Passionate Worship is how we describe special worship events here at Saint John's. These events are created by an appointed committee whose purpose it is to develop special and meaningful ways to stay closely connected with God. The main goal is to collectively create some unique services for various times in the liturgical year.
The Passionate Worship Committee (PWC) creates events that are meant to comfort, awaken, encourage, and assure. The search is always on for new visuals, new music, new readers, new authors, new art work, and plenty of scripture. Not surprisingly, there is a great sense of community among committee members who have these goals in mind. It is a blessing to spend time looking for new ways to be in communication with God, and with each other.
Services designed by the PWC are usually offered in the evenings, are meant to be thought-provoking while enriching and enhancing our spiritual lives. The work of the committee includes finding prayers, music, readings and creating other sacred moments that help to bring focus to a particular theme or season. The work includes the gathering of materials (readings, pieces of music, Biblical references) that could encourage reflection on current events, the recent past, or what might be (or should be) in the future.
The PWC studies the calendar year and chooses various events or seasons to create a worship experience. These can include All Saints Day, Advent (including the Longest Night Service) and Lent (including the Stepping Stone Service). Holy Week is a particularly large project for PWC, which is annually embraced by the committee with its countless opportunities for creativity, and spirituality. Peace, Prayer, and Quiet Reflection, have been brought to light through short Taize sessions– something new that the committee introduced this past year.
We hope that you can attend an upcoming Passionate Worship event and join us in connecting with God through music.