1. Preparation

All liturgy is based upon a set of agreed-upon assumptions. Whenever those assumptions are altered, there is the possibility of congregational reaction ranging from confusion to anger. The introduction of new liturgical texts demands careful preparation and pastoral sensitivity. Use of these prayers in any community must be accompanied by time for exploring issues raised by their use and time for reflection before, during and after their use in worship. One way to begin the introduction of the new texts is to use them with small groups who can study the texts before they are used and begin to obtain some familiarity with them before they are used as a principal serviced on Sunday. Another strategy is to carefully announce the use of new texts at a regularly scheduled congregational liturgy, simultaneously announcing opportunities to reflect on the experience in an atmosphere of non-threatening dialogue.