Submission information for Words for Worship II

Deadline: September 30, 2008

Submissions have closed. If you have an entry that you would still like to submit, you may e-mail it to Diane Zaerr Brenneman. Please include the following information in your e-mail:

1. Name (as you wish it to appear in print)
2. Email address
3. City, State/Province
4. Category of piece (Gathering, Prayer of Thanksgiving, etc)
5. Other notes for editor
6. Name and date of publication, if previously published
7. The worship resource you are submitting (please limit to 2500 characters):

Please Note: Late entries are not guarenteed inclusion.

Do you like to write?
Do you enjoy leading worship?
Are you moved by particularly good word choice in worship?

Then you’re invited to contribute to a second volume of the popular Words for Worship. This book will be geared to Mennonite lay worship leaders, pastors, and friends in the larger Christian family who are attracted to Mennonite thought and worship.

We are seeking original Mennonite worship resources that fit well within the Table of Contents listed below. You may submit up to a dozen samples of your work. Look through your past worship materials, or write something new. We especially encourage younger or new writers to submit.

We’re looking for:

  • theologically interesting language that is fresh, earthy, inviting, colorful, vivid, and concrete
  • resources that avoid over-used traditional words
  • fresh images that represent important concepts of our faith in new ways
  • youth and child-friendly resources
  • works that are faithful to the content of Scripture and the gospel of Christ
  • words that members of the congregation can “appropriate as their own and that  both express our experience and form us for a deeper experience.” (The Worship Sourcebook. 2004. CRC Publications, Grand Rapids.)

Your submission will indicate your acceptance of these terms, should your work be selected for publication:

  • This is a labor of love without monetary remuneration but we will look for public arenas in which to honor your work.
  • Your name, city, and state/province will be included with your work.
  • All works are likely to be edited for consistency without further consultation with the author, unless major revisions are required.
  • We won’t be able to notify you regarding whether or not your work has been accepted, however we will guarantee that your work will not be used for any other purpose without consultation.

Guidelines:

  1. The length of resources is not set in stone, but in general we want to fit two pieces per page. Therefore shorter is better, with 225 words as a good rule of thumb.
  2. For ease of use, responsive readings are not to exceed 3-4 sets of leader-to-people, or other combinations of congregational exchange.
  3. Prayers may be spoken in unison by the congregation, singly by the leader, or responsively.
  4. We are looking for resources that involve the congregation as much as possible, yet do not require added length/printing. Example: a refrain the congregation can learn and repeat.
  5. Resources that are read only by the worship leader are also needed.
  6. Inclusive language is requested. Please use gender-neutral terminology for people, and a variety of expansive language that represents the rich complexity of God—not just “Father” and “He”.
  7. All submissions should be made via this site, using the text field provided below, unless other arrangements are made with the editor. Please submit each worship resource separately. You may submit up to 12 different resources.

Table of Contents:

I. All Seasons
            Gathering
            Praising
            Confessing/ Reconciling
            Praying
                        Healing
                        Prayers for illumination (pre-sermon and scripture)
                        Intercession
                        Petition
                        Thanksgiving
                        Trinitarian
            Responding (witness and affirmations of faith)   
            Offering
            Sending

II. Christian Year
            Advent
            Christmas
            Epiphany
            Lent
            Easter
            Pentecost
            Ascension Day
            Transfiguration Sunday
            Trinity Sunday
           
III. Special Times-
            Morning and evening prayers
            Blessings 
                        Parent/child
                        Animals (St. Francis Day)
                        Birth of a child
                        Life Cycle: graduations, retirement, wedding anniversary
                        Pastors sabbatical or change of leadership
                        Members transfer or withdrawal
                        Welcoming new members
            Laments
                        Divorce
                        Loss of home or job
                        death
                        When your country declares war
                        Natural disasters
                        Pandemic events
            Dedication (things)
                        A new building
                        A book
                        Closing a church
            Commissioning
                        Elders
                        Volunteers/ committee members
                        Youth group going on a service trip
                        Anyone leaving on service or study
           
IV Special Services
            Longest night
            Christmas Eve candle-lighting service
            Ash Wednesday
            Maundy Thursday
            Good Friday
            All Saints Day/ Memorial Day/ Eternity Sunday

Questions?

Please contact project editor Diane Zaerr Brenneman at parsondzb@netins.net