Whenever possible, use familiar forms and worship resources. Most churches already have hymns, prayers, and other expressions that speak of peace, poverty, our common humanity, care for the created order, and other social themes. These familiar forms can be used creatively, and innovations are most easily first introduced gradually outside of the main weekly service of the congregation.

For example, one congregation began a weekly service for peace with a handful of participants. In time the small group of worshippers grew, began collecting food for the needy, and experimented with non-sexist language in their worship. Now many of these concerns have found their way into the mainstream of congregational life in that place.

It is always appropriate for people to express their deepest concerns in the context of prayer, and social concerns are appropriately shared in corporate prayer. In congregations where the pastor appears oblivious to peace and justice concerns, lay people may well say, "I'm really concerned about ....; would you please remember this in our prayers."

In congregations where people spontaneously offer prayers during worship, it is important to set a climate in which a diversity of concerns may be offered, so that the church does not become just one political party at prayer. We may pray for both conscientious objectors and members of the armed forces. We must pray for victims of oppression on the right and on the left. Worship should allow us to bring all of who we are into God's transforming presence.