Course Dates:
October 30 – December 1, 2023
(No class during Thanksgiving Week (November 20 – 24))
For many lay speakers, the prospect of leading worship can be an intimidating. This course will help you prepare to lead worship or do “pulpit supply” with confidence. It fulfills requirements for “Leading Worship” and “Planning Worship” needed for Lay Speaker Certification.
The course focuses on basic understandings of worship and skills:
- United Methodist worship history
- the logic of “The Basic Pattern of Worship”
- skill development in planning, reading Scripture, and assisting with sacraments
- settings where Lay Servants may lead worship
- other roles in worship leadership
Course expectations:
- Access to the The United Methodist Hymnal (1989) and The United Methodist Book of Worship (1992). All other course materials are included.
- Daily assignments and timely online postings. Plan for 1.5 – 3 hour daily engagement.
- In addition to Blackboard interactions, 4 optional Zoom meetings will be scheduled based on Doodle poll of students. The meeting will be recorded.
This class has been approved by Discipleship Ministries as an advanced course in Lay Servant Ministries. It is the “worship” class required for Lay Speaker certification.
This course is eligible for 1.5 CEU.
Quick Info:
Number of weeks: 4
Price: $95
CEUs: 1.5
Required books: Yes
Blackboard: Yes
Zoom: Yes, optional
Certification or Series: Yes (Lay Servant Ministries)
Read course description for details.
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Image credit, lower left corner: Luke Lucas 2015, used with permission
Image credit, upper left corner: Mike DuBose 2015, for UMNS
About the Instructor
Daniel Benedict is invested in worship planning and leadership as a scholar, writer, practitioner, and teacher for more than 50 years. He has taught this course with hundreds of LSM students since 2006. He served 12 years as director of worship resources for Discipleship Ministries. Daniel’s ongoing work focuses on ordering the life of the congregation around the means of grace, crafting liturgy, and the work of presiding and assisting in worship. He has a strong sense of vocation to encourage and lead clergy and congregations to richer and more frequent celebration of the Eucharist as normative Christian worship. He is author of Patterned by Grace: How Liturgy Shapes Us, a basic resource for laity.
Past Learners Said…
“I really liked the interaction with Daniel. He read each of our entries and gave such good feedback. He always asked thoughtful questions which encouraged us to think and dig deeper. He is just an excellent, engaging instructor. He’s what I liked best about the course!”
“I most appreciated all the rich content! It was so much more than I expected.”
“Daniel presented an in-depth course that balances theological and historical knowledge with practical application,
and training. It is thorough, deeply spiritual, and helpful for all levels of need and student engagement.”
“Daniel is a compassionate, knowledgeable leader who gave options, which is important when dealing with busy adults. The transition from one topic to the next was clear. A good mix of difficult, thought-provoking assignments with light-hearted easier assignments provided a nice balance.”
“The course instructor was very knowledgeable, professional and an excellent teacher. He provided an amazing number of resources, and commented on every post with valuable insights. Interaction with other students on Blackboard was very helpful in learning.”
“Of all the classes I have ever taken, including high school, college and numerous continuing ed, this was one I wish would have never ended. Dan Benedict truly blessed all in this class and brought us wisdom. It should come with a warning label, be prepared, you’re going to learn more about church than you ever thought you could!”
“The course really broadened my understanding of my own role, and of the possibilities in serving as a leader in worship. The depth and breadth of resources was challenging, engaging, and provides material for further contemplation and study.”
“The materials were fantastic! I am so pleased to have them saved on my PC for later reference. Dan obviously put a lot of thought and effort into this course–bravo. I can’t think of a thing I could suggest or anything I would change. It was a privilege to take the course and a blessing to be in communication with the other participants.”
“Daniel presented material that is crucial in our development of leading worship. And the questions from the material are ones that not only caused us to reflect, but to critically think, and to also stretch and grow us in our call of leading worship. I know this class will help me be a better Certified Lay Speaker.”
“This course was much more than I expected it to be and really expanded my horizons. The instructor was excellent. He obviously is an expert in his field, but he didn’t make his students feel inadequate but rather was extremely patient and gently led us to think through things on our own. He made excellent suggestions, rather than telling us what to think. He also went above and beyond in responding to students’ posts and questions. He answered emails promptly and shared his telephone number and was open to having students call him to ask questions or just talk about the course materials. This was one of the best online courses I’ve taken.”
“Participants with any level of experience leading worship–from beginner to those with many years of experience–will find their knowledge base and skills greatly increased.”
“I wish every member of our church would take this course. Our worship service has taken on a whole new meaning to me. I will never approach worship in the same way for the rest of my life.”
“This was a thorough and comprehensive course on the Basic Pattern of Worship along with detailed components on reading scripture, and Holy Communion. It was a lot of work but the effort that I put into it paid off. I now feel more confident and more competent in participating in our Sunday morning worship.”
“Both course and instructor far exceeded my expectations. My understanding and acceptance of UM doctrine, values, and practices have been greatly enhanced. The materials for this course are also exceptional. With what felt like very little pressure, students in this course grow! I needed this learning. Now, I feel much more equipped to serve. This was a great course, thank you!”
