Liturgy

Status
Not open for further replies.
Here's what the church I attend says about their liturgy and worship. I find it to be extremely helpful in appreciating the worship service:



There are two ideas to keep in mind as we think about worship. The first is that worship is a meeting between God and his people. Worship is a recapitulation of the Exodus. God gathers his people out of the world and to the heavenly Sinai (Hebrews 12:22). He then comes to dwell in their midst in all his splendor and glory. The second idea is summarized in the word dialogue. Worship is not a performance at which God is a distant observer. God is present and is an active participant. The rhythm of worship is the rhythm of a dialogue in which God speaks and his people respond. These two ideas create a sense of expectation for our worship and give shape to the entire experience.

• Prelude - Normally instrumental music intended to heighten our sense of anticipation of entering the presence of God in worship.

• Welcome & Announcements - This is done before the service begins. The pastors greet the worshipers and help them to focus their attention on church family matters. Having these before worship begins also ensures that worship flows in an uninterrupted fashion.

• Silent Preparation - A time of prayer and contemplation helping us transition from the outside world full of noise and distraction.

• Choral Introit - A short choral prelude to the service that focuses on God, his glory, his grace, and the joy of worship.

• Call to Worship - God, through the pastor, summons his people into his presence. The people add their voices in expectant response.

• Opening Hymn - A hymn of praise that should be viewed as a procession up into the heavenly city. The procession of the choir symbolizes this for us.

• Collect of the day - God has called us to Himself, and going up to meet Him, we have sung his praises. This, the first prayer of the service, acknowledges who He is as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and that we need Him. We call upon Him to show us his mercy. The collect normally follows a classic pattern: an address to God, and acknowledgement of divine attributes, a petition, an application to the lives of his people, and a final doxology praising Christ as the Mediator of our prayers.

• Affirmation of Faith - We are now together with God. The meeting has begun, and our first act in his presence is to confess our allegiance to Him. Just as Israel reaffirmed her commitment to the One and True God surrounded by the nations, so we, as those who have been gathered from the nations, reaffirm our faith in God who has redeemed us.

• Sanctus or Gloria - A song of the angels to which we join our voices in ascribing glory to the God who has gathered us to Himself. The text comes from Isaiah 6:3 and is echoed in Revelation 4:8.

• The Word of God Read - God speaks to his people. Often this is a Psalm, reminiscent of its use in Old Testament worship. It reminds us that all of worship stands under the authority of Scripture.

• Choral Anthem - The music sung by the choir underscores the truth of the Word of God read, focuses on some aspect of its teaching, or directs our attention to the coming time of prayer. Sometimes the anthem is simply an outpouring of praise and adoration, or a prayer sung on behalf of the people. Symbolically, it adorns the truth of God’s Word with beauty.

• The Prayers - God has spoken to us. The dialogue continues as we speak to God, expressing our personal and corporate needs and praises. It is our practice to kneel during these prayers; worshipers are encouraged to pray aloud.

• Word of Encouragement – Immediately following the prayers, this is a reminder to the people from God (spoken by the minister) that He loves, forgives, hears, and responds to his people. We have an Advocate in heaven, Jesus, in whose name we pray, who lives forever to make intercession for his people (Hebrews 7:25).

• Hymn - This is a hymn of gratitude to God for his goodness

• The Word of God Read - God speaks again to his people. The people rise for this reading to show particular attention, honor, and reverence for the Holy Scriptures.

• Prayer of Illumination - This prayer preceding the sermon is a plea that God the Holy Spirit would do in our hearts what Jesus did for the disciples on the road to Emmaus. He caused their hearts to burn within them as He explained the Scriptures. We ask God that what He has previously inspired He would now illumine to us.

• The Sermon - We hear from God again in the Word of God preached. True preaching is opening and applying the truth of God to our lives.

• Pastoral Prayer - This prayer asks God to seal to the hearts of the people the truth they have heard.

