Course Catalogue

Designing and Leading Christian Worship (Multiformat) TRS1041

  • Academic Session: 2025-26
  • School: School of Critical Studies
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 1 (SCQF level 7)
  • Typically Offered: Either Semester 1 or Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: No
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

This course is an introduction to designing and leading Christian worship services utilising theological and historically rich patterns and practices and adapting these to participants contemporary church context. It will stimulate participants to be reflective, recognise how worship works and become more skilled at designing and leading meaningful, participatory acts of church worship. This course is accessible to those in a church who are beginning to lead acts of Christian worship and for local church leaders who wish to refresh their understanding and practice.

Timetable

In person delivery: 3 x 4 hours on full days (probably 3 Saturdays but perhaps a weekend intensive) - we would use a local church for this in-person teaching since it would be an appropriate setting to practice speaking

3 x 2 hours seminars online 

Requirements of Entry

None

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Reflective assignment - 800 words, 30%

 

Portfolio (1500 words) - 70%, consisting of:

- Plan and prayers for service of worship (750 words) - 35%

- Critical reflection (750 words) - 35%

Course Aims

This course aims to:

• Explore what happens in Christian worship, theological and historical principles, and the creative processes used to form and structure worship services;

• Provide participants with a learning environment to develop critical reflection, confidence and skills to lead worship services in their context;

• Engage participants to reflect on their own church tradition and the use of a wide range of worship and musical resources

•Provide the opportunity to write or select prayers, music, readings and other elements and combine them into an integrated worship order that is biblically centred, sensitive to context, and engages participation.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• Reflect critically on the task of worship leading and their own experience of worship in order to develop their practice of convening and leading acts of Christian worship;

• Assess common patterns and practices to Christian worship and some of the theological and historical roots;

• Apply creative, historical and contextually-appropriate resources to designing worship for particular contexts;

•Develop skills in convening and leading worship

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.