Lesson 8: Worship

 

 

Day One - What Is Worship?

The Bible tells us a great deal about people worshipping God. As they were wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites built a tabernacle. This was a kind of tent in which they felt they met God in a special way. Later they settled in the Promised Land and King Solomon built a beautiful building called a Temple for the worship of God. The Bible tells us that Jesus worshipped each Sabbath in the synagogue. Christians adapted the Jewish pattern and worshipped on the first day of the week.

What is worship anyhow? The word itself comes from an old English word "worthship," which simply means to acknowledge worth. When we worship, we acknowledge that God is worth a great deal to us, that we love Him, and that we seek to please Him.

Worship is not merely coming to church and sitting (and maybe napping) in a pew. It is, rather, our active participation in singing God's praise, in praying to the One we love. In short, worship is not something that is done for us at church; rather, it is something that we do. We mean what we sing in the hymns, we express our heartfelt beliefs in the creed, we sincerely talk to God and glorify Him when we pray. If one does not genuinely love God, then it is impossible for him or her truly to worship. Jesus reminds us in the gospels that God is Spirit, and those who worship God must do so in spirit and in truth.

Some folks seem to think that the main reason they come to church is to be entertained by the music and the sermon. Such an attitude shows a misunderstanding of what worship really is. If one does not show any enthusiasm about singing the hymns, making each prayer one's own, or putting oneself in the sermon, it is no wonder that they get little from the worship service. We must be active participants and not just passive observers if the worship service is to be meaningful. If you ever start to find worship boring, you may well ask yourself whether you're putting enough into it.

Another reason some folks do not get much from worship is that they mistake corporate worship for personal worship. In the corporate worship service the church gathers each Sunday to join in the rituals that Christians have enjoyed for two thousand years. We join with our brothers and sisters throughout the world, and we also join with the heavenly chorus (read Isaiah 6) in praising God. However, there is also personal worship, our daily devotions or quiet time, when we shut out the world, and privately come into the presence of our Heavenly Father. Often such personal devotions result in warm feelings of adoration and praise not produced by the corporate worship service. The fact is that healthy Christians need both kinds of worship.

Take time to think about this question, and come prepared to talk about it in class on Sunday: What is your favorite part of the Sunday morning worship service? Which part do you enjoy least? Find out how your parents would answer both of these questions?

Day Two: The Shape of the Worship Service

The way we conduct worship in United Methodist Churches is based on one important principle. In life God offers His grace to us first, then we respond. The worship service is designed to reflect this pattern of God's offering and our response. We gather as God's people and focus our attention on God through prayer, a hymn, singing the Gloria. Then we hear God's word offer His grace as we read from the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. Then we respond by giving ourselves in service, and through the offering. We pray for others in need, and as we do so, we remind ourselves of ways we can be of help to them. Let's look at some of the elements that make up this pattern.

The Bible and Preaching

The climax of the preaching service is not the sermon, but rather the reading of the Bible. That is why we stand for the reading of the gospel. We believe that we can hear God speaking to us through the Bible. By understanding how God came to the people of the Bible, we can better understand how God comes to us. The sermon is a commentary or an explanation of the Bible lesson for the day. Really it is only a footnote to the Scripture lesson. It is not the most important event of the morning worship service. Sometimes we use drama or other methods that also reveal God's message to us.

After God offers Himself to us in the gospel, we offer ourselves to God in the offering. We give ourselves to God again in service to others and in the giving of our money to support God's church. Our money represents our work in the world through the jobs that God has given us. We also give ourselves to others in service to the sick, the poor, and to youth and children throughout the week.

 

 

 

The Sacraments

You have already learned that traditionally the Roman Catholic Church teaches that there are seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony, Holy Eucharist, Ordination, Confession-penance, and the Anointing of the Sick (last rites). We Protestants recognize that all of these rituals are important to the life of the Christian believer. Since the days of the Reformation, however, most Protestants have recognized only two Sacraments - Baptism and Holy Eucharist. The reason that we recognize only these two is that these are the only two that Jesus commanded us to observe. When Jesus was baptized he suggested that he underwent Baptism as an example for those who follow him. When he ate the last supper with his disciples, Jesus commanded them to remember him in this holy meal. This is why Protestants recognize only these two sacraments.

The word "sacrament" originally referred to a pledge taken by a Roman soldier. He promised to be faithful to Rome, as you promise to be faithful to the United States when you say the Pledge of Allegiance. While our participation in the two Sacraments of the Church really are a kind of "pledge of allegiance" to God, they have become more than that to the church. We believe that sacraments are "sign-acts" through which God really does something. In Baptism God adopts you as his own child. Water is poured on you, or you are immersed in water to remind us that God washes away our sin. If you haven't been baptized yet, don't worry. You can be baptized right before your confirmation. In Holy Communion, Jesus Christ makes available to us all the good things he did in dying and rising from the dead. We take bread and wine, as Jesus did with his disciples, and enjoy a holy meal together. The meal reminds us of Christ's body and blood given for us at his Passion, and it also anticipates the heavenly banquet believers will enjoy in God's kingdom. The early church celebrated Holy Communion every Sunday, and many churches still do. There are many United Methodists who are trying to get our church to follow the ancient model of "Word and Sacrament"every Sunday.