• Offering - This element of worship is a symbol of our response to the grace of God. All that we are and all that we have belong to Him, and we give freely because we have received freely.

• Doxology - Literally, “words of glory.”We offer glory to the triune God through our praise of Him as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

• Prayer of Dedication - The consecration of our gifts and our lives to the cause of Christ before we go forth into the world to serve Him.

• Benediction - God pronounces his blessing upon his people and reassures them that He will be with them throughout their days.

• Dismissal - We go into the world with the praise of Christ on our lips, there to serve Him and represent his grace to those in need.

• Postlude - Music played in a joyous, triumphant spirit to encourage us as we go into the world to be Christ’s servants and witnesses.
 
Unless we are talking about a Quaker meeting, I think the church will have a liturgy.

Gathering
Song
Song
Invocation (Responsive Reading)
Song​

Confession
Song
Baptism/New Members (On Occasion)
Confession
Song​

Renewal
Deacon's Fund/Mission Fund (On Occasion)
Announcements
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Lord's Supper (Twice Monthly)​

Sending
Offering
Song
Song
Benediction​
 
Call to Worship
*Prayer
Scripture Reading
Psalm (sung praise)
*Prayer
Scripture Reading (Sermon passage)
Sermon
*Psalm (sung praise)
*Benediction

*=Congregation standing
 
SRoper said:
Unless we are talking about a Quaker meeting, I think the church will have a liturgy.

Gathering
Song
Song
Invocation (Responsive Reading)
Song​

Confession
Song
Baptism/New Members (On Occasion)
Confession
Song​

Renewal
Deacon's Fund/Mission Fund (On Occasion)
Announcements
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon
Lord's Supper (Twice Monthly)​

Sending
Offering
Song
Song
Benediction​
Click to expand...

Scott,
When does the actual call to worship begin in your liturgy?
 
There really isn't one. The first song is supposed to be some sort of call to worship, but there is no expectation that all the members are even in attendance until the invocation.
 
jaybird0827 said:
Call to Worship
*Prayer
Scripture Reading
Psalm (sung praise)
*Prayer
Scripture Reading (Sermon passage)
Sermon
*Psalm (sung praise)
*Benediction

*=Congregation standing
Click to expand...

:ditto: The Presbyterian Reformed Church employs the 1645 Directory of Publick Worship (unlike the RPCGA, for example), not a liturgy. If by "liturgy" is simply meant an order of service, then indeed we do use a liturgy. In the common parlance, however, liturgy means prescribed or set forms of worship, as in written prayers, responsive reading, the same words for the invocation or benediction every week, etc. The Westminster Assembly specifically rejected a liturgy in the formulation of its Directory of Publick Worship.
 
SRoper said:
There really isn't one. The first song is supposed to be some sort of call to worship, but there is no expectation that all the members are even in attendance until the invocation.
Click to expand...

Ok; wouldn't 'announcements' be a break in the RPW?
 
AV1611 said:
Does your church use a liturgy?

What is it?

What are your thoughts regarding liturgy?
Click to expand...

1928 Book of Common Prayer with editions from the Sarum liturgy.

I wish we used the the liturgy in the 1662 or 1928 Prayer Book without all the papist additions.
 
Brian Schwertley, Are Liturgies Authorized by Scripture?

