Reformed Worship welcomes thoughtful articles and imaginative worship planning resources. Please consider submitting a resource and review the helpful considerations below.  

Website Audience

  • Lay Volunteers, Paid Staff, Ordained Pastors: Some readers have musical, artistic, or theological training; some don’t, but all desire to lead their people in worship that is biblical and creative, expressive, and formative.
  • Reformed and Ecumenical: While grounded in the Reformed/Presbyterian theological tradition, Reformed Worship values its ecumenical base of readers and contributors and encourages articles and resources from a variety of traditions. We like to think of RW as biblical with a Reformed accent.
  • Diverse: Our readers and contributors come from around the globe, and have varying worship styles ranging from formal to very informal. There are those with organ and choir and those with worship teams and bands, those of primarily Anglo membership and those who worship in one of a dozen different languages. 

Resource Categories

  • Pick-Up-and-Use Liturgical Resources: While we do not presume any prescribed order of worship, we value the historic pattern of worship: gathering, word, table, sending. You can submit a stand-alone element of worship, a full service, or an entire series.
  • Reflective Essays and Teaching Articles on a topic about which the author shares insights and experience for the encouragement and edification of worship planners. The best of these reflective articles also include practical ideas for implementing the ideas proffered. They should be written in the style indicated below.
  • Video: original content: either a service recording or part of one for which there is an accompanying written submission or a video intended for use within a service and free for other congregations to download and use. In the latter case the video must utilize a creative commons copyright.
  • Art/Photo: original and submitted by the artist/photographer with the understanding that the images can be downloaded for free by other worshiping communities and therefore they must utilize a creative commons copyright.  
     

Writing Guidelines

Style

  • Informal (First-person is fine)
  • Quotations/References: Limited use of quotations with citations placed within the body of the article.
  • Copyrighted Material: All submissions must indicate the source for all the material not original to the submission (photos/litanies/prayers etc.). Also specify whether or not permission for use of included copyrighted material has been granted. If permission has already been granted please include any emails/letters showing that approval has been granted. Verbal agreements are not acceptable. If permission has not already been granted please include any information you have for how to contact the copyright holder.
  • Sidebars: Submissions can include sidebars that contain supporting resources or creative ideas that don't fit in the body of the text. Indicate what material belongs in a sidebar by simply using the heading “Sidebar.”
  • New Revised Standard Version (Updated Edition) is the preferred scripture translation. Other translations are accepted at the discretion of the editorial staff.
  • Gender neutral language for people is required when not referencing a specific person whose gender is known.
  • Inclusive: Submissions should be inclusive of people of varying abilities, ages, and cultures and should demonstrate an awareness of the broader Christian community.

Length

  • 1000–2000 words for articles (anything beyond 2,000 may be shortened).
  • No limit for worship services or other creative resources.

Format

  • Word or Google Doc attached via the submission form whose link is found below.
  • Include the author's name, email, and mailing address under the title.
  • Include proper citations, author/artist credits, and permissions for all material used.
  • Please keep consistent formatting throughout preferably following the Chicago Manual of Style.
  • Include hyperlinks where helpful.
  • Do not embed pictures, videos, or audio clips in the article but rather attach them to the form. You may indicate where the picture etc. should be embedded within the text itself (i.e. [insert X pic here]). 
     

Guidelines for Art/Photos

  • High Res
  • At least 1 megabyte in size
  • Include name of photographer/artist
  • You must have received and include proof of permission from the artist/photographer and any persons in the photo for the image to appear.
  • Clearly name each file and indicate where in the article you prefer them to appear but do not embed them in the submitted copy. 

How to submit

Use this submission form and follow the instructions for attaching your submission and accompanying material. Your submission will go through a review process and you will be notified if it is chosen for inclusion. 

Things you will be asked to do/include when filling out the form:

  1. Short biography—about two sentences covering where you live and work.
  2. Author headshot(s)—a close cropped photo of your face is best in a jpg or tiff file.
  3. Attach the article/resource along with any supporting material, photos etc.
  4. Include citations for any quoted material or worship elements that you did not write, as well as permission to use any photos or supporting material.
  5. Accept an agreement that Reformed Worship and its publisher will be allowed to edit and utilize the material in print and other media.