Call and Response

An essential source for planning throughout the Christian Year.

Call and Response: The 2025-2026 Abingdon Guidebook for Worship and Preaching is a trustworthy partner for any pastor, worship planner, laity or staff involved in planning worship services or sermons for their church. It is structured around the Christian calendar, rich with resources for Advent, Lent, Pentecost, and the other seasons and special days of the liturgical year. Each section provides the full text of all the calls to worship, responsive readings, offering invitations, benedictions, and other prayers and liturgies needed for worship services all year long.

Beginning with Advent and moving through the Christian Year, the resource includes sermon development prompts based on thematic and lectionary approaches. Throughout, worship practitioners of every experience level will find sidebars with instructive material related to the meaning, history, and logistics.

The volume is organized in two main parts: Part One reminds readers of the time-honored pattern of worship: Gathering, Proclaiming, Thanksgiving, and Sending. It explains the primary elements, such as the Call to Worship, Passing of the Peace, Affirmation of Faith, Prayers of the People, the sacraments, and Benediction. Examples with full text are provided for each.

Part Two provides ready-to-use prayers, litanies, and liturgies for each phase of the service. It is organized by liturgical season, with multiple options for each phase of worship. So, for example, readers can choose from a wide selection of Gathering Prayers during Lent, using the best words for their congregation each week of the season. The texts are based on the lectionary, but work well for thematic worship, too.

Features
· Full texts of prayers, litanies, and other liturgy for each phase of worship
· Organized by liturgical season
· Sidebars address special cases like trauma, natural disaster, current events, and patriotic days
· Examples and prompts for both lectionary- and theme-based sermons
· Liturgies for baptism and holy communion
· Sidebars with instruction about the meaning, history, and logistics of worship
· A wide and varied pool of contributor voices
· Material from ancient and contemporary sources
· Suggestions for engaging all generations together in worship

R. DeAndre Johnson is an ordained deacon in the United Methodist church, author, musician, and preacher currently serving as Pastor of Discipleship at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church in Houston, TX. He has been the music director, worship leader, and consultant for several churches and conferences, including United Methodist Church’s Exploration events, the General Conference of the United Methodist Church, and the World Methodist Conference. DeAndre has served as chorus master for the Houston Ebony Opera Guild and as a member of the editorial team for WorshipArts magazine. He is the author of Yes and Amen: A Prayer Collection and a contributor to The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer.