Worship Team Reviews Worship

The purpose of Brighton Worship Team is to work as a creative think tank for all Brighton First worship services. The team assists in planning for excellent worship that connects, transfroms and transcends, from initial theme development to all aspects of worship. The team also offers support to worship leaders and works to review worship honestly and critically, assisting in adjustments toward excellence.

The team begins each monthly meeting with a review of its purpose and an assessment of worship services over the last month. When the worship team held its May meeting, they considered the Sundays that followed Easter, including confirmation Sunday. The team pointed out times when the worship theme and components of worship connected with congregation members, and for them, provided transforming and transcendent moments. The team also examined components of worship that have not been as effective.

Confirmation Sunday at Brighton First. Our Worship Team helps to create
worship that is, by God's grace, connecting, transformational, and transcendent.

The time of congregational prayer continues to be a growth area. The team agreed that the worship hosts (members of the congregation who are trained United Methodist Lay Servants) have been offering meaningful prayer. However, the discussion on whether or not to have piano music playing during the prayer time continues. Team members have heard from congregation members. For some, the music his helpful in leading people toward a prayerful attitude. For others it is distracting. The team agreed to these adjustments: 1. Music during the time of prayer would be at most worship services, but not all. 2. Prayer leaders would give an extended time for silent prayer (1 minute minimum) and there will be no music during that time. The worship team will continue to evaluate this portion of our worship services.

The team also discussed the lack of clarity around the responsive reading between the two opening hymns. Worship leaders will be give specific directions for introducing the reading. In addition, the transition between the two hymns will not always take the form of a responsive reading, worship leaders will add readings or a musical bridge.

The team also discussed what components of worship are connecting the congregation. They included the introduction of all worship leaders at the beginning of the worship service, music, communion, sermon images, and videos.

The worship team also heard about an encouraging trend noted by Karen Wagg, who collects Brighton First's visitor data. Over the last four months, first time visitors have been returning sooner and more frequently.

The worship team also used meeting time to hear updates about the devel
opment of the band-led worship that will begin in the fall. They also helped plan visual images that will be used in the summer worship series, "The Deep End".

The worship team was formed as part of Brighton First's commitment to fulfilling the prescriptions of the Vital Church Initiative Consultation Report.