The Work of the People: Telling the Story of the Congregation Through Worship
10min 12 s
Rev. Anna Tew
Have you found your church caught in a pattern where worship is seen as a show performed by the pastor with the congregation being the audience? If so, you have a lot of company. The good news, however, is that worship services can be created that have that added spiritual crackle and energy that often results when more people are involved in leading worship. In this episode, Rev. Anna Tew shares some specifics of how her congregation has intentionally evolved in this direction.
The Rev. Anna Tew is a Lutheran pastor serving Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (ELCA) in South Hadley, Massachusetts. She has served the church professionally for almost 15 years in both parish and hospital settings. A product of several places, Anna was born in rural Alabama, considers Atlanta to be her second home, and adores living in rural New England and has stated adamantly that she is never leaving. She also loves things like hiking/backpacking, popular music, and running. Anna is deeply interested in what it means to be more fully human and whole and to integrate work, rest, relationships, nutrition, spirituality, and movement into daily life in ways that are sustainable and healthy. Finally, she feels contractually obligated to warn you that she is a CrossFit coach and recreational athlete in her spare time, but assures us all that she has no interest in suggesting that anyone do burpees unless she is intentionally contracted and paid by the potential burpee-er. She will, however, annoyingly remind you to stay hydrated. No one really drinks enough water, you know.
- Recorded in July of 2023
- Listen to more from Rev. Anna Tew
