YOUNG ADULT SUNDAY
MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Michelle Riley Jones, Lectionary Team Liturgist
Worship Planning Notes
[There are more than twenty] million people between the ages of
18–late 30’s in the U.S. with energy, ideas, creativity, and passion.
It must be the priority of the Church to empower this generation to
use their gifts for the benefit of people and the purposes of God.
We believe there is a dynamic opportunity for young adult
ministry in your area, regardless of time or location.
—Assemblies of God USA Young Adult Ministries
This Young Adult Sunday worship service should underscore the Church’s awareness and active engagement in focusing on the needs of their millenials (persons ages 18 to mid-30’s) and those in their community, to ensure that they get connected to and remain connected to Christ during the many transitions with which they will have to deal with in this phase of the life.
At this stage, young adults are in college or just finishing college, trying to determine what their vocation will be, starting careers, or climbing the corporate ladder. They may be newly married or considering marriage; some are considering parenthood or may be new parents.
Young adults want worship that is relevant to their lives—to their experiences as well as to the turmoil and transitions with which they live. Worship for young adults who are struggling with questions, and dealing with life’s transitions, should guide them and help them live out their questions as a faithful response to the Gospel. Worship should help young adults with the issues of identity, intimacy, and courage. Worship that addresses issues of vocation (Who am I?) and relationships with God (Who am I in Christ?), with the world, and with others (What is God’s will for my life?) provide fertile ground to cultivate young adults in finding their place in the church and in the world.
Such worship experiences should point to a vertical relationship with God, a horizontal relationship with others; and at the intersection of their vertical and horizontal relationship there must be a “cross”-functional relationship that enables them to be a conduit for others to come to Christ.
In the design of the Worship Service, look for ways to connect the traditional with the contemporary, and/or introduce new ways of presenting the Gospel. However, avoid dead ritualism (sometimes seen in traditionalism), as well as entertainment and worship manipulation (sometimes seen in contemporary services). Consider the following:
- Provide for a convergence of musical styles
- Introduce a traditional hymn that has been arranged in a contemporary style
- Include scripture readings from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible or The Message Bible translation
- Consider new preaching/teaching styles for this service
- Utilize multi-media, spoken word/poetry, visual arts, and dramatic arts in the service.
Young Adults want to be involved, to make a difference, and would rather participate in service than talk about it. Consider the following:
- Utilize young adults in all regular aspects of worship life in your congregation. Include them as Sabbath/Sunday School lesson facilitators, musicians, greeters, ushers, etc.
- Match skills and interests with short-term projects in the church. For example, if you have college-age students who are studying elementary education, ask them to work with your weekly Sabbath/Sunday School or annual Vacation Bible School as a way for them to gain more experience working with kids. Those skilled with computers can work with community computer training initiatives or your media ministry; and so forth.
- Acknowledge and celebrate how God has used young adults in your congregation.
“Other Recommendations” (Number 13) provides links to several young adult ministries that have multi-faceted programming.
1. Litany or Congregational Reading
Call to Worship
(a) Stand Up Straight and Praise the Lord! By Sherrie Dobbs Johnson
Stand Up Straight and Praise the Lord!
(Based on Luke 13:10-17)
Lift up your heads. This is not place to be bowed down.
We’ll stand up straight and praise the Lord!
Leave last week with last week. This is a new day, and, we will listen to the Lord.
We’ll stand up straight and praise the Lord!
We have no reason to be ashamed. God knew all about it before we opened our mouths to confess, and God still loves us anyway!
We’ll stand up straight and praise the Lord!
Congregational Reading
(b)
They Call Us the Millennials
| Leader: |
God has brought forth this generation of young adults, who
are chosen to fulfill God’s divine call for a new generation of leadership. |
| Young Adults: |
The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said “An angel has spoken to him.” |
| Congregation: |
The promise of the Gospel is that all nations would be blessed; and the Gospel is for all people, all nations, all tribes, and all languages. |
| Young Adults: |
They call us the Millennials—using technology as quickly as it evolves to receive and share information that shapes the attitudes and beliefs of our generation. |
| Congregation: |
All wisdom and understanding comes from God. Use what God places in your hands, not only for fellowship, but also to enable the Good News to be spread widely and rapidly, in ways that plant people firmly on a solid foundation. |
| Young Adults: |
They call us the Millennials—we share a commitment to the greater good over individual gain. |
| Congregation: |
Selflessness is the way, Christ’s way, to finding your true
selves. Do not obtain everything that you can imagine and lose your soul. |
| Young Adults: |
They call us the Millennials—highly involved in community and national service. |
| Congregation: |
Take nothing for granted for no one knows when God shall return. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depends on it. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—and do it cheerfully. Be generous with what God gave you. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything. |
| Young Adults: |
They call us the Millennials—we believe that new leadership is transforming our government, our workplaces, and our communities; and that God has called us to this leadership to carry out the purposes of God. |
| Congregation: |
Get going! God is giving you every inch of land you set your foot on. In the same way God was with Moses, God will be with you. God will not give up on you; God will not leave you. Strength! Courage! You are going to lead the people. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. God, your God, is with you every step you take. (Joshua 1:1-9, MSG) |
| Young Adults: |
They call us the Millennials—We are not pessimistic about the future. Our help is in the name of the Lord, our God.
