300th Anniversary

Worship Resources

A number of worship resources are available, including two packets and several songs. Your computer will need Acrobat Reader to allow you to view these files. If you do not have Reader on your computer, a free download is available.

Every congregation received a resource packet in the fall of 2006. Among other things, it included a variety of worship resources which can be used by congregations as they celebrate the anniversary.

Additional worship resources are also available. They are provided below as a single packet and as individual files for each type of resource.

• Additional worship packet (full)
• Gathering
• Litanies
• Prayers
• Offering Meditations and Dedications
• Benedictions
• Meditations
• Poetry/Rap
• Messages for Children
• Interpretive movement
• Call to Worship

The Anniversary Committee commissioned the creation of three pieces of music in honor of the anniversary: a praise song, a hymn, and an anthem.

• Lord, Empower Us to Love is a Praise Song composed by Ron and Linda Sprunger, members of the Brethren Church. While it can be easily sung by the congregation, they also arranged it as a hymn/anthem to be sung by choir and congregation.  Download a copy of the form to order published copies of the anthem score.
• Speak, O Lord is the anthem, with text and tune by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, arranged by John Ferguson.  Copies of the anthem can be ordered from the publisher at a reduced cost using this form.
• More information about the hymn will be available soon.

The following other anniversary songs are also available.

• O God, We Come Before You, hymn, text and music by Barry Deardorff
• Surrender to God, hymn, text by Jean Lersch, music by Charles Bame
• Prayer Hymn, hymn, text and music by Carolyn Egolf
• To Serve Our Neighbor's Good, anthem, text by Earle Fike Jr., music and arrangement by John Barr
• To Serve Our Neighbor's Good, hymn, text by Earle Fike Jr., music and arrangement by John Barr
• Surrendered, Transformed, Empowered, hymn, text and music by William E. Miller.

In addition, Shawn Kirchner, a Church of the Brethren composer, has had one of his songs, previously recorded by Kindling, published as an anthem. "Cornerstone" draws on both the scriptural foundation for the anniversary as well as the image of a church being built on Jesus the cornerstone. Interested persons can preview the anthem and order it from Santa Barbara Music Publishing at sbmp.com.