Strong Center Open Doors
Strong Center Open Doors is devoted to taking liturgy out of the box through:
Strong Center Open Doors is devoted to taking liturgy out of the box through:
- Articles, resources & links for liturgy
- Consulting by arrangement
- On line worship and liturgy courses
- Links to other sites and resources
- Author-Reader dialogue
Taking Liturgy Out of the Box
"Liturgy" is not a four letter word. Many have put
what they imagine liturgy to be in a box and set it
on a shelf in favor of other approaches to
worship. But maybe, in this post-modern,
post-Christian, post-denominational time, the
Spirit is waiting for courageous people and
congregations to see and explore "the work of the
people." I host this site to provide pastors,
priests, musicians, and other worship leaders with
a place to think, reflect and connect with worship
that is centered around the central things of the
Christian faith and, at the same time, be radically
open to the hurt and hope of the world.
"Liturgy" is not a four letter word. Many have put
what they imagine liturgy to be in a box and set it
on a shelf in favor of other approaches to
worship. But maybe, in this post-modern,
post-Christian, post-denominational time, the
Spirit is waiting for courageous people and
congregations to see and explore "the work of the
people." I host this site to provide pastors,
priests, musicians, and other worship leaders with
a place to think, reflect and connect with worship
that is centered around the central things of the
Christian faith and, at the same time, be radically
open to the hurt and hope of the world.
Worship resources, links,
commentary and learning
liturgy
I teach online courses on
sacramental leadership and
renovating worship spaces,
consult with worship leaders
and congregations, and
support my books and
publications with author-
reader dialogue, links and
value-added resources. See
"About This Site" for more
background.
Upcoming events and
courses:
commentary and learning
liturgy
I teach online courses on
sacramental leadership and
renovating worship spaces,
consult with worship leaders
and congregations, and
support my books and
publications with author-
reader dialogue, links and
value-added resources. See
"About This Site" for more
background.
Upcoming events and
courses:
- July 24-26, 2008
Listening for the Spirit
in a Post-Christian
World, the annual
gathering of the North
American Association
for the
Catechumenate. The
featured presenter will
be Dr. Samuel
Torvend, is Associate
Professor and Chair
of the Department of
Religion at Pacific
Lutheran University,
Tacoma, Washington.
Dan Benedict will be
leading a workshop
on: “The RCIA in the
Church—Twenty
Years and Counting:
Embrace and
Resistance”
- July 28-August 2, 2008
Sacred Music
Summer Conference
at Virginia Wesleyan
College. Dan Benedict
will be the day lecturer
on July 30 focusing on
how liturgy shapes us
and liturgical space.
- October 6-11, 2008,
Member Mission
Leadership Institute,
Albany NY. Discover
and explore a way for
your congregation
and all of its members
to understand mission
and what it means to
be “on mission.” For
clergy and lay-leaders.
| Copyright ©2007 Daniel T. Benedict, Jr. All Rights Reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. |
Strong Center Open Doors
Patterned by Grace news:
- For a Q&A with Daniel Benedict in
the United Methodist Reporter
click here. - Patterned by Grace: How Liturgy
Shapes Us is now available. Order
from Cokesbury or The Upper Room
Bookstore. For more on this book
see the content menu bar on the left. - Liturgy Out of the Box online
workshop is now finished, but I
would be happy to host another one.
If you would like to be in a future
workshop contact the author.
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What's New
- By Water and the Spirit: A United
Methodist Understanding of
Baptism (Hyperlinked
version/contentes and index)
available for download.
- New resource list for Christian
Initiation and the Catechumenate
- Member Mission Leadership
Institute, October 6-11, 2008,
Albany NY.
- Good News: Daily Revised
Common Lectionary Readings-
Year A at the Consultation on
Common Texts website. To
purchase the volume click here.
- See Dean McIntyre's informative
commentary (# 188 and 189) on
the proposed UM hymnal. - The United Methodist Church
decides to create a new hymnal
for Church in the US. For more
details click here. Be sure to see
related articles and news stories
at bottom left of linked page.
