By Rodney Shores Rodney Shores (D.W.S., Zeta 2005) serves as Pastor of Worship and the Arts at Tampa Covenant Church (Tampa, Florida), Assistant Professor of Worship Ministries at Trinity College of Florida (New Port Richey), and director of Voce di Vita, Le Petit Choeur, and Mannchor of the Gulf Coast Youth Choirs (Tampa). In January...Read More

David Neff’s June 2010 Commencement Address: I grew up in a congregation where worship was so Word-centered that it often tried to usher beauty out the door in the name of truth. It might have succeeded had it not been for my father, who loved choral music and believed that God was a god of...Read More

The purpose of the Alternative Response to the Word is to communicate our response to God as a result of having heard and received God’s word in worship. It is an acknowledgement that we have truly listened to what God spoke to the community through the Scriptures and the sermon, and that as a result...Read More

This past Advent, I began chanting psalms in my daily devotions. I’m doing so using the eight ancient plainsong chant tones that have their origins in the Gregorian musical revolution of the middle of the 1st millennium, as recovered and restored in the late 19th century.Read More

A “new song” celebrates God’s deliverance from exile. Sometimes the song is the deliverance. Singing transforms experiences and changes perspectives. Such is the case with Dante Alighieri’s (1265-1321) Divine Comedy…Read More

Ancient-Future Worship: Always Both-and, Never Either-or By Darrell A. Harris Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on the IWS website in February 2009. “What has been before will be again,” my paternal grandmother said. She often saw the events of the past not only recurring in the present, but giving shape to the future...Read More

The following is an excerpt from Carla Waterman’s forthcoming book—All isWell: Feminine Graces in the Formation of Faith—available soon at www.lulu.com. This book explores five statements spoken by or to Mary, the mother of our Lord, “on the days when Gabriel is not conspicuous and the wise men have gone home.” The book seeks to...Read More

How do we know when to give up hope? As soon as the words had escaped my lips I knew it was a mistake. I should have spent just a few more seconds thinking about the question before I had opened my mouth. But it was too late. Download the rest of the article to...Read More

Introduction Recently I had major surgery that dictated I have a minimum of four weeks recovery. During that time I was to stay out of the office and do no rehearsing of the choir. In preparation for the time away, I met with four of the gifted choir members who also happen to be conductors....Read More

The Story of God. That was the recurring mantra for Robert Webber in his last months and years as he relentlessly worked for worship renewal in the 21st century. He was passionate about re-introducing the Christian community to the necessity of worship narrating God’s story of creation, Fall, redemption, and re-creation. Bob wanted us all...Read More