Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church

Annual Report 2011: Worship Council

Report submitted by Jerry Van Marter on behalf of Worship Council members: Ada Asenjo-Bartlett (chair), Dana Butz, Andrea Trautwein, Mary Love, Ana Lara, Steve Cochran, Lily Priel, Rebecca Barnes-Davies and Jerry Van Marter; new members Soni Castleberry and Gayle Trautwein; and staff Jane Larsen-Wigger, Debbie Dierks-Washington and Schuyler Olt.

Worship is at the heart of every Christian community and historically has been particularly important to the life of Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church. The Worship Council works closely with the pastor and music director to assure that worship at Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church fulfills the constitutional mandate found in the Directory for Worship of the PC(USA) Book of Order that:

“Christian worship joyfully ascribes all praise and honor, glory and power to the Triune God. In worship the people of God acknowledge God present in the world and in their lives. As they respond to God’s claim and redemptive action in Jesus Christ, believers are transformed and renewed. In worship the faithful offer themselves to God and are equipped for God’s service in the world.”

Regular, ongoing activities overseen by Worship Council include:

·        Ensuring that preachers are arranged for on Sundays when Jane Larsen-Wigger is not present.

·        Ensuring that instrumentalists are arranged for on Sundays when Debbie Dierks is not present.

·        Ensuring that ushers and greeters are arranged for each Sunday.

·        Ensuring that liturgists are arranged for each Sunday.

·        Ensuring that communion is prepared on Sundays when the sacrament is celebrated.

·        Ensuring that sound system operators are arranged for each Sunday.

·        Providing artistic liturgical enhancements (banners, drapery, vestments) throughout the year.

Other Worship Council highlights in 2011 included:

·        Our first Guatemalan-focused worship service.

·        New banners for the sanctuary, thanks to Beth Yeager.

·        Plans for Eco-Justice Worship services in 2012, led by Rebecca-Barnes Davies.

·        Plans to conduct Healing and Peace services (note name change to more accurately reflect the purpose of them) every other month in 2012 beginning in February.

·        Arranging for other worship services throughout the year, including services for Healing and Peace; Taize services during Advent and Lent; Advent service on Christmas Eve; Lenten service on Ash Wednesday. Holy Week services on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter.

·        Arranging special liturgical emphases for Advent, Christmastide, Lent, Pentecost and Ordinary Time.

·        Incorporating interpretation of the four churchwide special offerings (Christmas Joy, One Great Hour of Sharing, Pentecost and Peacemaking) as well as stewardship into worship at appropriate times throughout the year.

·        Ensuring that our Guatemalan partners were remembered and prayed for each Sunday.

·        Working with staff to incorporate special emphases into the worship life of the congregation – for example, a planned “Celebration of Gifts” during the month of February 2011.

·        Ensuring that persons of all ages were included in worship leadership each Sunday.

·        Ensuring that a variety of sacred music styles were incorporated into worship regularly.

·        Ensuring that a diversity of linguistic and cultural expressions of Christian faith were incorporated into worship regularly.

·        Ensuring that a variety of prayer styles were utilized in worship so that CHPC prayer time is never rote.

·        After several years of faithful leadership, Ada Asenjo-Bartlett concluded her service as chair of Worship Council. She is succeeded in 2012 by Jerry Van Marter.