Delegates also approved a four-
year study of the issues
around developing an Africana
hymnal and appointment of a
committee to conduct the study
and report its findings to General
Conference 2012. - New book Beyond Smells and
Bells: The Wonder and Power of
Christian Liturgy by Mark Galli
(Paraclete Press). For an
interview with Mark click here. - Hymnal research and report made
public as The United Methodist
Church prepares to act on
recommendations at it April 2008
General Conference. - Living into the Mystery: A United
Methodist Guide for Celebrating
Holy Communion is the first of a
three-volume series of print and
video resources that provide
guidance for the ritual
performance of worship for United
Methodist pastors, pastors in
training and congregations. The
other two print volumes now under
development are “Living into the
Covenant” (services of the
baptismal covenant, print release
2008) and “Living All Our Days”
(marriage, death and resurrection,
daily prayer, healing, print release
2009).
An invitation: If you see anything on this site
that you believe is in error or that would be
strengthen by additional information or links,
please use the "Contact Me" page or my email
at stlukebysea@yahoo.com and offer your
correction or addition. I will take it into
consideration and gladly get back to you with a
response and thanks for your participation in
the work of this website.
that you believe is in error or that would be
strengthen by additional information or links,
please use the "Contact Me" page or my email
at stlukebysea@yahoo.com and offer your
correction or addition. I will take it into
consideration and gladly get back to you with a
response and thanks for your participation in
the work of this website.
Calendar and Resources
Click here for resources for the following days on
the liturgical and cultural calendar.
As you plan for the fall consider inserting the Season of
Creation in the September and early October weeks.
Here is the lectionary for Year A in the Season of Creation
resources:
Series A: The Spirit Series
Sept. 7: First Sunday in Creation Theme: Forest Sunday
Genesis 2:4b-22
Psalm 139:13-16
Acts 17:22-28
John 3:1-16
Sept. 14: Second Sunday in Creation Theme: Land Sunday
Genesis 3:14-19; 4:8-16
Psalm 139:7-12
Romans 5:12-17
Matthew 12:38-40
Sept. 21Third Sunday in Creation Theme: Wilderness Sunday
Joel 1:8-10, 17-20
Psalm 18:6-19
Romans 8:18-27
Matthew 3:13 - 4:2 or Mark 1:9-13
Sept 28 Fourth Sunday in Creation Theme: River Sunday
Genesis 8:20-22; 9:12-17
Psalm 104:27-33
Revelation 22:1-5
Matthew 28:1-10
Oct. 4 (or 5 for a Sunday) St. Francis of Assisi Day and
Blessing of the Animals.
For wonderful planning resources, including worship
services, and theological commentary go to Season of
Creation.
Click here for resources for the following days on
the liturgical and cultural calendar.
- July 20, 2008 Ordinary Time/Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
- July 27, 2008 Ordinary Time/Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
- August 3, 2008 Ordinary Time/Twelfth Sunday after
Pentecost (Green)
- Genesis 32:22-31
Psalm 17:1-7, 15 (UMH 749)
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21
- August 10, 2008 Ordinary Time/Thirteenth Sunday after
Pentecost (Green)
- Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b (UMH 828)
Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33
- August 17, 2008 Ordinary Time/Fourteenth Sunday after
Pentecost (Green)
- Genesis 45:1-15
Psalm 133 (UMH 850)
Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
Matthew 15:(10-20) 21-28
- August 24, 2008 Ordinary Time/Fifteenth Sunday after
Pentecost (Green)
- Exodus 1:8-2:10
Psalm 124 (UMH 846)
Romans 12:1-8
Matthew 16:13-20
- August 31, 2008 Ordinary Time/Sixteenth Sunday after
Pentecost (Green)
- Exodus 3:1-15
Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c (UMH 828)
Romans 12:9-21
Matthew 16:21-28
As you plan for the fall consider inserting the Season of
Creation in the September and early October weeks.
