A quick google search. A casual conversation. A few hours of brainstorming. A few rough drafts. Those were the elements that comprised a team effort leading to a generous grant given the Chicago Church of Christ to promote Worship Renewal in our congregation.
In December of 2008, Dwana Hirschman and Milton Hammuck found an organization, the Calvin Institute of Worship Renewal, with a quick on-line search. After sharing that information with me, I pursued some more information, and after the selection of a Grant Proposal Team and a few rough drafts, we submitted our final Grant Proposal during the first week of January, 2009.
Our proposal caught the interest of the Worship Renewal Committee, and in late April, after a series of discussions and a few tweaks to the budget, we were told that we had received a Grant in the amount of $10,250 for Worship Renewal in the Chicago Church of Christ! Here are some of the key definitions, components and personnel involved in our plan for Worship Renewal.
Description and Definitions
1. The Chicago Church of Christ is a multi-cultural, inter-generational group of about 1,900 disciples, with a Sunday Attendance of over 2,600. Our desire is, through the ministry of Worship music, dance, and drama, to promote a deeper understanding and unity between black, white, Hispanic, and other cultures, while at the same time striving to bridge generational differences in both congregation and community.
2. Our congregation is evolving out of a long tradition of a cappella-only, horizontally-focused worship music, with less attention given to vertical worship, drama and dance. In introducing and encouraging ‘new’ (for us) expressions of musical and dramatic worship, and marrying them with our 
traditional historical approaches, we desire to help people not only accept, but energetically embrace, worship that highlights the ‘first languages’ of our different cultures, and to break down barriers – racial, cultural, and generational – in our congregation and communities. As we have begun the process of worship renewal over the past two years, we have seen a greater evangelistic appeal in working both with our youth and with our local communities. We are gifted with very talented and passionate musicians and performance artists, and believe that they can help to lead our people and our neighbors into a deeper, more meaningful vertical connection with the Almighty.
3. Authentic Worship takes the believer, in his mind and heart, from the mundane plane of this world to the sublime and holy presence of the Almighty. We enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise (Psalm 100:4). In worship, as we approach and enter the Holy of Holies,
we forget the differences – racial, cultural, or generational - which at one time defined us, and come to grips with the blood that unites us.
Vertical Worship – deep, personal, and energetic – has the profound ability to transport people in ways that nothing else can. Through the media of music, drama, dance, and the visual arts, we hope to help each worshipper sense a greater connection and conscious of the immanence of God, and as a result live more powerful lives ‘walking in the light of His Presence (Psalm 89:15).’
Dave Eastman has served as a minister for over 25 years in the churches of Christ. He received a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Florida, has completed two non-accredited Ministry Programs in his years in the ministry, and is a published author and songwriter. For the past five years, he has focused on teaching Worship and producing Worship Teams, and he was appointed in the past year as Congregational Worship Leader.
Rick Biordi has been a member and leader in the Chicago Church of Christ for over 15 years, serving full-time, part-time, and as a volunteer in numerous roles. He started playing guitar, piano & drums at the age of 7 and has been playing professionally or semi-professionally since the age of 14. Over the last 15 years he has performed at venues all over the U.S., including the Rose Bowl in California, and has recorded CD’s with many professional artists.
Ralph Beerhorst is a Composer, Arranger, Producer, Keyboardist, and Vocalist who has worked with clients such as Disney, Sony, the NFL, Nintendo, McDonalds, and many others. He has worked with numerous professional musicians, such as Ramsey Lewis, Bobby Vinton, Brian McKnight, Buddy Guy, and dozens of others. In 2006, he received a Daytime Emmy nomination for original music composed for the Oprah Winfrey Show. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz Studies from DePaul University.
Shaun McNicholas wears numerous hats, being a gifted artist, technology expert, lighting designer, and sound designer. In our congregation, Shaun has served with distinction in all areas pertaining to sound design and implementation, lighting, computer graphics, and all things visual, for groups numbering up to 10,000. He is especially gifted at communicating complex concepts to others with limited technical understanding.
Carole Baskin is a soloistwho performs regularly in and around the Chicagoland area. She has extensive experience in the production of choirs, and works closely with Lara Jenkins (see below) in putting together choirs and praise teams.
Lara Jenkins serves as the main vocal teacher for our congregation. She has a B.A. in Music/Vocal Performance from Columbia College, Chicago, IL. She was one of the founding members of a Women's Ensemble called UNITY that produced a CD in 2002. In addition to all this, she is also a professional singer who performs both inside and outside the church, as she sings with multiple bands and orchestras in and around the Chicagoland area.
Catina Moore has served in the worship ministry as an alto singer in the choir, an actor in dramatic presentations, and lead choreographer for worship dance. Although a busy wife, professional, and mother of two, Catina has an burning passion for worship and generously shares her gift of the Arts. She specializes in combining forms of dance – ballet, hip hop, worship, jazz, stomp, etc, which has produced an inspiring intergenerational appeal.
Milton Hammuck serves full-time with the church as Chief Financial Officer. He has a degree in Finance from Northern Illinois University.
Congregational Grant Renewal Team
We are pleased to have each of our seven Ministry Centers represented by key leaders in the Worship Arts. These people have generously agreed to participate in numerous meetings, read books and articles, and share in discussions centered on Worship Renewal in each of our Ministry Centers. Central Ministry Center: John Becker, Shayne Purdue, Josh Lutz, Chris Coomer, Ty Ellis, Cynthia Neal. Chicagoland Ministry Center: Jeremy Lefler, Cyndi Walls, Steve Bradley, John Hyon, Jerome Collins, Steve Pederson. Greater Westland Ministry Center: Curt Ammons, Bill Orchard-Hayes, Nick Lefler, Rob Easler. Metro Ministry Center: Tina Crawley, Lara Jenkins, Carole Baskin, Shaun McNicholas, Dell Jenkins, Wendy Ellis. North Suburban Ministry Center: Ralph Beerhorst, Rick Biordi, Clint Larr, Braxton Kieft, Jinky Kieft. Southland Ministry Center: Jim Dyes, Catina Moore, Frank Cole, Darin Shea, Yvonne Williams. Dekalb Ministry Center: Sam Hastings
Having selected our leadership and renewal team, we have begun to determine key elements in our plan for Worship Renewal. Here is the plan in its basic (and ever evolving) form.
Conduct a series of six meetings over the next twelve months with the Grant Renewal Team (hereafter, GRT). Participants will read selected books, watch DVDs, and prepare thoughts for thorough and ongoing discussions on the following topics: A Definition of Biblical Worship, Effective Worship Renewal, Cross-Cultural Worship, Intergenerational Worship, Experiential Worship, and Using the Arts in Worship.
Conduct Worship Renewal Weekends in each of the seven Ministry Centers, using lessons we’re learning along the way.
Produce a series of ‘Worship Jams,’ Sunday evening worship concerts for members to come together, learn new songs and new styles, and enjoy periods of focused worship. These will be put together with input from the GRT, and will utilize Worship Teams from around the Church as well as visiting artists and teachers.
We are very excited about what the next year will hold. We are grateful for the generous grant from the Calvin Institute of Worship Renewal, and look forward to a stimulating and transforming year as we seek the Lord more and more passionately. Please pray that this venture will have impact here in Chicago and well beyond our city. And pray that God will prepare all our hearts as we learn to love him more and more, with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength.
Dave Eastman, Project Leader
posted by Jerry Maday