Whose writing will you find on Worship Words?
In alphabetical order (by surname/last name)…
Linda is trained as an educator, a Clinical Musician, and an ordained interfaith minister. She is a prolific song writer, composer and performer. As a Certified Clinical Musician, she is currently employed by a regional hospice provider.
Wellingtone is currently working on a Bachelor of Theology degree at the United Church of Zambia University in Mindolo, Kitwe, Zambia.
Stephen, ordained in the United Reformed Church in Great Britain, serves in ministry in Cardiff, Wales, UK.
‘Anyone wishing to make use of my material in worship should feel free to do so; a simple authorship acknowledgement suffices. Stephen’
Rev Dr Merryl Blair is Senior Lecturer of Old Testament at Stirling Theological College, Mulgrave, Victoria, Australia and Melbourne College of Divinity, Australia. Merryl writes liturgy primarily arising from her reading of the Old Testament.
Jim Burklo, Associate Dean of Religious Life at the University of Southern California, writes regularly for the ProgressiveChristianity.org liturgy project. Many of his liturgical materials can be found in his book Birdlike and Barnless: Meditations, Prayers, and Songs for Progressive Christians (2008, St Johann Press). Explore his blog for hymns, prayers and more.
Karen serves the United Reformed Church as Secretary for Global & Intercultural Ministries (Mission).
“I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, moved to Winfield, Kansas for college at Southwestern College, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy in 2009. I began seminary at Phillips Theological Seminary in 2010 and will graduate with my Master of Divinity in May 2016. I live in Lakewood, Colorado with my wife and 2 dogs, cat, and cockatiel. I work as an Independent Life Skills Trainer, helping brain injury survivors regain skills for independent living.”
Fiona serves as an Elder at Salisbury United Reformed Church.
Ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Thandiwe serves in ministry at Lovedale United Church of Christ in Lovedale, Colorado.
Many of the photos on Worship Words are through the discerning lens of Thandiwe’s camera.
Her contributions are divided into four groups:
- Children’s worship resources – Children’s Messages & items for children and youth to lead/read in worship
- Advent & Christmas resources
- Prayers
- All other worship resources
Children’s worship resources by Thandiwe (Children’s messages & items for children and youth to read/lead in worship)
Advent & Christmas resources by Thandiwe
Prayers by Thandiwe
All other worship resources by Thandiwe
Photos by Thandiwe – click here
Zach Ford (they/them) is a queer epic fantasy novelist who has stumbled into a second calling as a modern psalmist and liturgy writer. In between making stories about dragons and magic, they aim to create original, lyrical prayers expressing the full range of their emotions and their relationship with God.
Visit Steve’s blog, Unfolding Light, “a daily reflection rooted in a contemplative, Creation-centered spirituality, often inspired by my daily walk in the woods.” The items included in Worship Words are re-printed with permission from the author.
Steve describes himself on his blog: “I’m a United Methodist pastor in Massachusetts. I’ve served churches for 37 years, mostly in Montana and New Hampshire. I’ve also lived in South Dakota, California, Washington and Minnesota. I have a wife, Beth, and three grown sons whom I love dearly. I often lead retreats on prayer, poetry and renewing our language about God. I used to write and perform with the Montana Logging & Ballet Company, a quartet that did music and comedy around the country…”
Writer and minister in the United Reformed Church in Great Britain who cares about words and loves children, worship and baptisms! Ana established and edits Worship Words.
Ana, with her husband Tod, serves a pastorate of three United Reformed Church congregations in the United Kingdom. From 2010 – 2015 they served St Andrew’s United Reformed Church in London UK.
Their years of service in Global Ministries (Christian Church-Disciples of Christ USA and United Church of Christ USA) have taken them to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Australia.
Ana’s most recent posts:
Ana’s contributions are divided into four groups:
- Advent & Christmas resources
- Dramas and readings for multiple-voices
- Prayers
- All other worship resources
Advent & Christmas resources by Ana
Dramas & readings for multiple-voices by Ana
Prayers by Ana
All other worship resources by Ana, listed alphabetically
Tod, with his wife, Ana, serves a pastorate of three United Reformed Church congregations in the UK. From 2010 – 2015 they served a URC congregation in southeast London UK.
Their years of service in Global Ministries (Christian Church-Disciples of Christ USA and United Church of Christ USA) have taken them to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Australia.
Sam writes, ‘I’m a member and elder at Central United Reformed Church in Derby, UK. I’m also currently on a candidating journey which is a response to a call into some form of ministry.’
Elizabeth creates images and liturgy ‘to offer a calm centre inside complicated theological or social issues, or find paths to clear outcomes with steps along messy expectations of social sector projects, or gently reveal the progressive God I know who loves all of this and more’. She’s developing an exciting website full of her paintings and prayers.
Warren Hartley serves as the LGBTQIA+ Ministry Facilitator at St Bride’s Church in Liverpool UK.
‘I’m a nurse specializing in care of the elderly in an acute hospital setting. I live in Oxford, in the UK, with my wife and two rescue dogs, and am a member and elder at Cumnor URC (a small village church just outside Oxford). I enjoy art, printmaking, writing and walks in fields and forests with our two lovely dogs. I’m also currently going through the candidating process for Ministry of Word and Sacraments in the United Reformed Church.’
Bob Hill is a nonfiction writer, poet, and community consultant for non-profit organizations focusing on social justice issues, particularly quality public education, voter registration, and quality health care for all. Previously he served for more than 30 years as pastor at Community Christian Church in Kansas City, Missouri, before shifting into semi-retirement and being named Minister Emeritus in 2015.
‘I am a second career Pastor. I came from a very fundamentalist denomination where women weren’t allowed to do ANYTHING in public worship and here I am, a fully ordained minister! God truly does move in mysterious ways!’
