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A number of individuals from the staff and congregation have written the following explanations of each aspect of our order of worship, as well as of some of the symbols used in our sanctuary. These statements are meant to be helpful introductions to the basic worship philosophy of our church.
The prelude usually begins ten minutes prior to each of our worship services and is intended to be a time of preparing ourselves for worship. Various styles of instrumental music are played in order to meet the needs of people having many different musical tastes. The prelude is meant to be an integral part of our worship time as it gives us the opportunity to come into the presence of God in an intentional way, instead of rushing in at the last moment. It is our intention that the prelude not function as background music for conversation, but rather that it serve as a time to focus our hearts and minds on Almighty God.
We view the welcome, which follows the prelude, as a time to set the tone for the worship service. In the welcome, we affirm that we are glad to be in church today to worship God together. We extend the welcome to our visitors, providing a time to introduce guests. Finally, we have a time of greeting one another in the Lord.
In the call to worship we are drawn to the unified purpose of our gathering, that of worshiping God. Week by week the varying texts remind us that worship is at the very center of our relationship with God, both as individuals and as the Body of Christ. Now is the time to join together in loving the Lord our God with heart, soul, mind, and strength.
We consider congregational singing the most important musical expression of our church. As we sing together, we offer a witness of God at work in the world, we share the riches of our Christian experience and understanding, and we rehearse for the time when we will sing together in Heaven. We sing both "unto the Lord" and "to one another," and sing psalms, hymns from the rich tradition of the Church, and spiritual songs of praise to God.
Jesus read from Isaiah 61 in the Nazareth synagogue (Luke 4:16ff), following the Jewish custom of the public reading of scripture. So when we share the Bible in church today, we follow both Old and New Testament patterns. Notice that Jesus expounded the Isaiah 61 passage (vs. 21). The function of scripture in church is not only to inspire the people with fresh hope and new inspiration but also to form the basis of the preaching.
Prayer is our communication link with our Heavenly Father. We set aside a special time for prayer in each worship service. Martin Luther said the first task of the devil is to get us to stop praying. Pray actively with your pastor, and talk to God in private too.
We believe that the giving of our tithes and offerings is a high moment of participation when we present a portion of ourselves to God in recognition of His ownership of all things. At this time the activities of our workweek come in contact with our Holy God Who gives strength for honest labor. The offering is not a money-raising interlude but rather an ultimate act of praise and thanksgiving in which we all may participate.
God greatly values children! Therefore, we value them as precious gifts and are responsible to bring them up to love, worship, and serve the Lord. Children's Time is one of the ways we show how truly special they are and teach them of Jesus' love.
A musical offering both by individuals and by choirs has a long heritage in the Jewish and Christian religions. Miriam's song of triumph following the successful crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15:21), David's singing praise to the Lord accompanied by his harp (Psalms), and large choirs of singers and instrumentalists of the tribe of Levi (I Chronicles 25) all bear witness to the power and effectiveness of music and text to testify to the goodness and faithfulness of God. The many gifted musicians of our church, as soloists, accompanists, and members of a variety of ensembles, present "living" musical offerings to God on behalf of the congregation. It is our intention that God alone receive the glory.
Preaching is a gift of God in which one called of God is inspired to interpret scripture in a practical way for the contemporary congregation. The worshiper is encouraged to take notes on the sermon in order to help hear what God is saying. The same sermon may be used of God to speak to people at different points or levels of their lives. Preaching has historically been God's primary method of saving souls and deepening faith.
The pastor will often give an invitation to respond to the truth preached. The truth of God touches hearts and calls for a response. This response may be to come to the altar, a special place where we gather to pray, confess, and commune with God. It is a place of humility, honesty, and sometimes weeping or rejoicing; a place where brothers and sisters in Christ encourage and pray for one another. Other responses may be called for: saying an inner prayer or affirming the call of God by singing the hymn of response.
Just as the spoken part of worship begins with a greeting, so a farewell blessing is appropriate at its close. We are dismissed with a blessing call the benediction or "good word." Two things are accomplished in this: we are sent out to live and work in the world, and we receive the blessed promise-a pronouncement, not a prayer-that the triune God goes with us as we scatter into the world. The words used may vary with the day, the season, or the challenge of the sermon. The action of scattering into the world, like the action of gathering, is a part of worship.
The postlude functions in one of two ways, depending upon the particular need at the end of the worship service. When an individual or individuals respond to the invitation by coming forward to the altar, the postlude provides appropriate music to aid in this important time of commitment and decision. In this context it also musically enfolds those praying at the altar while others in the congregation leave the sanctuary. The second function of the postlude is to send the worshipers out to serve in the world. The music is often exuberant and joyful, providing a celebrative ending to the worship experience. |