Where our Creator leads, we will follow. As we follow the Creator, we become leader for his glory. Amen and Amen. |
2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a)
Count on Me. By E.E. Hewitt. Tune by J. Lincoln Hall
(b) Ready. By A. C. Palmer. Tune, (TILLMAN), by Charles D. Tillman
(c) Stand Up for Jesus. By George Duffield, Jr. Tune, (WEBB), by George J. Webb
3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a)
Woke Up This Mornin’. Negro Spiritual
(b) A Charge to Keep I Have. Negro Spiritual
(c) We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder. Negro Spiritual
(d) Ain’t Got Time to Die. Negro Spiritual
4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) Speak Into My Life. By Heidi Stampley
(b) Lead Me Jesus (Remix). By Gregory O’Quin
(c) All of My Help. By Percy Gray, Jr.
(d) We Worship You. By Generald Wilson
5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a)
Connected to the Kingdom. By Daniel Moore and Ted Winn
(b) With My Hands Lifted Up. By L’Tanya Moore
(c) O Se Baba. (Thank You Father). Nigerian Praise Song. This is a wonderful liturgical dance
rendition of this praise song!
6. Anthems
(a) God Made Our Hands. By Miller. Arr. by Hawley Ades
(b)
The Glorious Medley. Arr. by Omar Dickenson. “Glorious Is Thy Name” by B.B. McKinney; “Glory to His Name” by Elisha A. Hoffman; and “My Tribute” by Andraé Crouch
7. Modern Songs
(a)
Great Expectations. By JJ Hairston
(b) Look at Me. By Walter Hawkins and John “Bucky” Tillery
8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) Heaven Have Your Way. By K. Levar Gray and K. Younger
(b) Just Wanna Thank You. By Excelsior
(c) Thank You. By Branden Anderson
(d) Se Baba. (Thank You Father). Nigerian Praise Song
9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a)
Breathe on Me. By Natalie Grant
(b) Draw Me Nearer. By Leslie-Ann G. Valley
(c) I Will Do a New Thing. By Audrey Byrd
(d) Savior, Lead Me Lest I Stray. Text and Tune, (LEAD ME), by Frank M. Davis
10. Sermonic Selection
(a) The Winner in Me. By Michael Clemmons, Kerry A. Smith, and Arthur “Buddy” Strong
(b) Just to Know. By Rodney East and Karima Kibble
(c) Transformation. By Lawrence Flowers
11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) I Trust You/I’ll Say Yes. By Lynn Keeseck and Demetrius McClendon
(b) Purpose Driven Life. By Myron Butler, Smokie Norful, and Melinda Watts
(c) God Made an Exception. By Nolan Williams, Jr.
[Sridhar, Note that areas in #13 are different colors KEEP ALL THE COLORS]
13. Other Recommendations
(a)
View the African American Lectionary’s “BIG IDEA” for August 2009 for an overview of an innovative worship service for young adults, “Forever 21,” developed by Fellowship of the Fountains Church in Stafford, Texas.
(b) View these links for vibrant young adult ministries:
(c) View these links for additional worship ideas:
Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed
Worship Planning Notes
Quotation from Assemblies of God USA Young Adult Ministries found at http://youngadults.ag.org/ accessed 16 October 2009
1. Litany or Congregational Reading
Call to Worship
(a) Stand Up Straight and Praise the Lord! By Sherrie Dobbs Johnson.
Location:
Davis, Valerie Bridgeman and Safiyah Fosua. The Africana Worship Book: Year C. Nashville, TN: Discipleship Resources, 2008, p. 77. Used by permission.
Congregational Reading
(b) “They Call Us the Millennials.” By Michelle Riley Jones
2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Count on Me. By E.E. Hewitt. Tune by J. Lincoln Hall
Location:
The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. Nashville, TN: Triad Publications, 2005. #444
Church of God in Christ. Yes, Lord! Church of God in Christ Hymnal. Memphis, TN: Church of God in Christ Pub. Board in association with the Benson Co., 1982. #408
(b) Ready. By A. C. Palmer. Tune, (TILLMAN), by Charles D. Tillman
Location:
The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #439
(c)
Stand Up for Jesus. By George Duffield, Jr. Tune, (WEBB), by George J. Webb
Location:
African American Heritage Hymnal. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, 2001. #476
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Bicentennial Hymnal. Nashville, TN: A.M.E. Zion Publishing House, 1996. #432
The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #409
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1985. #618
Yes, Lord! Church of God in Christ Hymnal. #29
3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a)
Woke Up This Mornin’. Negro Spiritual
Location:
African American Heritage Hymnal. #566
(b)
A Charge to Keep I Have. Negro Spiritual
Location:
African American Heritage Hymnal. #467
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Bicentennial Hymnal. #439
The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #436
Location:
African American Heritage Hymnal. #464
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Bicentennial Hymnal. #603
Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. Chicago, IL: GIA Publications, 1987. #54
The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #217
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal. #627
Yes, Lord! Church of God in Christ Hymnal. #363
Location:
The Abyssinian Baptist Church Choir. Abyssinian Baptist Choir. New York, NY: Global Village Music, 2009.
