September 2000

John D. Witvliet, Editor. ©1999 by Choristers Guild (CGBK64; www.choristersguild.org); published in cooperation with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (www.calvin.edu/worship); distributed by the Lorenz Corp., 501 E. Third St., Box 802, Dayton, OH 45401. 125 pp. $19.95. Reviewed by Carrie Vroege, Prospect Park, New Jersey.

Anne Francis drove alone to church last Sunday night, the car silent in light traffic, Frank sitting back home in front of some scandalous segment of 60 Minutes.

“How long has it been,” he had said, “six weeks now, maybe?”

She knew what he was thinking because she was thinking it too.

“I know it’ll be a prayer service tonight,” he told her. “I can feel it in my bones, Annie. I’m just not up for sharing tonight, so I’m sitting this one out.”

Hal H. Hopson. Carol Stream: Hope Publishing, 1999 (Code 8013).1-800-323-1049. 222 pp. $49.95.

Sunday morning has arrived. The children are dressed in clean clothes. Once seated in the pew, mom and dad breathe a sigh of relief and worship begins. Or does it? In our attempts to keep the kids quiet, most parents pass out the candy and become adept at the meaningful glance. The result? Kids become skilled not at worship but at daydreaming the hour away. So even though the family can make it through a service of worship, they may not be worshiping God together.

In the front of the church where I worship, we have always had a beautifully proportioned cross that is mounted against a light-colored wall. This wall is lit from both sides, and where the light mixes in the middle, there is the most interesting vertical stripe of light. Because of its prominence and the lighting, I wanted to do something with the cross--something different than our usual crown of thorns and purple cloth, perfectly draped for Easter. Something for Advent.

Responses to the Hosea Service Series for Advent

At the beginning of our fifteenth year of publishing Reformed Worship, we’re introducing a few changes. You may have already noticed some new design features; more significantly, we welcome Ron Rienstra as new associate editor. Ron is an ordained minister in the Reformed Church in America; he’ll be working with us while also continuing his association with Calvin College, where he directs student-planned and -led worship services every Sunday night during the school year.

New from CRC Publications

Three more Scripture Alive: Dramatic Readings from Scripture scripted by Bert Polman are now available. $14.95US/$21.70CDN. Order by phone (800-333-8300) or on the web: www.crcpublications.org.

God Speaks, Creation Listens: The Story of Beginnings
(40 minutes; order no. 415112)

Savior of Her People: The Story of Esther
(40 minutes; order no. 415110)

Heal Us Today: Stories of Jesus the Healer
25 minutes; order no. 415111)

Excerpt

Music Suggestions

Organ Music

“The King Shall Come” by Michael Burkhardt, Five Advent Hymn Improvisations (MorningStar MSM-10-004, 1991)
“The King Shall Come When Morning Dawns” by David Johnson, Preludes and Postludes, Volume 2 (Augsburg 11-9319, 1973)

Partita on “Freu dich sehr, O meine Seele” by Johann Pachelbel, Selected Organ Works, Volume 4 (Kalmus 3763, reprinted by Belwin Mills)