 

 

Day Three: The Shape of the Worship Service (continued)

 

Music and the Hymnal

You learned that since the days of John and Charles Wesley, the people converted under their ministry were known by outsiders as "singing Methodists." Appropriate music helps us prepare our hearts and minds to worship God. The music that the church likes changes from generation to generation. Some of the most beautiful music ever written was composed for the church, and even though it is hundreds of years old, some of it is still enjoyed today. Modern music is always finding its way into the hymnal too. There is even some Christian rock music and even Christian rap. There is no "right" kind of Christian music. God is big enough to use all types of music for His praise and glory. Our congregation, however, finds that so-called traditional music leads them to God more effectively. Other churches, however, may use guitars and drums to help them realize God's presence. We use certain types of music at worship on Sunday morning and other types at youth meetings. We use one type at weddings and another type at funerals.

Do you have any favorite hymns? List them here:

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The Creeds

The early Christians protected what they believed by creed, canon, and clergy. The creeds are an important part of our worship service because they help us to state clearly and briefly what we believe. One of the creeds we often use is called the Apostles' Creed. It has already been presented in your confirmation material, and you should now be well on the way toward memorizing it. You will be expected to recite it by the time our confirmation class ends. Look in the back of the hymnal and you will find some other creeds. The Nicene Creed is a later enlarged version of the Apostles' Creed. There are also some modern creeds in the back of the hymnal. Here is a modern affirmation of faith called the Korean Creed. It was developed by the Christian Churches in Korea.

Minister:

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the one true Church, apostolic and universal, whose holy faith let us now declare:

Minister and People:

We believe in the one God, maker and ruler of all things, Father of all men, the source of all goodness and beauty, all truth and love.

We believe in Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, our teacher, example, and Redeemer, the Savior of the world.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, God present with us for guidance, for comfort, and for strength.

We believe in the forgiveness of sins, in the life of love and prayer, and in grace equal to every need.

We believe in the Word of God contained in the Old and New Testaments as the sufficient rule both of faith and of practice.

We believe in the Church as the fellowship for worship and for service of all who are united to the living Lord.

We believe in the kingdom of God as the divine rule in human society, and in the brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of God.

We believe in the final triumph of righteousness, and in the life everlasting.

Amen.

What do you think of the Korean Creed? Write your answer here:

Here is another modern creed called " Modern Affirmation" What differences do you find among the three creeds you have examined?

We believe in God the Father, infinite in wisdom, power and love, whose mercy is over all his works, and whose will is ever directed to his children's good.

We believe in Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of man, the gift of the Father's unfailing grace, the ground of our hope, and the promise of our deliverance from sin and death.

We believe in the Holy Spirit as the divine presence in our lives, whereby we are kept in perpetual remembrance of the truth of Christ, and find strength and help in time of need.

We believe that this faith should manifest itself in the service of love as set forth in the example of our blessed Lord, to the end that the kingdom of God may come upon the earth.

Amen.

Some thought questions: what are the differences between the modern creeds and the Apostles'  Which do you prefer? Which one makes more sense to you? What might be the reason that some churches prefer the older, ancient creeds?

Have you ever visited any churches of other denominations? How were their worship services different from ours? How were they similar? What do you like most about our worship services? What do you like least?

Something to do:

Think for a moment about what you believe. What are the three or four most important things you believe about God? About human beings?  In the space below write what you believe. This can be your own personal creed.

Day Four:The Shape of the Worship Service (continued)

There are many people who help make the worship service possible.

The Pastor is an ordained clergy man or woman. He is given charge over Word, Sacrament, and Order of the church. This means that it is the pastor's duty to teach and preach the Bible, to celebrate the Sacraments and to serve as the priestly presence in the congregation, and to set up the lay committees of the church to carry out its ministry to the community and the world. A United Methodist Pastor must complete several years of training, then pass two rigorous examinations before he/she is permitted to serve as pastor of a local congregation. In the United Methodist tradition, the pastor is not a member of the local congregation, but is on loan to the congregation from the Annual Conference for one year at a time. This one-year appointment, however, is renewable annually.

The Lay Leader assists the pastor in the worship service by reading one of the lessons and sometimes bringing the children's sermon. Most of the ruling assemblies of the United Methodist Church are made up of half lay and half clergy (preachers) members. Having the pastor stand before the congregation in his vestments, with the Lay Leader in his normal clothing is a reminder that our church is governed by a combination of ordained and non-ordained United Methodists.

The Acolytes are young people who assist the minister at the altar and in the chancel. They lead processions and are responsible for lighting and extinguishing the candles. They also serve as pages and messengers in the worship service. During a baptism, an acolyte holds the pastor' Book of Worship and a towel. The acolyte passes the cruet of oil to the pastor for the anointing of the baptizand. Acolytes receive the offering from the ushers. They help the pastor as he celebrates the Holy Eucharist. The acolyte corps is a very important part of our worshipping community.

