School Chapel Worship

As many of our schools grow through an influx of students from outside of our denomination and outside of our country, how do we nurture new students, not only as Christians, but also into the strengths of Lutheran worship? This session will share research into current practices with chapel services in our elementary and secondary schools. It will address preaching, liturgical ideas, using the lectionary, music, encouraging young musicians, and ideas for creating a worshipful setting in gyms or other multipurpose spaces. This session will apply to any who participate in or have an interest in worship in our schools.

Bio | Joel Gawrisch

Pastor Gawrisch has served at New Life in Shoreview, Minn., for the past nine years. He is the Minnesota District Worship Coordinator and has also been involved with the Schools of Worship Enrichment and the rites committee for the WELS Hymnal Project.

Bio | Michael Marquardt

Mike has been the choral director at St. Croix Lutheran Academy in West St. Paul, Minn., since 2017. Before that he enjoyed 14 years as a teacher and music director at Peace in Hartford, Wis. He has served on district worship committees in the Southeastern Wisconsin and Minnesota Districts, the hymnology curriculum committee, and the WELS Hymnal Project. He holds a Master of Church Music degree from Concordia University Wisconsin.