What's New, May 2026
Blessings in this Easter season!
Easter Sunday is now a month past. May, with its promised spring flowers, has arrived. However, in Alberta as I write this, we seem to be still in the grasp of winter. Just when we think spring is peeking through, we wake to another blast of snow. In other parts of Canada, I hear that spring is arriving—so I have hope that it will find its way here.
This long period from an early Easter until summer can be a challenging time for worship leaders (clergy and lay). There was a quick turnaround from the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season into the Lent-Easter season, and after Easter, we may feel like we are recovering from a marathon but still needing to forge on. The situations in the world and the demands of congregational life also may leave us feeling depleted, even discouraged and fearful.
So give yourself a break! Remember that the antidote to discouragement and weariness is not working harder. It is being together and having some fun with other people. Worship happens in many forms.
Have a service that is all about singing people’s favourites. Play cards or board games after church (though some of our Presbyterian ancestors may not be pleased). Host a square dance. Plan a worship picnic, following Jesus’ example.
And lean into the resources in Gathering:
• You might try out the guitar/acoustic bass arrangement for “Abide with Me” by Jim Findlay for your service of song. Or try The Lord’s Prayer for Ukulele Church by Linnea Good.
• In the Name of Holy Love: Prayers of the People by Robin Wardlaw may be just the prayer your congregation needs.
• From our Pentecost 1 2026 issue, spend personal time with Prayers for the Preacher’s Wild Soul by Wendy MacLean.
Pentecost Sunday is just around the corner. Here are some resources that can help with your worship planning:
• The Spirit of the Lord Is Upon Us: A Prayer by Nora Vedress
• Breath of Life, in Your Wisdom Grant Us Knowledge and Grace by Shannon Duffus
• On Fire–A Pentecost Communion Service by Gord Dunbar
• Twenty Balloons: A Children’s Story by David Lander (also great for adventurous adults)
• On the Day of Pentecost – A Day Just Like Today by Whitney Bruno
We have our summer services laid out for you or whoever will be leading worship, with lots of planning ideas and worship suggestions. And these can be used any time of year!
• Celebrating Trinity
• Teach Us to Pray
• A Day at Camp (in one hour)
• God Is Calling
More pre-planned services can be found by typing “Bulletin and Ideas” in the search bar.
If you like the idea of bulletins that are re-useable for multiple weeks for July and August, with some slight adaptation, try out these for Year A scriptures:
• July 2017
• August 2017
As you wait for spring (on the prairies) and summer holidays to roll around, we’d love it if you took a few moments to send along your original worship ideas, prayers and services to Gathering. Just send them as is, and we will do the editing! Gathering works best when we share our resources and inspiration!
Your work as worship leaders is cherished, more than you often know. We notice the time, the love, the faith and the energy you put in, in the midst of all the other demands of congregational life. As we send this email, we are holding you – worship leaders across Canada and beyond— in our hearts and prayers.
Many blessings,
Susan and Alydia