The Choir leads the congregation in singing praise to God, and they also offer to God their own musical offerings. The Call to Worship tells the congregation that it is time to begin the service. The Introit marks the entrance of the clergy into the chancel. They lead the people in singing the Gloria, a song of glory to God. After the reading of the gospel, the choir leads the people in the Alleluia, in which we praise God for sending His Son Jesus. The Anthem is a passage from the Bible that is sung, or another religious text set to music. At the close of worship the choir sings the Choral Amen, indicating the end of the worship service. Sometimes instrumentalist play trumpets, violins or other musical instruments to help us glorify God.

Many other people help in the worship service as well. Ushers help people find their seats, receive the offering, and stand by with fire and medical equipment in case of emergency. The Altar Guild sets up the sanctuary every week by draping the chancel in the proper colors for the day or season, for checking on candles, baptismal water, and other implements to be used in worship, and by setting up for the Holy Eucharist. One can tell a great deal about what is happening in church on a given Sunday just by looking around at the objects and colors in the sanctuary before worship begins. White is the color for the seven weeks of Easter, and for the two Sundays in Christmastime. White is also the color for Epiphany on January 6.   Purple denotes darkness or sorrow for sin. It is the color you will find in the sanctuary during the season of Lent, the seven weeks preceding Easter. Purple is also on the altar during the season of Advent, about a month before Christmas. These "purple" seasons are a time for reflection and spiritual renewal. Red is the color for Pentecost, the season we celebrate God's gift of His Holy Spirit. Pentecost starts with Pentecost Sunday, and continues for the early part of the summer. Green is the color for Ordinary Time, also called the Season after Pentecost. Green is also the color for the Season after Epiphany. Green, the color of life, is the color on the altar at most times of the year. Some colors are used on special days. If there is a wedding or a funeral, white in on the altar. If there is a visit by our bishop, or if we celebrate the death of a Christian martyr, then red is on the altar.

The members of the Altar Guild do not have to remember all these rules. They have a liturgical calendar that helps them to remember the color for a given Sunday. You can take a look at the liturgical calendar at this web site. http://www.io.com/~kellywp/

Day Five: The Shape of Worship (continued)

Not only does Christian worship take time seriously, it also takes space seriously. In the Old Testament we read that both the tabernacle and the Temple were divided into three areas. There was the Outer Court, where anyone could go. Then there was a Holy Place, where only Hebrew worshippers might go. Finally there was the Holy of Holies where only the High Priest could go. Christian Churches are arranged in a similar fashion.

The nave is the part of the church where the pews are. Anyone can go there. The word "nave" comes from an old Latin word that means "ship." The church uses this word to describe the church for two reasons. First, if you look up into the rafters of our church, it looks like the ribbing of a ship's hull, turned upside down. Secondly, Christians like to think of the church like a ship, something like Noah's ark, safely carrying believers through the troubled waters around us. Check out this hyperlink that will tell you more about what a nave is.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10724a.htm

The chancel is separated from the nave by a low wall or fence. In our church the chancel really looks more like a stage. The chancel is the area where only the clergy (ministers, acolytes, and choir) go. It is the area that surrounds the altar, the holiest area in the church. This link will take you to a good photo of a chancel in a traditional church.

http://www.ottawa.anglican.ca/cathedral/chancel_tour.htm

The Sanctuary is that part of the church right around the altar. Although we know that God is everywhere, the sanctuary focuses our attention on God's special presence in the house of God. Only the ministers and the Altar Guild are permitted to place items on the altar. It is the holy table on which we place the elements of bread and wine at the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. The picture here shows a free-standing altar. In our church, and in many other Protestant churches, the altar takes the form of a communion table. Traditionally the altar was a table made of stone. Roman Catholic churches until a few years ago had a little space inside the altar for a relic, some part of a saint's body or clothing. The main thing for you to remember is that the altar is a very holy area, and one should never run or talk loudly around the altar. It symbolizes to us the presence of God.

Print out these questions and answer them on your paper. Bring it to class on Sunday and we will talk about them. Please ask your parents and your classmates for help. When you finish, show your Mom and Dad what you've done. They will be proud of you!

1.   When we worship we must be active _________________ not just passive ______________.

2.   The two kinds of worship are c________________ worship, and p___________ worship.

3.   The high point of the worship service is not the sermon, but rather the reading of _________.

4.   The two Sacraments acknowledged by Protestants are ________________and ___________.

5.   God's message for us comes to us through the reading of the B___________.

6.   Do you prefer the ancient creeds or the modern creeds? Why?

7.   The yearly schedule that helps us to remember God's mighty acts of salvation throughout the whole Christian year is called the l____________ c___________.

8.   The three parts of the church are called what?

9.   The holiest part of the church is the area right around the __________.