Here is the lectionary for Year A in the Season of Creation
resources:
Series A: The Spirit Series
Sept. 7: First Sunday in Creation Theme: Forest Sunday
Genesis 2:4b-22
Psalm 139:13-16
Acts 17:22-28
John 3:1-16
Sept. 14: Second Sunday in Creation Theme: Land Sunday
Genesis 3:14-19; 4:8-16
Psalm 139:7-12
Romans 5:12-17
Matthew 12:38-40
Sept. 21Third Sunday in Creation Theme: Wilderness Sunday
Joel 1:8-10, 17-20
Psalm 18:6-19
Romans 8:18-27
Matthew 3:13 - 4:2 or Mark 1:9-13
Sept 28 Fourth Sunday in Creation Theme: River Sunday
Genesis 8:20-22; 9:12-17
Psalm 104:27-33
Revelation 22:1-5
Matthew 28:1-10
Oct. 4 (or 5 for a Sunday) St. Francis of Assisi Day and
Blessing of the Animals.
For wonderful planning resources, including worship
services, and theological commentary go to Season of
Creation.
"God saw everything that God had made, and
indeed it was very good." And what does God
see now? A planet in peril? Earth and its
creatures suffering? Christians are beginning to
awaken to their vocation of stewardship of the
earth. Now is a good time to explore the worship
resources for facing the ecological crisis with
the risen Christ.
indeed it was very good." And what does God
see now? A planet in peril? Earth and its
creatures suffering? Christians are beginning to
awaken to their vocation of stewardship of the
earth. Now is a good time to explore the worship
resources for facing the ecological crisis with
the risen Christ.
- For a reprint of my article, "Season of
Creation--Expanding the Christian
Calendar?" from Worship Arts, click here. - For the Season of Creation website click
here. You will find a wealth of interpretive
helps and well developed worship
resources for the season.
New and Now!
Tables are a familiar and standard furnishing in
much of the world. Meals are prepared and eaten
on them. We sometimes work at tables, or hold
meetings around them. Some are rectangular,
square, or round. The aesthetics and functional
aspects of tables are important in our day-to-day
lives.
What about the table in the church's liturgical
space? What size, shape and design are needed in
your worship space? When was the current
altar-table created? Is it truly a table, rather than a
religious artifact? How was it used then, and how is
it used now? How have the ways you celebrate Holy
Communion changed in your congregation and
your denomination that might suggest a different
placement or a more adequate and strong sign of
the centrality of the sacramental life of your
congregation.
For more on these considerations click here.
much of the world. Meals are prepared and eaten
on them. We sometimes work at tables, or hold
meetings around them. Some are rectangular,
square, or round. The aesthetics and functional
aspects of tables are important in our day-to-day
lives.
What about the table in the church's liturgical
space? What size, shape and design are needed in
your worship space? When was the current
altar-table created? Is it truly a table, rather than a
religious artifact? How was it used then, and how is
it used now? How have the ways you celebrate Holy
Communion changed in your congregation and
your denomination that might suggest a different
placement or a more adequate and strong sign of
the centrality of the sacramental life of your
congregation.
For more on these considerations click here.
New: Pastors and lay leaders . . . empower the laity,
God’s primary agents
of mission in today’s world
Member Mission Leadership Institute
October 6-11, 2008
From this 4-plus day event, starting with dinner on October 6
and ending with breakfast on October 11, you will come away
with a wholly new way for your congregation and all of its
members to understand mission and what it means to be “on
mission.”
You will leave better equipped to lead your congregation and
its members to embrace more fully what it really means to live
as a Christian every day.
Spiritual Life Center at Greenwich, New York
(45 minutes from the Albany Airport)
Registration: $100
Up to 50% travel reimbursement
Space is limited. Register by September 15, 2008
For information: www.membermission.org, or call 518-561-
1184
God’s primary agents
of mission in today’s world
- Improve your leadership
- Deepen your spirituality
- Make the Sunday to Monday connection for every
member - Meet new colleagues
Member Mission Leadership Institute
October 6-11, 2008
From this 4-plus day event, starting with dinner on October 6
and ending with breakfast on October 11, you will come away
with a wholly new way for your congregation and all of its
members to understand mission and what it means to be “on
mission.”
You will leave better equipped to lead your congregation and
its members to embrace more fully what it really means to live
as a Christian every day.
Spiritual Life Center at Greenwich, New York
(45 minutes from the Albany Airport)
Registration: $100
Up to 50% travel reimbursement
Space is limited. Register by September 15, 2008
For information: www.membermission.org, or call 518-561-
1184