Ministry Matters: Robin Knowles Wallace

ARTICLE: Preparing for Pentecost

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:18:00 GMT

By Robin Knowles Wallace

Pentecost, the birthday of the church, is a wonderful time to celebrate and involve children in learning.

Pentecost is a "movable feast" of the church. Like Easter, Pentecost occurs on a different date each year. The word "pentecost" comes from Greek, and means "fiftieth day." It occurs on the fiftieth day after Easter and, in the church, it is known as the last of the Great Fifty Days. The Great Fifty Days begin at sunset on Easter Eve (the evening before Easter) and end on the evening of Pentecost Day. If you have used an Easter (Paschal) candle, Pentecost is the last day on which it will be lit during ordinary worship.

During the Great Fifty Days we in the church focus on Christ's resurrection, his many appearances to his followers, and then on his ascension. With Pentecost we celebrate the birthday of the Church and the presence of the Holy Spirit as described in Acts 2. Pentecost reminds us that the Holy Spirit brings life to the church. From that first Pentecost the church grew out from Jerusalem into all the world. The Holy Spirit is part of God from the beginning, before creation.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, Pentecost was celebrated in connection with the harvest and, later, with the giving of the law on Mount Sinai (the Ten Commandments). With the Christian celebration of Pentecost, the freedom Jesus gives us through the Spirit is contrasted with the old life under the law.

When you read the story of Pentecost from Acts 2:1-6 (older children should read through verse 11), emphasize that the importance of the different languages is that each person could hear about "God's deeds of power" in their own language. It was like the "simultaneous translation" that goes on at the United Nations or other important international conferences. If you have a good map of New Testament times, older children might look up the different countries mentioned in verses 9-11.

Red Tells the Story

The color for Pentecost is red, and actually might be a fire red, or red with an orange cast for the tongues of flame or flames of fire that represent the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:3. During the week before Pentecost encourage children to wear red for Pentecost. Have red streamers ready for "neckties" or "necklaces" for those who forget.

Symbols Speak Louder than Words

There are a variety of symbols for Pentecost which can be gathered for altar settings or used in crafts with children of various ages. The Spirit appears as the wind over the waters of creation (Genesis 1:2) and as a descending dove at Jesus' baptism (Mark 1:10).

Symbols for the church include a ship (like Noah's ark) and the rainbow sign of God's covenant. The ceilings of many older sanctuaries were made to look like the inside of the hull of a ship. Danish churches and churches with sailors often included a model ship hanging in the middle of the sanctuary. The use of the ship reminds us that we are saved by God (as in the Noah story) and that as the church we are in this together. The rainbow reminds us not only of the covenant with Noah, but also of the beauty and variety of God's creation, including the varieties of persons welcome in our churches as God's children.

Red flowers, such as geraniums, might be planted or placed around the sanctuary, the children's worship center, or around the church (with a warning to come in "digging" clothes).

Learning the Vocabulary

Discussion could center around the names and images for the Holy Spirit, adding more for the older children, less for the younger. These words and images include: Breath of God, Dove, Wind, Fire, Comforter, Counselor, Wisdom, and God's Presence.

Older children may be interested to know that "Whitsunday" is the word used for Pentecost in England (they may run across it in British books they read). They can also learn the Hebrew word for spirit, "ruach," pronounced with the accent on the first syllable. "Paraclete" is another word for the Holy Spirit, being the Greek word used often in the Gospel of John.

Singing Pentecost Songs

Avery and Marsh's song, "I Am the Church" is good to use on Pentecost. Teach younger children the refrain with motions. At the word "I," point to self. At the word "you," point to a partner. At the word "we," shake hands with self or partner. At the word "Jesus," spread arms to include all disciples. At the word "world," make large circles with arms. At the word "together," shake hands with self or partner. Older children can sing the verses that talk about the church, with stanza 5 specifically about Pentecost.

Another song about the Spirit which children love to sing and act out is the African American spiritual "I'm Goin' a Sing When the Spirit Says Sing." Fold hands for the stanza with "pray"; let the children shout on the "shout" stanza; add stanzas for stand, march, sit, clap.

Older elementary children might consider the various words associated with the Spirit, such as those found in the third stanza of Thomas Troeger's "Source and Sovereign, Rock and Cloud." Those children who prefer to read might call out the words slowly while the more adventurous act out storm, stillness, thunder. comfort, and so on. These children might also respond to the Native American "Prayer to the Holy Spirit." If older children have been to church camp or vacation Bible school, they may know the song "Pass It On," which starts with the image of a spark of fire growing, much like the early church started and grew with Pentecost.

