Order of Worship Help

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

As of right now we only sing two hymns (usually both Psalm selections, but sometimes a hymn) and are looking to add a third. We are having a difficult time deciding where to put it. So I thought it would be worth while to seek the advice of the almighty PB.

Here is the current Order of Worship

Welcome and Announcements
The Call to Worship (a Scripture Reading)
Opening Psalm
The Invocation and Lord's Prayer
The Receiving of Tithes and Offerings
New Testament Reading
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon Text
The Sermon
Closing Psalm/Hymn
Confession of Faith
Doxology
Benediction

Thanks as always for your assistance.

 

[Romans922]

Ben,

I am always in favor of a good flow in worship. Our worship is Word centered (Not implying anything in this). So we basically do the following:

Call to Worship (Word read and expound upon it in context of call to worship)
Invocation (Praying what we just read in the Word)
Psalm/Hymn (Sing the Word we just read and prayed)

Serial Reading (for you NT Reading w/exposition like a little homily)
Pastoral Prayer (praying the Word just read)
Psalm/Hymn (singing the Word we just read and prayed)

Offering (we have this in the morning only)

Sermon Text (OT reading w/exposition - sermon)
Prayer for Congregation (Praying Word read/preached)
Psalm/Hymn (Singing Word just read/preached)

Benediction (God's Word --> Blessing to His people)


I changed our worship slightly to fit this (not saying everyone has to do it) to make in some sense a balanced liturgy, focus on the Word. This makes our worship quite simple as well (again, a different order could be used and be simple). Our order doesn't have to be THE order.

It may be beneficial for the congregation in your situation to add a pslam/hymn prior to sermon because it would also get them to stand right before the sermon.

 

[Marrow Man]

How about after the NT reading, as a response to the passage. So you would need to be selective; none of this random "any hymn will do," but a psalm or hymn that deals with the teaching of the NT passage being read.

And, of course, if you look at the ARP Directory for Public Worship, it has some Reformation-era orders of worship at the end that might be helpful to you.

 

[fredtgreco]

As of right now we only sing two hymns (usually both Psalm selections, but sometimes a hymn) and are looking to add a third. We are having a difficult time deciding where to put it. So I thought it would be worth while to seek the advice of the almighty PB.

Here is the current Order of Worship

Welcome and Announcements
The Call to Worship (a Scripture Reading)
Opening Psalm
The Invocation and Lord's Prayer
The Receiving of Tithes and Offerings
New Testament Reading
Pastoral Prayer
Sermon Text
The Sermon
Closing Psalm/Hymn
Confession of Faith
Doxology
Benediction

Thanks as always for your assistance.

Ben,

Without changing your order of worship, I would put the additional psalm/hymn in one of two places:
1. After the receiving of Tithes and Offerings
2. After the Doxology (closing hymn).

I have to also say that I come from a school of thought that makes little to no effort to "match" psalms/hymns to a theme or teaching of a section of the worship. I find it bears virtually no benefit to the people, and is a good deal of work for the pastor. I refuse to spend an hour or two that could be spent in other duties pouring over the hymnbook. I find it sufficient to sing selections that the congregation will heartily sing, and at most that fit the general section of the service (e.g. one of assurance after the Confession of Sin).

 

[Andres]

We sing at three places. Our order of worship goes like this:

Call to Worship
Hymn
Invocation
Responsive Reading
Confession of Sin/Assurance of Forgiveness
Congregational Prayer
Offering
Hymn
Sermon
Lord's Supper
Hymn
Benediction
Doxology