Resources for Worship Planning

We have curated a list of resources for celebrating Pentecost virtually with your congregation and small groups, or at home with your family!

Our nation will soon pass a grievous point in history: 100,000 Americans will have died from COVID-19. As people of faith, we cannot allow this grim number to go unnoticed. Always and everywhere, it is the duty of religious communities to remember the dead and mourn their passing. We call on religious and political leaders to take a time of prayer, Monday, June 1st at 12 p.m. to acknowledge, lament, and mourn all those we have lost.

With questions arising about viral safety and communal singing, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Chorus America, Barbershop Harmony Society, and Performing Arts Medical Association (PAMA) present an important webinar about the near term future of singing as we seek fact based solutions in protecting our singers, teachers, and conductors during this time.

With Facebook rolling out the new Live Producer, we want to be sure you have the information you need to keep live streaming your services! *Please note, as of now, the camera option for Live Producer only works in the Chrome Beta and/or Firefox browsers.

As livestreaming worship becomes a higher priority, many churches are looking to level up their media production from a smartphone to more advanced camera equipment. Eric Brown, founder of Picnic Table Productions, shares some broad equipment options at various price points to aid in streaming online content for congregations.   LOW Cost option (<$400) This is ideal for small setups with one person only (like a pastor) on a stationary shot.  Audio will be taken from the sanctuary’s sound system ...

The North Carolina Council of Churches invites you to participate in a statewide Day of Prayer, Thursday, May 7 at noon.

"Plenty of resources can help United Methodist churches offer online worship that is accessible by computer, tablet or cellphone. However, offering only online worship services when people cannot come together due to the COVID-pandemic or for other reasons may not be the best option for every congregation." Resource UMC offers advice for reaching people without access to computers or internet during social distancing.

As churches explore more digital ministry options, GCFA has developed some guidance on reporting and counting the number of viewers of your online worship and Bible study attendance.

Bishop Leeland outlines specific guidelines for the practice for online communion during the COVID-19 crisis. Please note, this is only to be viewed as temporary. This is not a license to continue this practice when life returns to normal.

"Ask the UMC" tackles the question of how to find public domain hymns for your worship live stream.

Bishop Leeland and the Western North Carolina Cabinet are preparing an Easter worship video for our conference. Many of you are finding wonderful ways to connect with your church communities online and we celebrate that! However, if North Carolina’s restrictions on gathering are impacting your worship planning, use this worship video as a resource for celebrating Easter together. Bishop Leeland will share an Easter message and our District Superintendents will lead us in worship. The link will be sent to clergy on Saturday, April 11 and posted on the Conference website and Facebook page on Easter morning for your use.

Davidson UMC has curated a soundtrack for your Holy Week experience.

We hope this guide will help you reflect on the final days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, his death, and his ultimate victory over death. We have selected nine previously published articles to help you journey through this time. Each one includes questions and activities to help you reflect on and celebrate these significant days of our faith this week. The guide includes a week's worth of articles for Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. We invite you to share this resource with friends and family. You may want to talk with them about it, or you might choose to use this guide in your personal study. We pray your Holy Week will be filled with the presence of Christ. – the editors of the Christian Century

Fresh Expressions offers a guide for setting up a social distancing Stations of the Cross for your community.

Carey Nieuwhof and David Kinnaman talk to Bobby Gruenewald and Nona Jones about digital discipleship and how to make your Easter service powerful and effective.

Each day listed below will provide an opportunity for you, either individually or with friends, to experience Jesus' life as He fulfilled His ultimate purpose here on earth. Through these daily encounters with scripture and prayer you will walk in His steps and follow His path to the cross. These Holy Week Prayers are brought to you by Anne Bosarge at Bright Ideas for Church Leaders.

Find resources from the NC Conference to help as you live into the sacred emptiness of this year's Holy Week.

The leaders of The National Council of Churches, Christians Uniting in Christ, and Christian Churches Together issue a joint letter asking churches across the nation to join together in specific Holy Week remembrances and Easter celebrations. Read the letter and find the ideas and resources here.

Dr. Marcia McFee offers resources for conducting Holy Week & Easter Season services online.

The Transforming Center will be hosting a prayer service to keep us connected as we hold vigil on Good Friday, just as Jesus asked the disciples to cover him in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Visit the Transforming Center website for more information.