Pentecost: A Day of Many Celebrations

Pentecost is also a day of baptism and confirmation in many churches. If your church is celebrating in that way, you might include discussion about God's gift of baptism and our acceptance of that gift for ourselves (in some churches that will be at confirmation).

Pentecost is also a great day for a mission project. Plan a church day of service in your community. Take gifts symbolizing Pentecost to share with those who are homebound, in nursing homes, or those in the hospital. Remind the children that, like the early church, we are spreading out to tell of God's love.

The end of the school year is a busy time in many churches and homes. Don't let Pentecost get lost in your church and in your Sunday school!

Prayer:
0 God of wind and fire, we praise your name.
Send the strength of your Holy Spirit on your church today.
Amen

ARTICLE: World Communion Sunday Helps

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 20:12:18 GMT

By Robin Knowles Wallace

World Communion Sunday falls on the first Sunday of October, as churches around the world celebrate their oneness in Christ by gathering at the Communion table. For this service, it is appropriate to have persons bring breads from their countries of origin or countries where the church supports mission. Taking Communion with a different kind of bread may represent solidarity with another culture or remind us that church around the world is all one body of Christ. See the special Prayer of Confession in the Resources section that follows the Great Thanksgivings for World Communion Sunday.

Include a note in the bulletin or take the children's sermon time to explain the various breads and their origins. Some options to consider: rye bread, scones, cornbread, pita bread, tortillas, rice cakes, foccaccia, injera (from Ethiopia). Day-old bread can remind us of those in our own country for whom fresh bread is a luxury. (Check out our “Breads of the World” Pinterest board for recipes.)

Display the breads on the altar table as the service begins. Prepare plates of bite-sized portions—all types of bread on each plate—beforehand.

Great Thanksgiving for World Communion Sunday, Option One

This prayer is based on Ephesians 4:4-6.

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
God of all nations, you created every person in your image and called us by your Holy Spirit to become one in Christ Jesus, through Baptism and through faith.
In Jesus Christ, you showed us the way to live with unique gifts and particularities, yet in harmony with you and with each other.
You, O God, are indeed above all and through all and in all.
So, today we join with voices throughout the earth and in heaven, saying:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
Holy are you and blessed is your child, Jesus Christ.
Jesus lived among us to show us your love: caring enough to feed hungry persons, stopping to touch persons in need of healing, reaching out to those not like himself:
a Samaritan woman at a well,
lepers from another country,
those tortured by demons,
a father pleading for his daughter,
a woman from Syro-Phoenicia,
Zacchaeus, a tax collector,
a rich young ruler, and humble fishermen.
When people gathered to hear his teachings, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them to eat, so that they might be fed.
When Jesus ate with his disciples for his final meal on earth, they remembered his blessing on the multitude, and listened as he told them:
“Take, eat, this is my body given for you.”
They watched as Jesus took the cup, blessed it and said,
“Take, drink, this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for the whole world for the forgiveness of sins.”
After his death and resurrection, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples told others through this meal, that Jesus was the Messiah, sent by God, for all humankind.
Remembering now, we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ, by your cross and resurrection
you have set us free.
You are the Savior of the world.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on the table
spread this day around this globe,
and here spread with breads from around the world.
May all who partake, wherever they live,
know the reconciling love of Jesus Christ.
May your church go forth from Communion with you
to be one in Christ and one in witness to the world.
In your Holy Name we pray. Amen.

Great Thanksgiving with Sung Response

The congregational response may be sung using: “Amen, We Praise Your Name, O God (Amen Siakudumisa)” from South Africa; “Halle, Halle, Halle” from the Caribbean; or an “Alleluia” familiar to the congregation.

