Stepping up: three workshops

Around the diocese people are stepping up to enable worship to continue in their churches. Some of those are exploring particular ministries, lay and ordained, but many more are prepared to volunteer and have a go at some of the basic activities that enable worship to happen.

If you’re thinking of helping out in your church, if you’ve already put your name forward, if you’ve had your arm twisted, or even been doing one or more of these for a while, then these workshops could be for you.

3. Stepping up: Leading Worship

When and Where: Monday 14 June, 7.30pm on Zoom

Book your place: https://bit.ly/384k4Lz

Sometimes a congregation, or especially a churchwarden, can be dropped in it at the last-minute owing to a minister’s sickness. Then there’s a choice: either the warden or someone else leads the worship, or the service gets cancelled. This workshop is a little different from the other two “stepping up” workshops. It’s for those who want to be prepared to lead worship when a rota falls apart on a Saturday night or Sunday morning.

The Church of England’s rule book spells it out for when there’s no authorized person available: “some other suitable lay person, may, at the invitation of the minister of the parish or, where the cure is vacant or the minister is incapacitated, at the invitation of the churchwardens say or sing Morning and Evening Prayer (save for the Absolution)” Canon B11.1

For those who feel a call to lead worship regularly, there are some well-established pathways, like ALM or Reader ministry. This workshop is not a replacement for those callings. Instead, it aims to give you a toolkit, so that if you do get caught by a last-minute cancellation or sickness, you’ll have something to fall back on. It will be particularly useful for churchwardens, and those who know they may be first in line to get so invited. It will offer some clear practical guidance on what to do, and equip you with a resource to keep on hand for just such emergencies. It will focus on morning worship, but the same principles apply to the evening.

Please also check out:

• Stepping up: Reading the Bible on 10/05/2021; 7:30pm
  https://bit.ly/2MH57Yo
• Stepping up: Leading the Intercessions on 24/5/2021; 7:30pm
  https://bit.ly/2NL8uhB
• Stepping up: Leading Worship on 14/6/2021; 7:30pm
  https://bit.ly/3b8i3jx 

For any help on booking tickets, please contact Katie, Training and Events Co-ordinator: training@cofe-worcester.org.uk