We had a great time leading a Rest Is Worship weekend for the Thrive Network of Baptist Spouses.

People were asking for links to resources we used. Our Leaders' Resource eBook contains a complete set of songs, hymns, prayers and contemplative activities which can help churches and small groups enter into rest in worship. It even has a six week series you can run in your church on the theme of The Rest Is Worship.

You can also hear our The Rest Is Worship EP on Spotify.

Friday Night

We began with this prayer from St Anselm of Canterbury:

  • Come now,
    turn aside for a while from your ordinary employment.
    Put aside your worldly cares.
    Let your distractions wait.
    Free yourself for a while for God,
    and rest in him.

We sang "Blessed Be Your Name (10,000 Reasons)".

"Come Away From Rush And Hurry" We used these lyrics by Marva Dawn to the tune of Here Is Love Vast As the Ocean (the linked version uses Nettleton). Sam also changed the final two lines to read: "All our longings find contentment / in his everlasting life."

We than sang Stuart Townend's "The Lord's My Shepherd".

At the end of the session we used Lead Me To A Place Of Rest as a moment to be in God's presence.


Saturday Morning

We started with God So Loved (Come All You Weary) - an upbeat, joyful song by We The Kingdom, reflecting the Matt 11:28-29 passage. See our cover version here:

We sang "I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say", and "Be Still And Know".

We used one of our Pause/Pray podcasts for reflection.

During the teaching Sam refrenced two podcast interviews - with Kate Middleton and Saundra Dalton Smith.

Lord May Our Resting - we closed the mornign session with Sam's hymn to the tune of Be Thou My Vision.

Saturday Afternoon

We sang "Holy Forever", and then the interactive Resound Worship song "All Our Voices":

Martha: Sara played this great song by Hannah Hodges during her talk.


Sunday Morning

We sang "Strength Will Rise (Everlasting God)", and "Dear Lord and Father Of Mankind", leading into "All Who Are Thirsty".

"Lord Of The Sabbath": We used this amazing hymn by Keiko Ying.

Sara led our Emmaus Communion.

We sang "Living Bread" during the distribution.

We closed with "Lord May Our Resting" and “We Go With Jesus”.