Almighty and merciful God,
we thank you for your presence in our midst
as we gather in praise and thanksgiving to you.
(Congregational Response)
Creator God, you made humankind in your image,
with varied hues of skin, hair, and eyes,
of varied heights and widths,
with differing talents and gifts.
Yet all of us are beautiful in your sight.
We give you thanks for calling us to be your children.
(Congregational Response)
We thank you for sending Jesus Christ to live among us.
In his time on earth, Jesus reached out to all persons,
poor and rich,
children, women and men,
sick and marginalized.
He taught us to do the same.
And he gave us this meal to remember him:
taking a loaf of bread, giving thanks,
he broke it and said,
“This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, he took the cup after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
We give you thanks for Jesus Christ and for this meal.
(Congregational Response)
We ask your Holy Spirit to come to the table
spread around the world today:
Bless each person and bless our partaking
that we may grow into your body,
united in your love,
to bring your reconciling peace to the whole world.
For these hopes and for all your promises given and kept,
we give you thanks, Holy Trinity, now and forever.
(Congregational Response)

Prayer of Confession for World Communion Sunday

God of mercy,
we confess that we have not loved you with all our being.
We have done things which we ought not to have done,
and we have left undone things which we ought to have done.
We have built walls between neighbors and between countries, and we have ignored the cries of those in need.
Forgive us and set us free, that we may live into the hope of your calling, that your reign may come on earth as it is in heaven.
Through Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Thanks be to God: Jesus died for our sins.
We are forgiven!
We are forgiven. Thanks be to God.

Table dismissals

• Go to be God's peace in the world.

• Go to share God's love with all of God's children everywhere.

• Be at one with your brothers and sisters throughout creation.

• Go in the power of the Holy Spirit to shine God's love abroad.

• Go forth to meet the world that God loves.

• Go forth to be the presence of God in the world.

• Go into the world, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.

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Excerpted from Just In Time: Communion Services by Robin Knowles Wallace, part of the Just in Time series included with a subscription to Ministry Matters.

ARTICLE: Singing as a Communal Spiritual Practice

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 13:47:51 GMT

By Robin Knowles Wallace

Within worshiping communities we develop certain spiritual practices—prayer, praise, listening for God’s word, lament, gratitude, faithful living, kindness, reconciliation, forgiveness, and love. Some of these are explicit in our worship (such as praying the Lord’s Prayer together); others are more often implicit (passing the peace as a sign of hospitality and reconciliation).

Christians developed the spiritual practice of singing together to involve themselves more deeply in prayer; to express praise, gratitude, and lament; to teach the language of faith; and to express unity. Yet, congregations have not always entered into singing as fully as we might, preferring to be passive, entertained, and silent or overshadowed by instruments and microphones. How do we recapture the imperatives of the psalmists and the writer to the Ephesians (5.19) to “Sing a new song!” “Praise the Lord!” and to “Sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs”?

Perhaps it is time to consider singing in congregational worship as a communal spiritual practice. Spiritual practices are patterns of behavior which open us up for relationship with God, form us as Christian disciples, focus us on what is important, and teach us a language of faith and prayer. Communal spiritual practices teach us what we cannot learn on our own, an bring the encouragement and support of the community to our practice, while drawing us closer to God also draw us closer to each other (Mark 14.28-31), and give us a place to practice the holy living to which God call us.

As we sing the songs passed down to us through scriptures and tradition, as we learn new truths and affirm those we hold dear, as texts and music become part of us, giving us the language of faith, of prayer, and of witness we are shaped as Christian disciples. Together as communities of faith we teach our children and those new to the faith who we are as God’s people and practice the ways God is calling us in this time for the needs of this world.

Singing together in worship means following some simple guidelines. John Wesley wrote “Directions for Singing” for the fledgling Methodist movement in 1761 and they can be found in many hymnals still today:

See that you join with the congregation
Sing lustily and with good courage.
Strive to unite your voices together
Sing in time
Above all, sing spiritually

The first is a direction of encouragement, but also a reminder that spiritual disciplines are to be practiced. We don’t gain musical skill or athletic prowess without embodied practice. So it is with the spiritual life. This practice may require courage as we immediately feel vulnerable, too quickly judging our own abilities and contribution to the whole. It may feel easier to not sing, to not use the energy needed to breathe and make sound, to not open our mouths and hearts. Yet Wesley goes on in this direction to say, “If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.” Through singing with others, many have experienced a sense of God’s nearness, being uplifted or re-energized to lead a life of Christian discipleship.

The second direction is followed by Wesley’s reminder to “Beware of singing as if you were half dead or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength.” The psalmist reminds us that we are simply asked to make a “joyful noise.” To sing with good courage requires us to take deep breaths, to breathe in to inspire the Holy Spirit.

