Sustaining worship in challenging times

How to sustain regular worship during a lengthy vacancy or in a multi-point parish while continuing to spread the word of God in mission requires creative thinking. This subject is the focus of a research/training project conducted by Australian Lutheran College (ALC) in partnership with the LCA SA–NT District’s mission department.

Supported by an LLL mission grant, this project aims to ensure:

• lay leaders become proficient in worship design and leadership
• pastors are comfortable with working in partnership with lay worship leaders
• consistent quality worship is delivered across the multi-point parish.

An initial six participants from Hallett Cove, Morphett Vale and McLaren Vale in Adelaide’s south have signed up for the project and started a semester of mostly online and free study at ALC. The SA–NT mission department and ALC are working together to expand the number of participants as other parishes join in the project, which uses an ALC VET subject sponsored by the LCA/NZ’s Commission on Worship to support the training of effective lay worship leaders.

On completion of the subject, participants will work with their pastor or pastors to prepare and lead worship within their parish.

ALC will observe and gather information through two short surveys (staged over 12 months), considering how regular worship can be sustained during a lengthy vacancy or in a multi-point parish by using lay leaders proficient in worship design and leadership, working in partnership with pastors. The data compiled from this project will help other parishes in the LCA/NZ learn from these experiences.

To express interest in registering for this project, email ALC at enquiries@alc.edu.au