Reformed Worship, a quarterly journal for worship planners, is celebrating its 20th anniversary by making its archives and current issues available online.
Except for some songs and artwork protected by copyright, 80 issues’ worth of original litanies, meditations, dramas and other inspiration can now be found at www.reformedworship.org.
“Good resources really don’t go out of date,” says Emily Brink, the magazine’s founding editor, who recently retired.
The archives show how worship formats and practices-—as well as the magazine’s content—have changed over two decades.
“There’s more awareness of the worldwide body of Christ,” Brink notes. “Worship has a more international flavor, but there’s also an appreciation for ecumenism.”
Another change is the introduction of worship committees so that churches don’t rely just on the senior pastor to plan worship services.
And technology has been integrated into worship—so much so that RW now devotes a regular column to its use.
“There’s this idea that churches have to use media to reach the community or to reach youth,” new editor Joyce Borger says. “I don’t think you have to—hospitality, for example, is a very significant way to reach out.
“But we also have these gifts of technology for good reasons—to help those with visual impairments, to learn new songs, to display art. So we talk about PowerPoint, about screens, and about how and why to use them.”
The journal will continue to showcase visual and dramatic arts and emphasize the integration of preaching with worship.
To subscribe to Reformed Worship, call 1-800-777-7270 or visit www.reformedworship.org.
