Here are some of the responses we received when we asked “What is something that The Soil and The Seed Project does really well?” 

• “The Music!”

• “Making music that has a lot of genuineness to it. And I really love how they make a huge effort to make things free. It’s a really cool and hard thing to do.”

• “Sets Scripture to music”

• “Resources and options, availability of resources, fun events for everyone, amazing music and liturgies.”

• “It is wonderful that your resources are free, this is great for small congregations that have a had time with paying for curriculum.”

• “Genuinely engaging with the kids in a non-condescending way. Also, all the crafts and sensory items at the fall festival are wonderful! S&S materials are easily accessible to children/families of all abilities.”

• “Music!!! Liturgies help me stay in quiet worship, engage in prayer.”

• “The Matthew Folk Opera is top tier. I have been listening to it on loop and it is a helpful resource for getting to know and share the story of Matthew’s gospel.”

• Writing the little liturgies in a way that is accessible to a wide range of ages. Also, I really love music that is straight scripture.”

• “Makes beautiful and accessible resources for faith formation…”

• “They produce high quality materials that convey scripture and faith in straightforward and understandable ways.”

• “Generosity”

• “Creating Scripture-based music that is catchy and memorable.”

• “Professional, quality product, easy to follow/understand liturgy and enjoyable music”

• “In a world and church that is easily divided, TSATSP remains focused on scripture, on relationship with Jesus and how that translates into our everyday lives. As a result, the project is appealing to many people across the wider church.”

• “packing solid theology into digestible biblically-inspired liturgical readings and songs” 

• “Events”  “The Live events are great as well.”

• “The TSATSP Little Liturgies offer a simple way to stimulate heart-centered conversation and prayer.”

• “Music that is deeply Christian and not cringy. I love your beautiful, scriptural, singable music so much.” 

What we learned about how people are using the project—in their homes, churches, organizations, etc.:

• People are using it exactly as we suspected– with their families.  “We read the little liturgy each night and listen to the song of the week. We play the cd on our cd player in (the) car and in (the) kitchen nonstop.”

• Some congregations are using it for Sunday school gathering times with their kids, or for their church’s children stories on Sunday morning.

• Some people just use the music from the project. 

• “I use your resources as a part of a traditional/informal Presbyterian Sunday morning worship, for a congregation of between 30-35.  I've also used the "Matthew" music to supplement a three month study series.”

• Some church leaders “used the material for our midweek children’s ministry.”

• “Our boys listen to the music at bedtime and during play. We often use the liturgy books as our evening family devotional.”

• Some people only use it digitally

• “We listen to the music a lot in the car as we travel as (a) family. I try to incorporate songs and liturgy into my church classes when appropriate”

• Some use it occasionally, others with great regularity: “We read the Sunday liturgies together every week.”     “As a throughline, soundtrack, commentary, and teaching tool for my life and the lives of those I connect with”

• “I give the youth in my church a seasonal challenge. If they do all the little liturgies (either on their own or with their family) for that season, they earn a gift card to the local ice cream joint. Get's some of them motivated to engage with it even if their family isn't.”

• “Sharing CD or link with family out of state, use as part of book club meeting, mothers and children support group.”

• “I love having a resource we can give for free to visitors to church, friends who love the music scene in town but who don't go to church, parents who are coming to the church for material resources, and friends in other states who don't have access to quality stuff coming out of their faith communities right now. We play the music on repeat in our cars. Our small group uses Little Liturgies before we eat. I love looking at the art and reading the poetry myself. The in person events have been formative in our family's bonding and recognition of being part of a larger Christian community in earthy and un-fussy ways. We have been using the chords in the songbook for home worship music learning (ukulele, guitar and piano).”

• “The most common way we use it has been in the car on the way to school. But now that are kids are older, we’re wanting to lean into the little liturgies more as some family time.”

• “We are using it as a basis for a "church without walls" in the park that aims to be intergenerational (among other things), and I listen to your songs in my car a lot.”

• We do it each night as a family. Someone here at work took extra copies to hand out at the soup kitchen where she volunteers.

• “listen to it almost every day”

• “I shared the resource with parents of young children in my congregation.”

