Taizé Worship at Valley
We are excited to introduce our Taizé Worship Service here at Valley! Join us for our next gathering on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 9:00 AM. Moving forward, this peaceful service will take place every third Sunday of the month.
What is Taizé?
Taizé is a contemplative style of worship rooted in the ecumenical Community in Taizé, France. It uses song, scripture, prayer and silence to create a meditative space where people can slow down and rest quietly in God's presence.
Taizé worship takes its name from a small village in Burgundy, France, where a young Swiss theologian named Brother Roger Schütz settled in 1940. Along with his sister Geneviève, he sheltered refugees escaping German-occupied France, including many Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. After the war, a small community of brothers—first Protestant, and later Catholic and Orthodox as well—began to form around him, with a commitment to reconciliation between divided Christians and a shared life of prayer.
Today, the Taizé community is home to over a hundred brothers representing many traditions, and each year it draws tens of thousands of visitors, who come to experience a worship style based on simple, chant-like singing, contemplative scripture reading, and sustained periods of silence. Taizé worship is also practiced in many churches around the world, including our own.
What should I expect?
Taizé worship is quieter and slower than what you may be used to on a typical Sunday morning. There is no sermon. Instead, the service unfolds through a few simple elements, repeated and unhurried:
If you’re new to Taizé, you will likely find your thoughts wandering, and you may feel some restlessness, especially during the silence. That’s normal. Let those thoughts and feeling pass, and then try to settle your mind using the cross and candles on the communion table as a focal point. You don't need to sing well, sit a certain way, or have any experience with this style of worship. The goal is simply to create a calm, peaceful space where God can address us, inspire us, and call us toward new faith and action.
Services will be held monthly, on the third Sunday, beginning on September 20. They’ll begin at 9:00 AM and last about 30 minutes. All are welcome. We hope you’ll join us.
"Be still, and know that I am God.” —Psalm 46:10
What is Taizé?
Taizé is a contemplative style of worship rooted in the ecumenical Community in Taizé, France. It uses song, scripture, prayer and silence to create a meditative space where people can slow down and rest quietly in God's presence.
Taizé worship takes its name from a small village in Burgundy, France, where a young Swiss theologian named Brother Roger Schütz settled in 1940. Along with his sister Geneviève, he sheltered refugees escaping German-occupied France, including many Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. After the war, a small community of brothers—first Protestant, and later Catholic and Orthodox as well—began to form around him, with a commitment to reconciliation between divided Christians and a shared life of prayer.
Today, the Taizé community is home to over a hundred brothers representing many traditions, and each year it draws tens of thousands of visitors, who come to experience a worship style based on simple, chant-like singing, contemplative scripture reading, and sustained periods of silence. Taizé worship is also practiced in many churches around the world, including our own.
What should I expect?
Taizé worship is quieter and slower than what you may be used to on a typical Sunday morning. There is no sermon. Instead, the service unfolds through a few simple elements, repeated and unhurried:
- Chant-like singing. Taizé uses short, simple songs, sung multiple times so you can easily join in. The repetition is not accidental; it's meant to free your mind to rest in the moment rather than think about what comes next.
- Slow, deliberate scripture reading. Passages are read twice, with a slight pause between them. The second reading is slower and more deliberate, giving you space to hear it in a deeper way.
- Extended silence. The service includes a ten minute period of unbroken silence. This is not a pause between other worship elements; it’s the heart of the service.
If you’re new to Taizé, you will likely find your thoughts wandering, and you may feel some restlessness, especially during the silence. That’s normal. Let those thoughts and feeling pass, and then try to settle your mind using the cross and candles on the communion table as a focal point. You don't need to sing well, sit a certain way, or have any experience with this style of worship. The goal is simply to create a calm, peaceful space where God can address us, inspire us, and call us toward new faith and action.
Services will be held monthly, on the third Sunday, beginning on September 20. They’ll begin at 9:00 AM and last about 30 minutes. All are welcome. We hope you’ll join us.
"Be still, and know that I am God.” —Psalm 46:10