Worship services and resources for topics such as Advent, Earth Day, Generosity, and more to share with your congregation. Click the tabs below to review worship service examples.
If you would like to share your congregation’s worship ideas, successes or resources with others, please contact us.
Justice-related Advent readings:
A free resource from Plymouth Church UCC – Milwaukee
A retired minister in our congregation – Curt Anderson, formerly of First Congregational in Madison – wrote Advent Candle Lighting liturgies that draw on scripture and the words of Martin Luther King Jr. This is part of our liturgical response to the White Privilege curriculum from the national UCC.
The liturgy contains a responsive reading, a sung response, and a unison prayer.
Worship Ways – Elements for a Service about Generosity
This service to celebrate Generosity can be adapted to fit many different local congregations as you celebrate generosity. The service is available here.
Lay Testimonials
Testimonials by lay leaders help people in our congregations imagine what it would mean for them to become more generous. We encourage you to regularly include testimonials in your worship services and to make video testimonials available on your website and through social media.
- Directions on Testimonials are available here
- Example of Video Testimonials from First Congregational, Manhattan, Kansas, available at this YouTube link
- You may also find this video helpful as you plan out a testimonial
Sermons
“The Rhythm of Generosity” by Andrew Warner available at Sermon – The Rhythm of Generosity
Example of a Peace-centered Worship Service
Cynthia Bertsch, Reverend Gerald Bertsch, and Darryll Gumm designed and led the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. service at Ebenezer United Church of Christ in Sheboygan in January 2022. You may view this service on YouTube, and download a copy of the bulletin.
Creation Calls Us to Care! Resources for Creation-Centered Worship
The Creation Care Team of the Wisconsin Conference would like to think Rev. David Huber, pastor of Plymouth UCC in Eau Claire, and Kathy Bartilson, member of Namekagon UCC in Earl and Lay Academy participant, for their creative efforts in developing worship liturgies for Earth Day. We commend this worship service and additional resources to you for your use on Earth Day or any other day throughout the year when your congregation celebrates the wonder of creation.
2020 Earth Day Worship Resources
- Healing our Earthly Home Worship service order (Word)
- Healing our Earthly Home Worship service order (PDF)
- Sermon by Rev. John Helt as preached at Bethel-Bethany UCC in Milwaukee (video)
- Sermon by Rev. John Helt (word)
- Sermon by Rev. John Helt (PDF)
2019 Earth Day Worship Resources
- Water: Gift of Life service order (Word)
- Water: Gift of Life service order (PDF)
- Feast of Creation Communion Service (PDF)
- Children’s Sermon from Rev. Joylynn Graham, Plymouth UCC Dodgeville, Wisconsin (Word)
- Children’s Sermon from Rev. Joylynn Graham, Plymouth UCC Dodgeville, Wisconsin (PDF)
- “Water, Holy Water” resource material from UCC Creation Justice Ministries
The waterfall image can be used on your bulletin cover the day you use these resources.
2018 Earth Day or Arbor Day worship liturgy
The Creation Care Team of the Wisconsin Conference has created another worship liturgy for Earth Day for 2018. This year’s theme is The Gift of Trees. Great work, Team!
2018 Earth Day worship liturgy (Word)
2018 Earth Day worship liturgy (PDF)
The Gift of Trees puzzles (Word)
The Gift of Trees puzzles (PDF)
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