As we consider the use of liturgies there are a few things that we need to keep in mind. First, we are using the term liturgy in a restricted, more specialized sense. This point must be made because the Word liturgy (Greek liturgia, meaning literally public-work) is also a very general term that refers to all forms of public worship. In more modern times the term liturgy has more often been used to mean rigidly prescribed formularies for public worship such as the Romanist breviary or the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer. Thus, in this article we will be contrasting the use of biblically informed, intelligent ex tempore prayer as the scriptural ideal in public worship versus the use of a set form of prayer in which the right of ministers to form their own prayers is taken away.
...
The attitude of Presbyterians towards the use of a set liturgy is easily ascertained by an examination of the Westminster Directory for Public Worship which was approved by the General Assembly in 1645. This Directory very consciously set aside the Book of Common Prayer because of its negative effect on ministers and churches. It reads: “Add hereunto, (which was not foreseen, but since have come to pass,) that the Liturgy hath been a great means, as on the one hand to make and increase an idle and unedifying ministry, which contented itself with set forms made to their hands by others, without putting forth themselves to exercise the gift of prayer, with which our Lord Jesus Christ pleaseth to furnish all his servants whom he calls to that office…” The Directory set aside all set forms except for the formula for baptism, the administration of communion and marriage vows. When the topic of public prayer before the sermon is addressed the Directory says “the minister is…to call upon the Lord to this effect.” The Directory then gives a detailed example of what a good public prayer contains. Then after the sample prayer the divines say, “We judge this to be a convenient order, in the ordinary public prayer; yet so, as the minister may defer (as in prudence he shall think meet) some part of the petitions till after his sermon, or offer up to God some of the thanksgivings hereafter appointed, in his prayer before his sermon.” Presbyterianism set aside the Episcopal liturgy for free prayer because they regarded set prayers as a hindrance to Christian maturity and the free exercise of the gift of prayer.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
For help understanding where we come from as American Presbyterians check out Presbyterian Worship in America by Julius Melton. (Hat Tip to Andrew Myers).

TOC
1. American Directions for Presbyterian Worship
2. Scriptural Directives and Decorum: The Old School's Criteria
3. Evangelistic Effectiveness: The New School's Criteria
4. A New Taste for the Past
5. Rush and Reaction
6. Laymen with "Priestly" Concern
7. Private Enterprise and Partial Solutions
8. Offical Attention to Worship
9. Twentieth Century Developments

I'm 2 chapters into it and it has been helpful looking at the Adopting Act and explaining why the DPW wasn't adopted at first. Andrew, care to fill in the gaps?
 
VirginiaHuguenot said:
:ditto: The Presbyterian Reformed Church employs the 1645 Directory of Publick Worship (unlike the RPCGA, for example), not a liturgy. If by "liturgy" is simply meant an order of service, then indeed we do use a liturgy. In the common parlance, however, liturgy means prescribed or set forms of worship, as in written prayers, responsive reading, the same words for the invocation or benediction every week, etc. The Westminster Assembly specifically rejected a liturgy in the formulation of its Directory of Publick Worship.
Click to expand...

Appreciate the correction, brother. I did not realize that "liturgy" and "order of worship" were possibly distinct.
 
jaybird0827 said:
Appreciate the correction, brother. I did not realize that "liturgy" and "order of worship" were possibly distinct.
Click to expand...

No problem, Jay -- I was actually concuring with the order of worship that you listed and elaborating a little for clarification in the context of other posts.

The following quote from Iain Murray, The Directory of Public Worship, p. 174 in To Glorify and Enjoy God: A Commemoration of the 350th Anniversary of the Westminster Assembly, ed. by John L. Carson and David W. Hall may be of interest:

The use of the word "Directory" was new and deliberate. It was a reminder that the document was only intended to be a guide and an agenda, not a liturgy imposing exact words to be used in public worship. In that important respect it differed from most previous service books.
Click to expand...

The Directory itself says:

Howbeit, long and sad experience hath made it manifest, that the Liturgy used in the Church of England, (notwithstanding all the pains and religious intentions of the Compilers of it,) hath proved an offence, not only to many of the godly at home, but also to the reformed Churches abroad. For, not to speak of urging the reading of all the prayers, which very greatly increased the burden of it, the many unprofitable and burdensome ceremonies contained in it have occasioned much mischief, as well by disquieting the consciences of many godly ministers and people, who could not yield unto them, as by depriving them of the ordinances of God, which they might not enjoy without conforming or subscribing to those ceremonies....

