Book Review: Call and Response

This small paperback fills a need for busy pastors who want to provide meaningful litanies for use in congregational worship. Written in modern English, the litanies cover a wide variety of uses within the congregation, from confession to prayer, to coping with mass tragedies and suffering. There are 6 main sections to make it easier to find the most fitting prose.

One section, Litanies for Church Rituals, covers the regular events of Church life such as baptism, welcoming new members, and ordination. If one is already in a congregation which uses a fixed liturgy, these will still be useful to augment the practice and worship of a congregation.

Of all of the litanies, my favorite one is a litany titled “Litany for Song.” Perhaps it is due to my background in music education and worship leading, but it spoke to my heart of hearts. The reminder that God Sang Creation into Being resonated deeply for me.

The appendices are among my favorite portions of this book. Appendix B provides weekly litanies for Advent, and Appendix C is written for Lent. Appendix A provides two tender, compassionate litanies: one for Racism in the United States, and the other for Victims of Sexual Violence. Both use language which does not excuse the perpetrator, nor does it allow for a judgmental spirit.

For those not familiar with Fran’s work, an archive of her work is found here. New liturgies are now only accessed through her Patreon website for a small subscription fee. If you are planning worship services on a regular basis, it is worth paying to support her work. I highly recommend her work.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I was provided this book without cost from the publisher and was not required to give a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.