Music Directors
A Litany of Lament Reader 1: read Psalm 6:1-5
(NRSV) Reader 2: read Psalm 6:1-5
(T e Message or CEB) Reader 3: We are so weary,
God. T e problems come at us from every direction. Save us, God! We can’t take this any longer! SILENCE [at least 30 seconds] Reader 4: God, we need
you. Shine the light of your love and compassion into the darkness of our world. [A single large candle is lit on the wor- ship table or another central place in the worship space. A liturgical dancer or other wor- ship leader can do this while Reader 4 speaks.] Reader 1: read Psalm 6:6-9
(NRSV) Reader 2: read Psalm 6:6-9
(T e Message or CEB) Reader 3: God, our grief is
getting in the way of our desire to live life fully. We cry and cry until we think there can be no more tears, and then more come. Hear our cries, O Lord! We know you hear us and will respond! SILENCE [at least 30 seconds] Reader 4: God, we trust
you. We pray that you will use us to shine the light of your love and compassion into the darkness of our world. [All the worship leaders or liturgical dancers light tapers from the previously lit candle, and then use the tapers to light several other candles around the wor- ship space.] During the candle light-
ing, the choir or a soloist sings the fi rst stanza and refrain of “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light” (number 206, United Methodist Hymnal).
Other Ideas for Expressing Lament in Worship
• Psalms for All Seasons: A Complete Psalter for Worship, ©2012 Faith Alive Christian Resources. Includes all 150 psalms with responses, songs, and litanies. Many of the psalms have multiple versions.
• Use the Scripture index in any hymnal or song collection to fi nd musical versions of the lament psalms to use in worship together with prayers or readings from other sources.
• T e Worship Resources edition of Worship & Song includes many prayers of confession (check the index under “Order of Service”) that can be combined with psalms of lament.
• Have the choir or a soloist sing “Why Has God Forsaken Me?” (number 2110, T e Faith We Sing), interspersed with readings from the Scriptures upon which the song is based.
• Use the liturgical examples above as a starting point to create your own laments that are specifi c to your particular worshipping context.
Fellowship member THE REV. LAURA
m T L
BARTLETT
JAQUITH B
is pr is programdirector o am dir tor of a United
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ January-February 2014 • WorshipArts •
www.UMFellowship.org
Methodist retreat center near Portland, OR. Laura also serves in music and worship leadership at the Eagle Creek Presbyterian Church. She is president-elect of The Fellowship and is a member of the WorshipArts Editorial Committee.
TIP lessons:
Learning life’s
Music ministry is relational Your ability to form eff ective,
positive relationships with your choir members is essential to your ability to lead them. People (espe- cially teenagers) know when you are being sincere. T ey know when you really care about them and they will respond to that. T ey also know when your relationship with God is in tune. Scary, I know.
Recently, I did a small favor for
one of our international students. He literally dropped to his knees and thanked God for me on the spot. Wow. It felt so good that I im- mediately began looking around for someone else to help.
T e next day was Sunday, and
the youth choir was singing. Dur- ing the warm up, I told them that story and then knelt on the fl oor and raised my arms and thanked God for each of them. I have led this group for a long time and they know to expect anything from me, but they also know that I mean it. T ey sang more beautifully that day in worship than I have ever heard them.
Form relationships with your
singers, whatever the age. Go to their football games. See them in school productions. Know who their grand- children are. Care for them, love them, and they will tune their hearts and voices to sing God’s praise.
Janis Maxwell Director of
Youth Music Ministry/Organist Athens First UMC, Athens, GA
Got a brief tip to share from your experience in any worship arts area? Send it to David Gladstone,
dgladstone@lakelouisecommunity.org
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