plus-long pandemic on singing in the church and on choirs in particular is difficult to overstate. Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, Director of Music Ministries, gathered a panel of church musicians for a conversation on where we go from here with the church choir. Kevin McBeth, Director of Music and Worship Arts, Manchester UMC, St. Louis, Missouri; Rev. Amy Martin, Minister of M
Worship Matters: Episode 45 - Diversity and Anti-Racism in the UMC
This week, Executive Director of Worship Ministries, the Rev. Dr. Cynthia Wilson has a conversation with former student and newly Ordained Elder Rev. Brittney D. Stephan about her work for diversity in the Michigan Conference of the UMC. Rev. Stephan is a member of the Indiana Conference, but works as Associate Director for Multicultural Vibrancy in the Michigan Conference. Join us as she explains
Worship Matters: Episode 44 - Where We Are Today
In this episode of the Worship Matters podcast, the worship team discusses things to consider in the time of transition out of the COVID-19 pandemic. What questions ought we ask as we make our plans, or continue our task of shifting into in-person worship? The team raises both logistical and pastoral issues for consideration as churches continue to take the next steps. The emphasis is to be intent
Worship Matters: Episode 43 - Songs of Faith and Freedom for the Liturgy
Dr. Kim Harris joins Drs. Cynthia Wilson and Diana Sanchez-Bushong of the Worship Team to discuss the tradition and use of African American Spirituals in worship today. Dr. Harris is Assistant Professor of African American Thought and Practice in the Department of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University. She is a liturgist, composer, and expert in spirituals and freedom songs. To help c
Worship Matters: Episode 42 - Listening to and Resourcing the Latinx Worshiping Community
The Rev. Lydia Munoz joins the Worship Team for a conversation about her work with the Latinx UMC community in the U.S. and beyond. Rev. Munoz, Pastor of Swarthmore UMC in Pennsylvania, has teamed up with Alma Perez, who serves as the Director of Hispanic/Latino Resourcing with Discipleship Ministries, to envision a multilingual worship resource for Spanish and bilingual congregations within the U
Worship Matters: Episode 41 - In-Person Worship, Part 4: Who Shall We Become?
John Thornburg returns to the podcast as the Worship Team discusses his article “When We Return” after a year of two pandemics. Rev. Thornburg, of the Texas Methodist Foundation, says that now is the time to ask big questions about the nature of the church and how we go about Seeing All the People. In light of the pandemic of systemic racism, Rev. Thornburg invited the church to move from an under
Worship Matters: Episode 40 - In-Person Worship, Part 3: What Have We Learned?
In this episode, Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong, and Director of Preaching Ministries, Dr. Derek Weber, regather with part of the panel from early last summer to talk about what is new and what priorities have changed a year into the pandemic response. Listen in as we learn from Rev. Joe Stobaugh, Senior Minister at University Park UMC, Dallas, Texas; Keum Hwang, Music Min
Worship Matters - Episode 39: In-Person Worship, Part 2 - When Can We Sing Again?
Continuing our miniseries discussing the opportunities and challenges of returning to in-person worship, Director of Music Ministries, Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong gathers a panel of worship music leaders from around the denomination to discuss issues related to singing during the pandemic. Even as the vaccine continues to help us bring an end to this difficult time, there are concerns with how best
Worship Matters: Episode 38 - In-Person Worship, Part 1
The worship team begins a miniseries discussing the opportunities and challenges of returning to in-person worship. In this first episode, Director of Preaching Ministries, Dr. Derek Weber, has a conversation with the Rev. Nancy Nichols, Senior Pastor of First UMC Michigan City, Indiana, and the Rev. Stephen Handy of McKendree UMC in Nashville, Tennessee, about navigating the pandemic and online w
Worship Matters: Episode 37 - Walking in the Wilderness with Beth Richardson
Dr. Diana Sanchez-Bushong and Dr. Derek Weber talk with the Rev. Beth Richardson about her new book and Upper Room eCourse for the season of Lent: Walking in the Wilderness. Join us for this conversation about the struggles of daily living and the desire to find hope and beauty in a difficult time.
You can sign up for the course here: https://urelearning.upperroom.org/p/walking-in-the-wilderness/
Recommended
Conspiracy Files with Paige Carter
Bad Friends
Learn 50 English Phrases While You Sleep | Everyday English Phrases & Vocabulary
This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
Dateline NBC
Back to the 80s Radio
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
Bible Tea
این نقطه
TED Business
Dark Night Tales with Brian King
Fantasy Flex
