The best participants, says Lucia Savage, co-coordinator of the program, are those who know the congregation and are involved in other activities. Occasionally someone surprises her. She was coping with psychological problems, and we were concerned with her ability to handle pressure. But she was one of our most successful participants, and she brought wonderful new perspectives about our place in the world. The worship associates introduce elements of the service such as the meditation, the readings, children's stories, and music.
People love it.
They get to work intimately with the minister. The church formally adopted the program in 1988. Oakland also has pastoral associates and justice associates. It forces them to learn more about the worship tradition. The book All Are Chosen, Stories of Lay Ministry and Leadership, includes a description by Beverly Smrha of the Oakland Worship Associates program.