Customer Reviews

Taught by Love: Worship Resources for Year A

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We have used this book as a resource for our worship and it is so appropriately titled. The love that it displays to the people in our congregation is wonderful. The words fit even when we had special occasions like Men's Day or Youth Sundays. I feel truly blessed to have discovered this resource because it makes my job of doing the weekly bulletin so fulfilling as I read the words for our weekly service. I am looking forward to next year's edition.

These worship resources have not only helped me create meaningful liturgies, but have also led me into conversation with the lectionary readings so that my sermons are strengthened as well. Coming from a progressive Reformed tradition within the United Church of Christ, the author has provided a full range of resources, including original hymn texts with tune suggestions, for each week. She does remind worship planners not to put all of these resources into any given service. It is advice well worth heeding.

Occasionally the writing gets wordy in a prosaic way, language that does not rise to the needs of human encounter with the divine. But I have never found a week when this applied to more than a couple of the resources provided. I keep this one handy.

I bought this book as a reference. I already had looked at someone else's copy so I knew what I was getting. This book provides you with material to put a worship service or order of worship together. I am using it for the Presbyterian church, I don't know if it is used in other churches. It has a series of prayers and meditations that are useful to follow the lectionary calendar. It suited the purpose for which I bought it. I would not have bought it if I hadn't needed it for church services.

For those of us pastors who are faced with the prospect of trying to provide for meaningful worship Sunday after Sunday after Sunday, Bayler's book is a marvelous resource. His language is good, the readings and responses are appropriate and it is clear that Bayler has a gift for language. I've used his resources for the past several years, he has a book for each different year in the Revised Common Lectionary--and have never been disappointed with what he has presented as a guide. As far as I am concerned there is not a better resource for worship preparation.