• “CDs sent to congregation are all taken home. Newer attenders are taking them”

• “Friends and their moms weekly Bible study around the table. Music plays when our household needs to experience peace. Simple songs taught and led with our church’s wednesday night intergenerational Bible study sessions.”

• “Our family listens to the music - not at particular times, but fairly often, and both on physical CD and Spotify. We've also begun using the Little Liturgies with our children around the breakfast table.”

• “We listen to various TSATSP albums in our car with our kids a lot. Our kids ask most often for TSATSP or for Music Together songs (MT is the secular music education program they are involved in). Our 9 year-old will sit at the piano and teach herself to play TSATSP songs by ear. I listen to TSATSP songs on my own in the car or at work as well; it helps me pray and center myself.”

We asked our community what their ideas are for things that we could do differently or that would be new.  Here are some of the things that they said: 

• Deepen our work by providing more direct support to Children’s Ministries: “I think there would be possibilities to lean into the kids ministries since many of the songs are great for kids - host a kids music workshop, invite kids to practice and then sing some songs at a concert, host an instrumental music workshop where youth learn more about performing or leading worship in this style of music. In any of those events, time of games, connecting with other kids/youth, bible story times, etc could all enrich the experience.” 

• Create a guide for how to use the various resources that we’ve created

• Spend more energy “advertising” (telling others about what we’re doing)

• Help create more opportunities for people who aren’t near us geographically to experience “live shows” that they hear about through emails/social media

• Differentiate responses within the liturgies for older students and younger students (need more options for older boys especially)

• Video

• Create videos/tools for modeling how to use the Little Liturgies at home for families

• More resources in other languages (Spanish especially)

• Create bridge materials to correspond with denominational (Mennonite/Brethren) Sunday School curriculum scope and sequence

• Stand alone app (because family lives in low bandwidth area)

• Creating a resource like WorkingPreacher.org that people can use to find out which songs/resources are for the upcoming week easily –so that if congregational leaders want to use resources in worship, it’s easier for them to find.

• More coloring pages

• Notating the music for piano

• Festival of Booths Liturgy/more music connected to Hebrew Scriptures.

• A request to write more congregational singing that is easily accessible for corporate worship. 

We asked respondents what else they wanted to tell us.  Here are some of the things they shared: 

• “I was able to share a copy with a cousin who is terminally ill.”

• “It’s somewhat of a struggle for me to create a routine at home to do the liturgies with the kids - wondering if there could be a Facebook group or other structured group with other caregivers to connect on ways to create routine and use this with their kids.”

• “My adult children introduced me to TSATSP. The materials draw them closer to the Lord and others. They are sharing the materials with younger adults in their church. Thank you!!!”

• “This has been a tough year with discouragements in our little church - I've found volume 4 to be a soundtrack for my soul, particularly 'Holy One' and 'Praise to God (Whirlwinds)'. Thank you.”

• “Have worship and regional concerts around MCUSA (Mennonite Church USA)”

• “Music really resonates with what is happening in the world, I find comfort in singing along.”

• “We have friends who don't attend a church but who love music and several of the band members who play in other groups in town. They listened to the music and might attend the concert because of these connections.”

• “I was gifted a Little Liturgies book and CD by a professor at Eastern Mennonite (University), after I had the pleasure of keynoting an event at EMU. The intimacy of your liturgies is just perfect for the small church context...warm, gracious, and conversational. Y'all have been a blessing to my ministry this last year, so thank you!” (PCUSA Pastor)

• “I love that my kids have grown up singing the Word because of this project. It is hidden in their hearts. Thank you!”

• “As a father of young children. I've struggled to find a way to consistently have God moments in family life. Discovering your work has helped me significantly. We share it with everyone we have over for dinner.”

• “I love it that my 2 year old's favorite songs are "Because of Jesus" and "Do Not be Overcome by Evil." Not only is it beautiful how God's word is being hid in his heart, but also him running around the house singing has become a way for the Holy Spirit to convict and challenge me.”

• “I found your material in the chapel room inside the Dulles airport while waiting for my flight back to the country where I serve as a missionary. Since then I have kept up with new material and shared with others. It has helped me find fresh words and  rhythms in my personal time with God and also to write God’s word on my heart. Living overseas, I love the digital versions.”

• “I loved participating in the retreat for Shepherd's Tree!”