The word "liturgy" literally means "the work of the people" -- so the active participation of everyone in the congregation should be the goal of Christian worship. Designed to help you attain that sense of full partnership, "The Work Of The People" provides you with a full year's worth of eloquent resources for thoughtful, reverent services. It's a comprehensive collection of liturgical prayers and readings for 52 Sundays, with each week's material based on a common subject (Freedom, Hospitality, Peace, and Stewardship are just a few examples). Written in everyday language that connects them to our daily lives, the prayers are conceived for congregational reading (either responsively or in unison) -- and their thematic unity will lead to reflection and insight in addition to praise and celebration.
The components for each week include:
- call to worship
- invocation
- call to confession
- prayer of confession
- words of assurance
- Psalm reading
- offering sentences
- prayer of dedication
- benediction
- scripture references (as possible texts for homilies based on the theme)
John H. Will is a retired pastor in the United Church of Christ. In addition to serving churches in Texas, Indiana, and California, Will has been a missionary in Honduras and Foreign Service officer for the U.S. State Department. He is a graduate of Rice University and Eden Theological Seminary. Will and his wife Johanna live in Burleson, Texas.