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A Lay Leader’s Guide to Planning Worship Experiences
Learn How to Lead Spiritually-Informed and Community-Grounded Worship
About this Course
A Lay Leader's Guide to Planning Worship Experiences is designed to equip you with the knowledge, practical skills, and spiritual insights you need to kindle the profound beauty of worship within your church.
What You’ll Be Able to Do:
Are you a lay leader tasked with planning and guiding your congregation’s worship experiences? It’s a uniquely challenging role! A Lay Leader's Guide to Planning Worship Experiences is designed to equip you with the knowledge, practical skills, and spiritual insights you need to kindle the profound beauty of worship within your church.
As you shape worship experiences both within the sanctuary and beyond, you might feel like you’re working on a puzzle that’s missing some key pieces. How can you ensure you’re building worship experiences that resonate deeply in your community and context? What could it look like to diversify your congregation’s worship, opening up hearts and minds to out-of-the-box experiences while remaining spiritually-led? You may be seeking a deeper understanding of what worship truly is; in need of spiritual practices to ground you during the planning process; or simply looking for the practical tools and confidence you need in order to lead worship effectively.
You’ll close out this course by applying a real-world worship planning tool that will allow you to design different kinds of services. Join us as we dive into the intricacies of planning and leading worship experiences that touch the hearts and souls of your congregation!
Modules
Welcome
Get oriented to the course, meet your instructor, download the interactive handbook, and more.
What is True Worship?
In this module, you will:
- Develop a definition of worship.
- Explore biblical passages on worship.
- Reflect on your worship experiences.
Why Do We Worship?
In this module, you will:
- Understand that worship is active.
- Consider how worship takes place in settings other than a church sanctuary.
What is Lutheran Worship?
In this module, you will:
- Understand specifics about worship in the Lutheran tradition.
- Become familiar with a Lutheran worship guide.
Worship in the Sanctuary
In this module, you will:
- Explore some building blocks of a worship service.
- Consider the scriptural foundations of these building blocks.
- Use these building blocks to create a worship service plan.
Music, Prayer, and Scripture
In this module, you will:
- Learn ways to add variety to the practices of music, prayer, and scripture.
- Apply these ideas as appropriate to your own worship planning.
Worship Beyond the Sanctuary
In this module, you will:
- Learn alternative settings and styles for worship.
- Consider how these different settings and styles could be a part of your church’s worship “menu.”
Completing the Course
Find out your next steps as you complete the course and how to stay connected with your group. You'll also be able to submit feedback about your course.
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- Modules:
8 Modules
- Format:
Self-Paced, On-Demand
- Access:
Lifetime Access
Get to Know Your Instructors
Heather Hansen
Heather Hansen (she/her) is the Associate Pastor at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas. She was a congregational youth minister for 12 years and a youth ministry coordinator for the Southwestern Texas Synod of the ELCA for five years. Additionally, Pastor Heather taught Christian theology and Youth Ministry at Texas Lutheran University for 11 years. She wrote the curriculum for the Practice Discipleship and Discipling cohorts—both ELCA Youth Ministry Network ministry training. She has an M.A. in Children, Youth, and Family and an M.Div. from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. As a lover of nature and God’s creatures, Pastor Heather spends much time outdoors and with the animals in the “mini zoo” at her home.
Darcy Mittelstaedt
Darcy Mittelstaedt (she/her) is a Deacon and the Bishop Associate for Leadership and Lifelong Faith Formation for the Southwestern Texas Synod ELCA. She has also served as a Camp Counselor at Carol Joy Holling Camp in Ashland, Nebraska; Minister for Communication at the Grand Canyon Synod ELCA; and Children, Youth, and Family Ministry Director at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chandler, Arizona. Her academic background includes a B.A. in Sociology/Psychology from Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska, and theological studies at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. Deacon Darcy enjoys traveling in her free time.
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What to Expect with a Faith+Lead Academy Course
You’ll get a transformative learning experience that combines trustworthy theological teaching with spiritual practices, interactive elements, and a supportive online community.
Know
Expand your theological toolkit with fresh insights for today’s ministry landscape. Connect timeless wisdom with practical frameworks for navigating change.
Be
Do
Practice skills to lead confidently in your ministry context. Take actionable steps to invite your community into God’s unfolding story.
Every Academy course is designed to
Help your growth in one of these core areas:
Develop a Christ-centered identity, grounded in theology, scripture, and spiritual practice, that empowers community members to live as disciples of Jesus Christ in everyday life.
Tell the story of Jesus and invite neighbors into Jesus’ way of life and love through words and actions they can recognize.
Listen deeply, name God’s presence in the midst of everyday life, and form life-giving relationships across all dimensions of diversity—both within and beyond the church.
Through mutual relationships with the neighbors among whom you’re hosted, join in acts of compassion, justice, and reconciliation as a witness to the ministry of Jesus—especially in places of suffering and despair.
Harness skills of agile leadership, stewardship, fundraising, entrepreneurism, and management to be nimble enough to respond to a changing cultural landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect when I take an Academy course?
Academy courses consist of 6-10 lessons or modules, each walking you through the “know, be, do” learning framework. You’ll learn some new information with instructor videos and other resources (know). You’ll engage in a spiritual practice that will help you develop your faith around the topic (be). Then, you’ll be asked to apply what you’ve learned through activities completed online or in the “real world” (do).
How long will it take me to complete a course?
Each module is designed to take 15-45 minutes. Some learners complete the course in as little as one day. Some do a module a day or even a module a week. We suggest allowing some time between modules to process what you are learning, but not so much time that you lose momentum.
What resources are available if I’m a group leader?
Each course includes a flexible leader’s guide with multiple pathways for group facilitation. You’ll find thought-provoking discussion questions and practical activities that connect faith with daily life, designed to work with whatever preparation time you have available. These resources equip you to foster meaningful discipleship experiences that meet your community where they are.
What do I need to know about the free private online social group?
The private online group allows you to connect with others. Because our courses don’t have a required start or stop date, you will encounter others in different places in the course and even in different courses altogether. This is by design. Feel free to interact as much or as little as you like.
What should I do if I have questions or problems with my registration?
Reach out via email to faithlead@luthersem.edu with your question and we’ll get back to you with a response within two business days.
What if I have a suggestion or request for a course topic?
The best way to connect with us is to complete this form with your suggestion. We always want to hear your feedback. You may also include it in the comments section of the course evaluation.
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