We are entering the season of generosity. Various financial appeals are flooding our inbox and mailbox (friendly plug: don’t forget about Worship Ministries when thinking about year end giving). Giving generously of our financial resources and tithing is a spiritual practice that we ought to be attending to and a gift that we need to ask the Holy Spirit to further cultivate in us. But may I suggest that especially this year, in this moment, we also need to practice a different kind of generosity. The generosity of spirit that assumes the best in people. The generosity of grace and understanding, an overflowing of patience and love. As the darkness of this winter season grows, as we lead funerals or grieve from afar, as we struggle with our own isolation and worry about the isolation of others, we will need to cultivate these things in ourselves as well as extend them to others so that together we may grow in faith, hope, peace, and yes, joy. May our generous God create in each of us a generous spirit.

Know that you remain in our prayers. If there is something specific we can pray for or if there is another way we can support you please email worship@crcna.org.

Introducing New Staff

Pastor Katie Roelofs

Katie Ritsema-Roelofs is a commissioned pastor in the Christian Reformed Church and has been involved in worship ministry for the past 15 years.  She serves as the Minister of Music and Worship at the Washington DC, CRC and also plans worship at the Silver Spring, CRC. She holds a Bachelor's in Music and Worship from Calvin College, and has been a student at Reformed Theological Seminary in Washington, DC.  Katie has been involved with Worship Ministries as an Endorsed Coach. She writes: “I am looking forward to continuing to serve the denomination's worshiping congregations — encouraging faithful, vibrant and Christ-centered worship.”  kroelofs@crcna.org

Pastor Jeremy Simpson

Jeremy lives in Kalamazoo, MI where he serves in campus ministry. He is a graduate of Western Theological Seminary and a commissioned pastor through the RCA. He has served in worship ministries for over 15 years including 2 years at Sunshine Community Church (CRC). He has also been involved with the worship leadership at the CRC’s Inspire conference. He writes: “I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in worship ministry amidst the craziness of this pandemic and the many challenges it brings. I look forward to worshiping with you all and connecting our hearts together as we bring our offerings of worship from every tribe, tongue, and nation.” jsimpson@crcna.org

Advent and Christmas Worship During COVID

The following resources along with additional information will be appearing on The Network’s page “Advent and Christmas Worship During COVID” over the next days and weeks. Check back often as we will be continuing to update that page as resources come in. 

• Audio/Video Recordings of Public Domain Advent/Christmas Songs
  You will soon find a dropbox with audio files of mostly instrumental accompaniment of public domain Advent/Christmas songs but some with vocals along with text files. CRC churches are welcome to use these in their worship and share with their congregation so that they can have their own sing-a-long. 

• Visuals for Projection 
  These visuals have been submitted by CRC members and are free for CRC churches to utilize in their worship. Do you have a photo that you have taken or an image that you own that you are willing to share? Send it to worship@crcna.org 

• Resources and ideas for worshiping at home and online 
  Links to resources specifically designed for our current context or easily adaptable resources from various sources.

Things of Note

Worship Leader Online Meetup
Tuesdays 1:00 EST now through Dec. 21

We recognize how difficult it is to plan for Advent and Christmas this year when many of us are unsure whether we will be in person, completely virtual or some hybrid option. Things keep changing so we keep adapting! Show up on Tuesdays to glean some wisdom from those in similar situations, share some insights from your own experience, and just have an opportunity to chat and share the weight of Covid Christmas this year. Katie Roelofs and guests will be on Zoom Tuesdays at 1:00 EST so pour a cup of morning or afternoon coffee depending on where you're dialing in and join as you can! 

This link will work for every week: https://crcna.zoom.us/j/88980317978

Meeting ID: 889 8031 7978//Passcode: 605839

Notes from the Advent/Christmas
Round Table

A group of CRC worship leaders met online recently to talk about plans for Advent and Christmas especially in light of the challenges of COVID-19 and have compiled the notes of their conversation which you can find here.

Need a Sunday off post Christmas?

Keep an eye out here for worship resources connected to Matthew 2:1–12, the story of the Magi. Rev. Meg Jenista Kuykendall, from Washington DC CRC, will provide a pre-recorded sermon that is part of the “Be Not Afraid” worship series from Reformed Worship but can be used on its own. You can plan a worship service that fits your own context and insert Pastor Meg’s sermon or use some of the resources provided, whatever works for you. Do you have worship resources or a video recording of a sermon on this passage from Matthew that you are willing to share? Feel free to email them to worship@crcna.org

From the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and Calvin University

• Lessons and Carols/Gospel Choir Concert for information on these opportunities see: worship.calvin.edu/news-events/events/

• Worship Symposium 2021 (Virtual and Free!): Always wanted to attend the symposium but couldn’t or wondered what it was all about? This year is your chance to join in the worship and learn from over 90 presenters throughout the month of January. Registration is open now.

The conversation continues on . . .

Calendar

• CRCNA Events Calendar, check the full, updated CRCNA calendar here.

If you have input on what you’d like to see here, please let us know at worship@crcna.org. We’d love to hear from you.

Worship Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church
Copyright 2020 CRCNA. All rights reserved.

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