4. Gospel Songs for Choirs or Praise Teams
(a) Speak Into My Life. By Heidi Stampley
Location:
Stampley, Micah. Ransomed. Interface Records, 2008.
(b) Lead Me Jesus (Remix). By Gregory O’Quin
Location:
Various Artists and Greg O’Quin & iPraise. Rejoice in the Spirit. New York, NY: Universal Music Group, 2009.
(c)
All of My Help. By Percy Gray, Jr.
Location:
New Direction. Destiny. Franklin, TN: New Haven Records/Provident, 2009.
(d)
We Worship You. By Generald Wilson
Location:
Wilson, Generald & the F.A.M. I Live to Praise—I Live to Worship. Florissant, MO: Generald Wilson & the F.A.M., 2009.
5. Liturgical Dance Music
(a) Connected to the Kingdom. By Daniel Moore and Ted Winn
Location:
Winn, Ted. Balance. Newton, NJ: Shanachie Entertainment, 2009.
(b)
With My Hands Lifted Up. By L’Tanya Moore
Location:
Radiant. Atlanta, GA: L’Tanya Moore, 2006.
(c) Se Baba. (Thank You Father). Nigerian Praise Song. This is a wonderful liturgical dance
rendition of this praise song!
Location:
6. Anthems
(a) God Made Our Hands. By Miller. Arr. by Hawley Ades
Location:
Pine Forge Academy Choir. Rock in a Weary Land. Pine Forge, PA: Pine Forge Academy Choir, 2007.
Pine Forge Academy Choir
P.O. Box 338
Pine Forge, PA 19548
Online location: www.pineforgeacademy.org/choir
Location:
GIA Publications, Inc.
7404 South Mason Avenue
Chicago, IL 60638
Phone: 1-800-GIA-1358
Online location: www.giamusic.com
Product #G-7357
(a) Great Expectations. By JJ Hairston
Location:
Youthful Praise. Resting on His Promise. Nashville, TN: Light Records, 2009.
(b)
Look at Me. By Walter Hawkins and John “Bucky” Tillery
Location:
Tillery, John & Living Sacrifice. The John Tillery Project: The Next Level. Washington, DC: John Tillery, 2007.
8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) Heaven Have Your Way. By K. Levar Gray and K. Younger
Location:
Levar, Kevin. Let’s Come Together. Baltimore, MD: Habakkuk Music, 2008.
(b)
Just Wanna Thank You. By Excelsior
Location:
In His Hands. Minneapolis, MN: Vital Sound Entertainment Group, 2006.
(c) Thank You. By Branden Anderson
Location:
GI. God’s Image. New York, NY: Worldwide Music, 2009.
(d)
Se Baba. (Thank You Father). Nigerian Praise Song
Location:
9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
(a) Breathe on Me. By Natalie Grant
Location:
Aikin, Crystal. Crystal Aikin. New York, NY: Verity, 2009.
(b)
Draw Me Nearer. By Leslie-Ann G. Valley
Location:
Rhema Worship & Praise. The Experience. Nashville, TN: Rhema Christian Ministries/Alliant, 2006.
(c)
I Will Do a New Thing. By Audrey Byrd
Location:
African American Heritage Hymnal. #568
(d)
Savior, Lead Me Lest I Stray. Text and Tune, (LEAD ME), by Frank M. Davis
Location:
African American Heritage Hymnal. #473
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Bicentennial Hymnal. #285
Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #233
The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #239
(a) The Winner in Me. By Michael Clemmons, Kerry A. Smith, and Arthur “Buddy” Strong
Location:
Coko. The Winner in Me. Nashville, TN: Light Records, 2009.
(b)
Just to Know. By Rodney East and Karima Kibble
Location:
Kibble, Karima. Just Karima. Nashville, TN: N Season Records/Life Music, 2009.
(c) Transformation. By Lawrence Flowers
Location:
Lawrence Flowers & Intercession. Major in Ministry, Minor in Music: “The Experience” Live. Jacksonville, FL: Lawrence Flowers & Intercession, 2009.
11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) I Trust You/I’ll Say Yes. By Lynn Keeseck and Demetrius McClendon
Location:
Pugh, Earnest. Earnest Pugh Live—Rain on Us. New York, NY: Worldwide Music, 2009.
(b)
Purpose Driven Life. By Myron Butler, Smokie Norful, and Melinda Watts
Location:
Watts, Melinda. People Get Ready. New York, NY: Razor and Tie, 2009.
(c)
God Made an Exception. By Nolan Williams, Jr.
Location:
inSpiration. Washington, DC: NEWorks Productions, 2007.
12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) If Jesus Goes with Me. By C. Austin Miles
Location:
African American Heritage Hymnal. #555
The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #443
Yes, Lord! Church of God in Christ Hymnal. #497
Location:
The New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition. #443
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal. #377
Location:
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Bicentennial Hymnal. #632
Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal. #222
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal. #69
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