Uniting our voices and singing in time requires us to listen to each other, to start and stop together. Here is where communal practice can shape us as the body of Christ, as we practice deep attention to each other as children of God (1 Corinthians 12), breathing together and finding a common rhythm. Blending our voice with others means also listening to ourselves as a part of the whole, finding our voice in the midst of Christ’s body.

“Above all, sing spiritually.” When we truly experience ourselves as children of God, blessed in the midst of life’s trials, our thanks and praise and hopes flow out in song. The congregation whose worship is focused on God, who knows themselves as forgiven and redeemed, who finds themselves then caring about their neighbors far and near, is a congregation who has learned to sing spiritually.

So, how do we begin singing as a communal spiritual practice? Begin with what you know—familiar songs, perhaps even refrains or single verses known by heart. Don’t rush through singing as though it were only an item on the worship “check-off list.” Find leaders with pleasant voices and engaging personalities who can gently encourage others and who understand communal spiritual practice.

Approach the congregation with the understanding of singing as a communal spiritual discipline. Encourage the congregation to sit more closely together, as singing “in isolation” is more difficult. Try singing things you know without accompaniment (though a starting pitch is often a good idea), or with a gentle rhythm instrument or bass line. Take time to “practice” singing together. Spread a hymn throughout the service, using several stanzas at one point and the remaining at another (making sure that textual and liturgical flow makes sense).

Give introits, prayer responses and benediction responses back to the congregation with simple stanzas; check your hymnal’s index for “service music.” Let accompanying instruments drop out for a stanza of a familiar song. Build a repertoire of tunes and discover how to use the same tune for a variety of texts. Practice singing together often, to begin meetings, at potluck suppers, while working on a mission project. Singing as a communal spiritual practice can deepen your worship, strengthen your relationship with God, and energize your congregation.

___________________________________________

This article is excerpted from Worshiping in the Small Membership Church by Robin Knowles Wallace.

ARTICLE: New Year's: Great Thanksgiving

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:48:12 GMT

By Robin Knowles Wallace

This prayer is based on Revelation 21:1-6a including the response:
You, 0 God, make all things new.
       The home of God is among mortals.
       We are glad God is here.
       Let us give God thanks and praise.
       We are thankful for our lives, and praise God for blessings toward us.
       We are grateful to you, 0 God,
         Creator of the new heaven and new earth,
         and of gifts yet to come, more than we can even imagine.
      You, 0 God, make all things new.
      You dwell among us and call us to be your people.
      You dry the tears from our eyes.
      You take away the power of death.
      You bring us through mourning and crying and pain to be with you.
      You, 0 God, make all things new.
      In a surprising gesture, you came in human form to dwell among us.
      Through Jesus Christ, you turned the world upside down-
         healing our diseases,
         teaching us new ways of thinking,
         living with us into new ways of community,
         overcoming sin and death to rise again in newness of life.
      We remember his life, death and resurrection
         with thanksgiving.
      You, 0 God, make all things new.
      Come now, with your Holy Spirit, and make us anew.
      Release us from our old burdens of hate and sorrow.
      Free us from our doubts and fears.
      Transform us into your people, full of love and joy,
         ready to do justice and dwell with you.
      You, 0 God, make all things new.
      By your Spirit, bless these elements
         and use them in your transformation of us,
         that Christ may indeed dwell in us
         and we in You, Great God, Three-in-One. Amen.

ARTICLE: Songs Children Should Know

Thu, 12 May 2011 11:46:08 GMT

By Robin Knowles Wallace

To pass Christianity on to the next generation, we tell Bible stories, speak about faith, and teach children how to worship. This last includes teaching them to pray and praise, giving them language to do so until they can form their own. It is important, therefore, that the songs we teach them help them worship with the whole community.

Repertoire

Many hymnals and songbooks include indices for “children” or “children’s choirs.” These songs are generally chosen using several criteria:

Songs originally written for children (“I Sing a Song of the Saints of God”)
Songs about children (“Jesus Loves the Little Children”)
Songs with refrains or repetition (“This Little Light of Mine,” or the songs from Taizé)
Texts that can be read or understood by children (“For the Beauty of the Earth”)
Tunes with rhythmic vitality (“Heleluyan” or “Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ” with Linstead)
Texts rich in visual imagery, as opposed to abstract concepts (“God of the Sparrow”)

A study of recent hymnal and songbook indices revealed the following as the top five most frequently mentioned children’s songs:

