The Rev. Dr. Samuel Torvend will speak at Church Depot Feb. 17

Worship will be the topic at the next Church Depot day, and held in one of the most beautiful new churches in the Lower Mainland.

Church Depot is a joint venture with the BC Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and "Worship - Linking Liturgy and Life," Saturday Feb. 17 takes place at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in North Vancouver.

With a new glass window recently installed, the church building shows an imaginative use use of space and art in worship. Church Depot days are framed in worship, and on this day we will have the added opportunity to experience liturgy and music crafted from the new Lutheran resource, Evangelical Lutheran Worship.

In his book Twelve Keys to an Effective Church Kennon Callahan writes "Worship is extraordinarily important in the unchurched culture in which we are engaged in mission." He adds to worship the adjectives "corporate" and "dynamic."

Christian Schwarz in his book Natural Church Development identifies "inspiring" worship as one of eight essential qualities of a healthy church. However one looks at church life, worship is central to vitality, health, and mission.

The keynote speaker for the Worship event will be Rev. Dr. Samuel Torvend of Pacific University of Tacoma. His keynote address, 'Inviting the Earth to the Table' will challenge us to connect our worship with the Earth that God created and on which we live and draw our physical being.

Later in 2007, Church Depot will focus on other keys to an effective church. The next Church Depot on Saturday, March 10 will be focused on leadership.

The afternoon workshops being planned will cover music (titles and leaders to be confirmed); "The Gift of Water - Water and creation in baptism and stewardship" led by the Rev. Richard Stetson; "Emerging ways of Worship - Meeting People where they are," a clergy workshop with several leaders; and "God Talk - Telling God what you want! A workshop on intercessory prayer in the parish", led by the Rev. Elizabeth Northcott and team.

For more information or to register, call Bettina Gruver, 604 684-6306 (ext 226), or email bgruver@vancouver.anglican.ca