In the meantime, Papists boasted that the book was a compliance with them in a great part of their service; and so were not a little confirmed in their superstition and idolatry, expecting rather our return to them, than endeavouring the reformation of themselves: in which expectation they were of late very much encouraged, when, upon the pretended warrantableness of imposing of the former ceremonies, new ones were daily obtruded upon the Church.

Add hereunto, (which was not foreseen, but since have come to pass,) that the Liturgy hath been a great means, as on the one hand to make and increase an idle and unedifying ministry, which contented itself with set forms made to their hands by others, without putting forth themselves to exercise the gift of prayer, with which our Lord Jesus Christ pleaseth to furnish all his servants whom he calls to that office: so, on the other side, it hath been (and ever would be, if continued) a matter of endless strife and contention in the Church, and a snare both to many godly and faithful ministers, who have been persecuted and silenced upon that occasion, and to others of hopeful parts, many of which have been, and more still would be, diverted from all thoughts of the ministry to other studies; especially in these latter times, wherein God vouchsafeth to his people more and better means for the discovery of error and superstition, and for attaining of knowledge in the mysteries of godliness, and gifts in preaching and prayer.

Upon these, and many the like weighty considerations in reference to the whole book in general, and because of divers particulars contained in it; not from any love to novelty, or intention to disparage our first reformers, (of whom we are persuaded, that, were they now alive, they would join with us in this work, and whom we acknowledge as excellent instruments, raised by God, to begin the purging and building of his house, and desire they may be had of us and posterity in everlasting remembrance, with thankfulness and honour,) but that we may in some measure answer the gracious providence of God, which at this time calleth upon us for further reformation, and may satisfy our own consciences, and answer the expectation of other reformed churches, and the desires of many of the godly among ourselves, and withal give some publick testimony of our endeavours for uniformity in divine worship, which we have promised in our Solemn League and Covenant; we have, after earnest and frequent calling upon the name of God, and after much consultation, not with flesh and blood, but with his holy word, resolved to lay aside the former Liturgy, with the many rites and ceremonies formerly used in the worship of God; and have agreed upon this following Directory for all the parts of publick worship, at ordinary and extraordinary times. Wherein our care hath been to hold forth such things as are of divine institution in every ordinance; and other things we have endeavoured to set forth according to the rules of Christian prudence, agreeable to the general rules of the word of God; our meaning therein being only, that the general heads, the sense and scope of the prayers, and other parts of publick worship, being known to all, there may be a consent of all the churches in those things that contain the substance of the service and worship of God; and the ministers may be hereby directed, in their administrations, to keep like soundness in doctrine and prayer, and may, if need be, have some help and furniture, and yet so as they become not hereby slothful and negligent in stirring up the gifts of Christ in them; but that each one, by meditation, by taking heed to himself, and the flock of God committed to him, and by wise observing the ways of Divine Providence, may be careful to furnish his heart and tongue with further or other materials of prayer and exhortation, as shall be needful upon all occasions.
Click to expand...
 
Votem & Salutation (Call: Our help is in the name of the Lord etc...)
Psalm
Reading of the Law
Psalm
Scripture Reading (Text Chapter)
Psalm
Congregational Prayer
Offering
Psalm
Sermon
Prayer after Sermon
Psalm
Benediction
Doxology (Psalm)
 
JOwen said:
Votem & Salutation (Call: Our help is in the name of the Lord etc...)
)
Click to expand...

I thought it was Votum. At least that is what some high church anglican missals call it.
In some high church Anglican circles this is said after the chanting of Psalm 43 without the gloria patri. That Psalm ends by saying in verses 5 & 6.
"Why art thou so heavy, Oh my soul; and why art thou so disquieted within me? Oh put thy trust in God, forI will yet give him thanks, which is the help of my countenance, and my God."
The Presbyter then turns to the congregation and responds to the Psalm with the words "Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ, our help is in the name of the Lord who is the maker of the heaven and the earth."Then he adds the words from Psalm 51:17, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, Oh God thou wilt not despise" He then proceeds to the Lord's prayer.
 