“Jesus Loves Me”
“All Things Bright and Beautiful”
“All Glory, Laud, and Honor”
“Away in a Manger”
“Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us with Your Love”

Seasonal songs, though not sung year-round, can easily involve children:

“O come, O come, Emmanuel” (beginning with the refrain)
“Silent Night, Holy Night” (and other carols)
“We Three Kings”
“I Danced in the Morning” (general)
“Were You There?”
“Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” (beginning with the alleluias)
“We Are the Church” (Pentecost)
“Thank you, Lord” (thanksgiving)

Scripture songs or songs that tell the biblical story help children recall the Bible:

“Thy Word Is a Lamp unto My Feet”
“On Eagle’s Wings” (beginning with refrain)
“When Israel Was in Egypt’s Land/Let My People Go”
“We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder”
“Jesus’ Hands Were Kind Hands”
“When Jesus the Healer Passed through Galilee”
“Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God”

Hymns about creation are often ones that children can understand and love

“All Creatures of Our God and King”
“God’s/He’s Got the Whole World”
“Morning Has Broken”
“This Is My Father’s World”
“In the Bulb There Is a Flower”
“Many and Great, O God”

Although it is important to consider the theological and biblical complexity of a hymn text when choosing hymns and songs to teach children, it is equally important to give them a faith to grow into and the experience of singing with the larger congregation. We all can identify the comforting feeling of knowing the worship songs, even in a new or different congregation.

Practical Tips

One of the easiest ways to involve children in worship is with songs that are sung each week as part of worship—the Doxology (“Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”), the Gloria (“Glory Be to the Father”), and any other frequently used worship song. Some congregations begin each service with a song, such as “This Is the Day the Lord Hath Made,” “Kum Ba Yah,” “Jesus We Are Here/Jesu, tawa pano,” or a short scriptural song. Some end worship with “Bless Be the Tie That Binds,” “Shalom to You,” or “Go Now in Peace.” Some congregations sing the West Indian version of the Lord’s Prayer with its constant response, “hallowed-a be thy name.”

Prayer songs are an easy way to involve children. Some that congregations might use are:

“Alleluia” (various versions)
“Dear Lord, Lead Me Day by Day”
“Lord, I Want to Be a Christian”
“Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying”
“Santo, Santo, Santo”/“Holy, Holy, Holy”

Sacramental times can involve children as well. In congregations that include children in communion, “Let Us Break Bread Together,” “Eat This Bread,” “I Come with Joy,” or “Take Our Bread” can involve them in singing before, after, or during communing. During baptismal services, children can join in on such songs as “Wade in the Water,” “You Have Put on Christ,” or “Little Children, Welcome.”

Congregations that take children out of worship midway for Sunday school or children’s church should make sure that the opening part of worship includes hymns that children can sing, either one of the hymns already mentioned in this article or one with a refrain (“Alleluia, Alleluia, Give Thanks to the Risen Lord” or “Alabaré”) or with repetition (“Every Time I Feel the Spirit” or “Soon and Very Soon”).

Rehearsing or practicing songs with the whole congregation before worship can always involve children. It is also a good idea to teach songs that the whole congregation sings to children in Sunday school, vacation Bible school, or children’s choirs. Learning anthems and curriculum songs is fine, but it is ultimately more important for children to learn songs that will sustain them as they grow in faith as part of the congregation. It seems that the time that the church has to teach and influence children grows smaller and smaller, so it is simply good stewardship to use that time wisely on faith songs that will endure.

Don’t be afraid to teach children songs in another language. This opportunity will often keep older elementary children interested in singing by challenging their mind. There are a broad range of songs available from the traditional Latin of “Dona nobis pacem” and “Ubi caritas” (Taizé) to the world music of Christian songs (some mentioned above) in Spanish, Native American, African, and Asian languages, in addition to any other languages indigenous to the congregation.

The resources for teaching children to sing their faith, to praise God, and to join the eternal song of the church are almost endless. May God grant us the energy and wisdom to pass on this wondrous gift of singing to our children and our children’s children!

ARTICLE: Fully, Conscious, and Active

Wed, 11 May 2011 12:36:56 GMT

By Robin Knowles Wallace

A phrase that has come over into the general worship vocabulary from Vatican II (the Roman Catholic Church council that discussed worship in the mid-1960s) is “full, conscious and active participation.”

