Writer’s Guidelines

Who Can Write for Reformed Worship?

  • YOU! We particularly encourage lay persons and worship staff to submit resources that have been a blessing to your worshiping community. Rural or urban, small or large, please consider sharing your blessings.
  • Reformed Worship (RW) Subscribers: preference is given to articles and resources from subscribers and those in the larger RW community.

 

Guidelines

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.
  • Ecumenical: 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, 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. We do not presume any prescribed order of worship, though we hope the historic pattern of worship (Gathering, Word, Table, Sending) should be fairly clear.

Style

  • Informal (First-person is fine)
  • Quotations/References: Limited use of quotations if possible with citations placed within the body of the article. 
  • Copyrighted Material: All submissions must indicate the source for all the material (photos/litanies/prayers etc.) and specify whether or not permission for use of included copyrighted material has been granted, with emails/letters showing that approval has been granted or information for where it can be attained.
  • Sidebars: are utilized for supporting resources or creative ideas that don't fit in the body of the text. 
  • New International Version or New Revised Standard Version are the acceptable scripture translations. Other translations are accepted at the discretion of the editorial staff.
  • Gender Neutral Language for People when not referencing a specific person whose gender is known.

  • Inclusive of people of varying abilities, ages, and cultures, and an awareness of the broader Christian community.

    Articles written for an academic audience or in an academic format are discouraged and less likely to be published. 

Length

  • 1000-2000 words for articles (anything beyond 2,000 may be shortened)
  • No limit for worship services/resources

Format

  • Word or Google Doc attached via the “Submit an Article” form found on this page.
  • Include author’s name, email, and mailing address under the title
  • Include proper citations, author/artist credits, and permissions for all material used
  • Use consistent formatting
  • Include hyperlinks where helpful
  • Do not embed pictures, videos, or audio clips in the article but rather attach them to the form or provide a link to  a drop box

Photos

  • High Res
  • 11X16 inch size preferred
  • at least 1 megabyte in size
  • Include name of photographer
  • You must have received and include proof of permission from the photographer and any persons in the photo for the image to appear in all versions of Reformed Worship.

  • 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 instruction for attaching your submission and accompanying material.

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

  1. Short biography - about 2 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.

*Currently we do not include author pictures or photos on the website but whether you are submitting for the blog or the journal we encourage you to include them in case we decide to include your submission in the print/digital version of the journal where they are included. 

Other Information

Due Dates

  • Advent/Christmas/Epiphany -April 1
  • Lent/Easter -July 1
  • Ascension/Pentecost -September 1
  • Thanksgiving/World Communion/Reformation Day -January 1

Categories

  • Pick-Up-and-Use Liturgical Resources:
    • Entire Worship Service(s) -one service or a series that follows a theme or scripture which should include some of the following:
      • Sermon summary or notes
      • Music Selections (with possible alternatives)
      • Notes on any visuals with pictures
      • Links to audio/visual
      • Litanies
      • Children/Youth involvement
      • Prayers
    • Individual Worship Resource(s)
      • Litany
      • Poem
      • Prayer
      • Visual idea
  • Reflective Essays, Teaching Articles, and Blogs on a topic in 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 above. 

 Suggested Topics

  • Worship and Vocation
  • Worship and Mission
  • Worship in Difficult Times
  • Justice and Lament
  • Hope
  • Visual arts and worship space
  • Sacraments
  • Intergenerational worship planning and leading
  • Multicultural worship
  • Christian year