Every church has a liturgy (small L).

I think the big difference/problem in Liturgy vs. liturgy comes when set forms are prescribed--by denominations (or bishops), by a church calendar, or other non-Scriptural prescription.

A regular Order of Service is a liturgy, plain and simple. At least at our church, two things that don't change are the content of "Doxology" (no change, unless we drop it out) and the Benediction, which has the same words 90% of the time (2 Cor. 12:14).

If a church, following a Directory, includes prepared forms, I doubt that the Puritans/Presbyterians who prepared the WCF would object en masse. Some might. But as a whole, their jealousy was principally for the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in worship; and their hostility was toward rote, heartless worship. Set forms could possibly contribute to formalism (and in the era that had ended and was ending, the uniformity that had reigned had done no less), but it seems patently obvious that formalism is just as easily found where liturgy is minimal. It is found in heartless Psalmody, muttering prayer, non-conscionable hearing, and mechanical Communion.

If one can sing the words of a Psalm with feeling and emotion, then one can pray words on a page or say his collective vow (even as simple as an "Amen") with passion.

I say: don't outlaw all forms any more than outlawing spontaneity (the Spirit's leading). Give the churches of Christ all the freedom that God's Word allows, without assuming that means that anything is permissible, or that no essential uniformity is desirable. After all, we do want visitors to know they are in Christian worship.
 
Webster's 1828 Dictionary:

LIT'URGY, n. [Gr. public, and work.

In a general sense, all public ceremonies that belong to divine service; hence, in a restricted sense, among the Romanists, the mass; and among protestants, the common prayer, or the formulary of public prayers.
Click to expand...
 
J.I. Packer, The Puritan Approach to Worship:

2. What regulations are proper for Christian worship?

There were, and are, three possible ways of ordering public worship: to have a set liturgy like the Book of Common Prayer, or a manual of general guidance like the Westminster Directory, or to leave it entirely to the individual minister or congregation to regulate its own worship at will. These alternatives are historically associated with Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Independents and Quakers respectively.
Click to expand...
 
Jenny Geddes throws a stool and begins a riot against the prescribed Anglican prayer book:

Riot_against_Anglican_prayer_book_1637.jpg
 
Middleburg Liturgy

Does anyone know if the Middleburg Liturgy is available online? (I have a hard copy)
 
The BCP was semi-honorably discharged in the introduction to the Westminster Directory. Jenny et al were objecting to the impostion of Laud's Anglo-Catholic prayer book of 1637. Not misguided in the least.
AV1611 said:
Poor misguided woman.

At the church I have just left we used An English Prayer Book. At the church I attend now we use the BCP 1662 Holy Communion service at 8am :book2:
Click to expand...
 
AV1611 said:
At the church I attend now we use the BCP 1662 Holy Communion service at 8am :book2:
Click to expand...

I am preparing to leave Lutheranism and pastor a Reformed congregation. But those who are leaving with me are strongly FOR using a "Liturgical" service. I'm looking closely at the 1662 service as used by the Reformed Episcopal Church.

Do yo all think this liturgy is somehow compatible with the WCF?

BTW: I've heard from others that the story about Jenny Gedes - as funny and inspirational as it may be - is apocryphal.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

A
  • Locked
Household Liturgy
Replies
9
Views
2K
AV1611
A
dannyhyde
  • Locked
Thanksgiving Liturgy
Replies
3
Views
6K
ADKing
A
Jash Comstock
  • Locked
Books about liturgy.
Replies
4
Views
2K
bshpmark
bshpmark
dannyhyde
  • Locked
Christmas Eve Liturgy
Replies
1
Views
2K
MrMerlin777
MrMerlin777
matthew11v25
  • Locked
Questions on Liturgy
Replies
9
Views
2K
Arch2k
A
Back
Top