We're launching our first online, classroom-sized course on Developing Creativity for Gathered Worship. This will be taught by Sam Hargreaves as five 90-minute sessions, spread over ten weeks to allow space in-between for engaging in practical exercises.

Our aims are:

  • To release and equip church leaders into greater creativity.
  • To empower & encourage creative people to craft gathered worship resources.

We will share from our breadth of experience in creating a spectrum of worship resources, including visual arts, poetry, music, digital media and more. We will help each person attending to grow in their own creativity and artistic expression. Participants will then be given skills to shape their artistic talents into vibrant, accessible worship resources for use in church. 

This course will be run on Thursdays 11am-12.30pm on Zoom.

The dates will be 1st, 15th and 22nd May, 12th and 26th June 2025. (Note these are not strictly fortnightly - 22nd has been moved due to half term).

Capacity - limited to 15 people to ensure space for discussion and feedback.

Cost - £50, £30 unwaged. Includes links to further reading/viewing.


OVERVIEW (subject to development)

Week 1 - Developing Creativity (ARTIST)
Intro: bringing together the Artist, Liturgist, Designer and Pastor
Hallmarks of growing as an Artist
Tools and exercises for developing creativity 

Week 2 - Creativity and Worship (LITURGIST)
Playing with the Bible 
Being creative with liturgical movements
Engaging with the seasons 
Encouraging interaction

Week 3 - Honing and leading creative resources (DESIGNER)
Honing ideas as a team
Making ideas accessible
Leading invitationally

Week 4 - Reviewing and improving (PASTOR)
Knowing and caring for your congregation
Review and critique process
Plus: looking at submissions and feeding back

Week 5 - Next steps
How to continue growing
Fostering a culture of creativity in worship
Plus: looking at submissions and feeding back


ABOUT THE TUTOR

Sam Hargreaves has rich experience in both producing creative resources and training others to do so. He is an accomplished songwriter and his work with Engage Worship uses visual art skills, creative writing, digital art and more. As a lecturer at London School of Theology he has taught numerous courses, including Multimedia & Multisensory Worship, for the past 15 years.