Full participation indicates that which is embodied and multisensory (using all five senses), bringing our whole selves to worship—body, mind, and spirit. Conscious means that we are awake and attentive, paying attention to God, to the worship leaders, and to those around us. Active implies that we bring our energy to thinking, listening, praying, reading, speaking, singing, and moving.

There is a broad spectrum of our participation in worship from attentive listening and reflection to moving and clapping while singing, from adding our Amen to a prayer said on our behalf to praying either a printed prayer together or lifting our voices simultaneously with various prayer concerns.

Let’s look at what congregations and worship planners can do to be fully, consciously, and actively participating in worship.

Members of the Congregation

In Worship in Ancient Israel, Walter Brueggemann relates that the most important thing to do to worship God is to be present with the congregation. Showing up matters! But then, how can we be so engaged in worship that we “lose ourselves” in God’s presence?

Our baptism into Christ Jesus is an important guideline for us in coming to worship. In baptism, we respond to God’s love and mercy shown through Jesus and promise to stay in dialogue with God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Worship is an important way for us to continue in dialogue with God and to deepen that relationship over time.

So, we need to come to worship expecting to meet God through our presence, as fully as we are able, in prayer, in praise, in singing, in silence, in honesty, with our whole selves, open to what God has to reveal. The more fully we consciously and actively participate in worship, the deeper our relationship to God can grow.

Worship Planners and Leaders

You are responsible for preparing the environment. Do so prayerfully. Pay attention to the five senses as you plan.

Visual: Consider the space in which you worship. What are the focal points—altar table, cross, windows, pictures, fabrics? Is there a clear focal point? Are there too many things fighting for attention? Does the focal point match the focus of your worship?
Auditory: Consider the sounds that happen in worship. What happens beside the spoken word? Is there singing by the congregation? By a band, soloist, or choir? Are instruments used? Is there time for silence? Can the leaders be clearly heard by all? Does all the sound come from one place, or is it spread throughout the worship space? Can the congregation hear one another singing (or are they spread so far apart that they feel like they are the only ones singing)? Is there welcome for the noises of infants and children?
Tactile: What varieties of fabric are used in the worship space, especially through the church year (for example, burlap for Lent, silks or brocades for Easter)? Does this service include the touch of bread and cup or oil or passing the peace? Is there baptismal water to touch?
Olfactory: Is there the smell of bread or grape juice when communion is going to be served? Are there flowers that are not overwhelming (especially at Easter, when many are allergic to lilies)? Perhaps the smell of incense from a prayer station?
Taste: Do we use bread that tastes like bread and good-tasting grape juice in communion? Are persons welcome to bring their coffee or water into worship? Do we fellowship with food after worship occasionally?

Consider various learning styles and multiple intelligences in planning. This broad range will require balance, engaging the congregation in as many ways as possible while maintaining our focus on God.

Protestant worship services have been very focused on auditory and verbal learning, that is, learning through listening and speaking. Preaching, reading prayers, hearing scripture, hearing anthems, storytelling, and discussion are all ways that verbal/linguistic learners use to worship.
Visual /spatial learners need visual cues, to see a diagram or picture of what is being discussed or slides, video clips, or a map for a biblical story or mission moment. The sterile rooms that some of us worship in leave visual learners yearning for color and design, for a cross or picture to focus on.
Kinesthetic/tacile learners need to move, to do, or to touch. Prayer postures of standing, sitting, and kneeling may be helpful to them, as well as going to the altar table for communion or prayer, passing the peace, liturgical movement, clapping, or acting out a biblical or traditional story.
Logical/mathematically intelligent persons will be drawn into worship with questions and problem solving and connections made between theological, biblical, and real-life ideas.
Persons with strong intelligence in the areas of music and rhythm are often naturally drawn to choirs, to encouraging congregational singing, and to sharing musical skills as an offering to God.
Both those with intrapersonal skills and those with interpersonal skills need to find space in worship for those ways of finding God inside or outside themselves. For one, this means time for silence and reflection in worship and time interaction with others.

Finally, prepare yourselves as leaders with prayer, silence, and focus to really involve your own being in worship.

As Worshipers Together

Let us prepare ourselves to meet God in worship, in the midst of our congregation, through our prayers, listening, singing, speaking, movement, and silence. Let us come ready to be full, conscious, and active participants that God may truly be worshiped and that we may be grow in deeper relationship with God and one another.