Janice, ordained in the United Church of Christ USA, currently serves a congregation in Tulare, California.
Lauren, ordained by the Churches of Christ in Australia, serves Hartwell Church of Christ in Melbourne, Victoria.
Loren McGrail lives and works in Palestine.
Originally from South Africa, Lawrence holds standing in the United Reformed Church of Great Britain.
Oberman writes prolifically on the website LUPA* providing liturgical resources. Thank you to Gerardo for allowing Worship Words to share his work.
Gerardo Oberman, Pastor ordenado de las Iglesias Reformadas en Argentina desde 1965. Realizó sus estudio de teología en el ISEDET (Buenos Aires) y en la Universidad Libre de Amsterdam (Holanda). Es presidente de las Iglesias Reformadas en Argentina desde 2009, Uno de los fundadores de la Red Crearte, espacio dedicado a la formación y renovación litúrgica y musical en América Latina.
Gerardo Oberman, ordained in 1965, served as Pastor of the Reformed Churches in Argentina and President of the Reformed Churches in Argentina from 2009. He completed his study of theology in the ISEDET (Buenos Aires) and the Free University of Amsterdam (Netherlands). Oberman is one of the founders of the Red Crearte — space dedicated to liturgical and musical formation and renewal in Latin America.
*Lupa Protestante (Lp), founded in 2005, is a digital magazine of theology, opinion and culture from a Christian-progressive, evangelizing, critical, ecumenical, inclusive and in dialogue with contemporary society and non-Christian religious traditions. Lp is committed to the defence of human rights in all areas, both religious and secular. Lp is an independent publication and is not linked to any ecclesial institution.’
David has been an active Street Pastor, musician and worship leader.
Pastor, husband, father, runner, reader, thinker. I’m a former independent, fundamental Baptist who stumbled into ‘liberal’ Christianity, ordained by the Disciples of Christ and proudly serving a United Church of Christ congregation.
Loren’s statement of faith, ‘What I do and do not believe,’ is included in the Worship Words Longest Night Service resources.
“I am a retired United Methodist clergy person serving half-time at the Lattimer United Methodist Church in Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania, USA. I have represented my Annual Conference at various ecumenical and interfaith gathering. My wife, Anne, and I live with four cats.”
Lynne, a member of the Churches of Christ in Australia, has been writing prayers and liturgy for many years. Formerly both a primary school teacher and a professional musician, Lynne had to give up work for health reasons. She now assists theological students with proof-reading, concentrating mainly on students whose first language is not English. Her passions are reading, music, art, photography and social justice.
‘Chris was born in the rural county of Norfolk, England in 1948, where he has lived and worked for much of his life. Most of his working career has been spent in the agricultural industry. His love of nature, the countryside and the time spent within the agricultural industry is very much reflected in much of his writing.’ His work is also posted on Silent Flight Publications.
Joan, a Lay Preacher in the United Reformed Church, worships at Salisbury United Reformed Church.
An hymn writer and ordained minister in the United Reformed Church, Ray serves as Development and Support Officer in the Wessex Synod.
Born in Victoria, Australia, George Stuart lives with his wife, Wendy, in Toronto, New South Wales, Australia. He received his Bachelor of Divinity at Melbourne University’s Ormond College. His career has been varied, beginning as an Industrial Chemist, then as a Church Youth Worker and as a clergy person in the Presbyterian and Uniting Churches. Subsequently he worked as a Personnel Officer/Manager, concluding his employment as a Rehabilitation Consultant. Hea and his wife are blessed with four lovely daughters, their partners and six delightful grandchildren. He has drunk deeply from life’s love and beauty.
George Stuart has written singable hymns with grounded, authentic and original lyrics set to traditional and familiar tunes. His “Singing a New Song” series includes 4 general volumes of new lyrics and 3 volumes (1 for each year) of new lyrics based on the Gospel readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. Indexes help one easily find tunes, titles, first lines and gospel passages used in 280 of the lyrics (George’s favourites). If you have the time to browse through the electronic versions of the books themselves, there are many more lyrics not listed in the indexes. The full musical scores are included beside the lyrics except when there are copyright law restrictions.
Thanks to George’s generosity, all of the lyrics published on his website are free of any copyright restrictions and limitations and thus are all available for your use.
George is happy to be contacted directly at george.stuart@exemail.com.au.
Brenda writes, ‘The United Methodist Church became my church home in 2000, when we emigrated from Canada to Southern California. A long personal journey brought me home: pastoring a local church. This foray into creative writing has been only a recent and surprisingly powerful endeavor.’
Amanda Udis-Kessler is a hymnwriter, songwriter, composer, and writer who specializes in music and lyrics for liberal religious people and communities, including inclusive, social justice-minded Christians, Unitarian Universalists, and other open-hearted religious traditions. She has served informally as composer-in-residence at Vista Grande Community Church (UCC). Her website, Queer Sacred Music, includes numerous songs (lyrics, scores and recordings) and worship items.
Thanks to Amanda for her generosity: ‘You have my full, express, written, and permanent permission to print my lyrics in full on Worship Words. Anyone interacting with your website has my full, express, written, and permanent permission to remove or copy any and all of my resources from Worship Words (and from my website queersacredmusic.com) and to freely print such resources for use in worship or other events and to adapt such resources for their immediate context as appropriate or desired (as long as such adaptations do not contradict the open-hearted and fully inclusive spirit of my materials).’
Several students at the United Church of Zambia University (UCZU) have submitted worship material reflecting contemporary worship in Zambia today. A special section called ‘Zambia Praise‘ has been created on Worship Words to house this growing resource.
