A Living Liturgy: SALU’s Weekly Planning Gathering Builds Worship with Heart and Hands
At SALU, worship is more than a Sunday event; it’s a shared journey rooted in faith and guided by the presence of God. Each week, a planning meeting pulses with prayerful reflection, lively discussion and open-hearted collaboration. Up to fourteen individuals regularly gather, but the invitation is open to all. Every voice is welcome as we shape our worship together.
The meeting is guided by the person who will lead the reflective/sermon part of the upcoming service, bringing focus, depth and intentionality to the conversation. Prayerfully seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the group revisits the previous Sunday’s service – not to dissect, but to deepen – by identifying where the Spirit stirred, where the flow faltered, and where more space might have been made for an encounter with God. These insights inform and, where necessary, reshape the structure of the following Sunday’s worship. As the group turns towards the next week’s theme and scripture passage, they do so with a spirit of listening and discernment, always seeking to shape and contribute tangible ideas for the upcoming service. Within this shared space, individuals have grown in faith and deepened their own personal relationship with God.
The liturgy is shaped by those who gather, with each person bringing their own gifts, talents, and spiritual insights. As contributions are woven into the fabric of worship, they enrich it with depth and diversity. Together, they form a golden thread that runs through the service, connecting scripture to the call to worship, the scene setter, prayers, hymns, reflection and application.
Those reading the scripture and leading in intercessory prayer are drawn from separate independent rotas, reinforcing the sense of collective ownership and shared responsibility.
This weekly rhythm isn’t just organizational; it’s also transformational. It empowers leadership, nurtures creativity, and deepens connection across the congregation. Through this model, SALU embodies a living liturgy: one that listens, responds, and evolves with its people. Moreover, the service becomes a Spirit-led tapestry, honouring the presence of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, while continually focussing on the life-giving ministry of Jesus.
