WORSHIP AND ARTS MINISTRY

Worship matters in our church and lies at the heart of how we understand ourselves together.   The Worship and Arts Ministry oversees all aspects of worship:  texts, ceremony, music, liturgical orders, and the nuts-and-bolts of who does what.  

We value the heart of Lutheran worship - gathering people around the means of grace, which is the saving Word of God and the sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism. We celebrate Holy Communion as our normative weekly gathering for worship at all weekend services. CRLC follows a three-year lectionary as the basis for hymn selections, prayers, confession texts, biblical lessons, etc. We also follow the liturgical calendar, observing the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter and Pentecost.

We strive to worship in a way that opens us up to hear God's voice, draws us to one another, and points us outward to all the people in the world. At CRLC, we strive to plan worship services that speak about and to the whole people of God, rather than one segment or age group. CRLC has contemporary worship elements interspersed throughout the year with regularity, but not lumped into one service each week. We include music of all ages and styles and from a variety of places in the world, and we use visual aids to enhance the pont of the proclaimed Word. Worship that happens here and now is always contemporary!

To learn more about worship at CRLC, click on our worship booklet.

Opportunities to serve in worship:
Greeter
Usher
Lay Reader
Communion Assistant
Acolyte (lights the candles)
Altar Guild (cares for Communion ware and linens)
Flower Committee
Nursery Volunteer
Choir Member
Cantor (soloist who leads worship)
Instrumentalist

Music Ministry
The role of music in worship is to support the praise and prayers of those who have assembled. Music always seeks to enhance various elements in worship, rather than take the main focus in worship. The role of choirs, cantors, and instrumentalists is always to lead the assembly in its song.

Most often one of the choirs presents special music during the gathering of the gifts, based on the theme or readings for that particular day or season. They also lead the singing of the hymns and psalms, as well as teach new music to the assembly.

Music Groups at CRLC

Adult Choir provides music leadership at worship on Sundays from September through mid-June, usually at the late Sunday service.  Although the focus is on leading the assembly in its song, the choir sings a variety of styles of music ranging from classical to baroque to gospel to contemporary. Rehearsals are usually from 7:00 to 8:15 PM on Wednesdays in September through early May. During Lent the Adult Choir may practice on Sunday mornings.
	Children’s Choir is intended for children in grades K-6.  They usually practice Wednesdays from 6 to 6:45 PM from September through May.  In this group we learn many things about worship and singing well, including these goals: Finding the “head voice” Diction Matching pitches Learning rhythm Learning the various elements of the liturgy Developing self-confidence Working within a group to make beautiful sounds Giving an outlet for creative self-expression learning to appreciate music and various styles of music
Ruah! Musicians is a group of singers and musicians playing percussion and acoustic instruments who lead worship about once a month. Adults and youth join together for rehearsals about twice a month, preparing music for the assembly as well as teaching new music. A unique aspect of summer at CRLC is worship in our Outdoor Chapel with music led by the Ruah! Musicians.
Instrumentalists perform throughout the year, sometimes with a choir, and often in leadership of hymns and liturgy songs.
Organ, Harpsichord, Piano CRLC is blessed to have several useful instruments for worship: Schlicker pipe organ, Yamaha piano, and a harpsichord.  Organ In 2011, a 1973 Schlicker pipe organ was moved to CRLC and is an excellent pipe organ to lead worship. It has enhanced assembly singing greatly, providing high quality sound with lots of distinction and clarity to carry singing well in a sactaury with good acoustics. Read more about the Organ Project or see Organ Specifications. Piano A Yamaha upright piano has provided fine leadership in worship since the sanctuary was completed in 1990. (Piano was used exclusively from 1990 to 1994 before a pipe organ was installed.) It is often used to accompany the choirs and Ruah! Musicians in addition to leading the assembly in singing many contemporary songs. Harpsichord A refurbished harpsichord allows us to hear this unique sound when playing early music. It is a small continuo instrument which is used to accompany the choir ocasionally and play preludes and offering music about once a month.