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Elements of Worship
In the beginning, the earliest
Christians were either Jews or God-fearing Gentiles who worshiped in the
synagogue; therefore, early worship followed the pattern of the synagogue, which
it still does in some churches today.
What does "Liturgy" mean?
The word "liturgy" comes from a Greek word meaning work of the people. In other words, worship is something you do, not something you watch.
The word "liturgy" has several different meanings in common use. For some, a liturgy is a pre-planned worship service with all the parts written out. Orthodox Christians, however, use the word liturgy to refer to the Eucharistic part of the service, so if a Baptists tells an Orthodox Christian, "We have a non-liturgical worship service," the Orthodox Christian might go away thinking that Baptists never have communion. Technically, however, if you have a printed bulletin or a set order of worship of any type, it is a "liturgy." The only Christians who have truly non-liturgical worship are the Quakers (they sit in silence and wait to see if anyone says anything, and it is possible for a complete Sunday service to pass in silence).
Eastern liturgy has not changed much for the last thousand years. The service is elaborate and the clergy and the choir perform it in the presence of the congregation. The role of the congregation is in many cases limited to standing in awe and adoration.
Western liturgy has always been characterized by simplicity. Over the centuries, the west was dominated by only two or three liturgical styles, which gradually conformed themselves to Roman practice. During the Protestant Reformation the liturgy was reformed to expand the role of the congregation and to make communion more frequent.
A traditional Christian worship service may consist of two parts:
The Synaxis (The Service of the Word)
The first part is modeled on the liturgy of the synagogue, and in ancient times as in the present, it is public. Synaxis comes from the same Greek word as synagogue; it means gathering together. This part of the service consists of prayers, Scripture readings, psalms, hymns, and the sermon. Because it is centered on the Word of God, it is often called the Service of the Word.
The Eucharist (The Service of Communion)
The second part of the service is the Communion service; in ancient times it was called the Eucharist, the Greek word for thanksgiving. It consists of hymns and scripture readings and the sharing of the bread and wine -- the body and blood of Christ. Originally, this part of the service was secret; only baptized Christians could attend or participate. However, overheard acclamations ("this is my body, take, eat") led pagans to conclude that cannibalism and other untoward things were going on, which led to violent persecutions. As a result, this part of the service is also open to the public.
Making the Sign of the Cross
Over the centuries the practice of making the Sign of the Cross fell into disuse among many Lutherans, but Martin Luther advises in the Catechism that we make the Sign of the Cross first thing in the morning. This practice is an excellent reminder of who we are: baptized children of God who have been redeemed by Christ the crucified.
Why we make the Sign of the Cross:
Making the Sign of the Cross expresses in an outward manner our inner beliefs about the centrality of the cross. The cross is, of course, where Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins.
Making the Sign of the Cross is a witness of our faith. Many Christians wear crosses, or dove or fish lapel pins as a witness to others. Making the Sign of the Cross is similar.
Making the Sign of the Cross is a reminder to us. Making the Sign of the Cross, or using any of the historical outward gestures, rescues us when words fail us or when we're mentally tired.
How to Make the Sign of the Cross
The oldest tradition is to hold together the thumb and first two fingers (three being the number of the Holy Trinity). First touch the forehead lightly, then move down to the middle of the chest. Then touch the right shoulder and then the left shoulder. In the Western tradition, the left shoulder is touched first and then the right. Either tradition is fine.
When to Make the Sign of the Cross
There are no legalistic requirements as to when (or even if) a person should make the Sign of the Cross. If a person wishes to, the most common times might be:
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At the beginning of the liturgy (order of worship); |
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At any time the Trinity is invoked ("In the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit"); |
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At the end of the recitation of a Creed (Apostles', Nicene, or Athanasian); |
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When absolution is bestowed after confession of sin (this reminds us we're forgiven not because God lowered the standards nor because we can earn forgiveness, but because Christ died on the cross); |
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When the Gospel is announced (to mean, "May God be in my thinking, my speaking, my feeling, and my choosing, especially in light of the Scriptural instruction I'm about to hear"); |
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At the end of the Sanctus (when the celebrant says, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord"); |
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Before/after receiving Holy Communion; |
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When ever a blessing is bestowed. |
No one must use the Sign of the Cross nor should one look down on those doing it. Done to the glory of God, however, it can be a great source of blessing: to God, to others (as a witness), and to ourselves.
Other Terms
Altar Linens
Altar linens are most often made of linen, because Jesus' grave clothes were linen. Most altar linens are square. The proper way to fold altar linens after they've been ironed is in thirds lengthwise, then in thirds crosswise, so that you end up with a square.
Anthem
An anthem is a hymn whose lyrics come from Scripture. Historically, anthems were sung responsively.
Chalice
A chalice is a drinking cup with a bowl, a single stem, and a foot. The stem usually has a knob to make it easier to grab. Chalices are generally made of silver, gold, or ceramic. The chalice can be used two ways in the Eucharist. Either everyone drinks from it (common cup), or worshipers dip the bread into the wine in the cup (intinction). If the common cup is used, the server wipes the edge of the cup with a napkin and rotates it for each communicant. Although it may seem unsanitary, we are not aware of any documented cases of disease being spread by the common cup.
Ciborium
A ciborium is a container with a lid. It is used to store the bread for Communion.
Chant
To some people, the word "chant" refers to mindless repetitions of the same words and phrases. But chant is actually a technical term for a specific musical form -- a simple melody in which you sing a number of words or syllables on the same note. You might say that a song is words set to music, but a chant is music set to words. Chants were invented to encourage congregational singing, since they require less musical skill than songs.
Collect
A collect (pronounced CALL - ect) is a short prayer, usually one sentence long, and it consists of three parts: an invocation (calling upon the name of God), a petition (a request of God), and a doxology (praising God's name). The following is an example of a simple collect:
O God, who gave your only Son to die for our sins, give us grateful hearts to live worthily before you; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord. Amen.
Colors
Since fabrics, such as banners and vestments, have to be in some color, the historic Church has used color to expand the theme of worship.
Green
Green is the color of vegetation, therefore it is the color of life. Green is the color for the Season of Epiphany and the Season after Pentecost. These two seasons are also called "Ordinary Time" because the Sundays have no names, just ordinal numbers.
Purple
In antiquity, purple dye was very expensive, so purple came to signify wealth, power, and royalty. Therefore purple is the color for the seasons of Advent and Lent, which celebrate the coming of the King. Since we prepare for our King through reflection and repentance, purple has also become a penitential color.
White
Angels announced Jesus' birth (Luke 2:8-15) and His Resurrection (Luke 24:1-8) The New Testament consistently uses white to describe angels and the risen Lord. Therefore, white is the color for the seasons of Easter and Christmas. White is the color for funerals, since it is the color of the Resurrection.
Red
Red is the color of blood, and therefore also of martyrdom. Red is the color for any service that commemorates the death of a martyr. It is also an alternative color for the last week of Lent, which is called Holy Week. Red is the color for Pentecost Sunday and for ordinations, because it is the color of fire and therefore also of the Holy Spirit.
Black
Before the advent of modern dyes, all dress clothes were black -- just look at any photograph taken in the 19th century. The main historical connotation of black is formality. Black is sometimes the color for funeral services and Good Friday.
Rose
Rose is sometimes used on the third Sunday in Advent, to signify joy.
Gold
Gold is an alternative to white.
Blue
Blue is an alternative to purple during Advent. Some churches use blue during Advent to avoid the penitential connotation of purple.
Hymn
A hymn is a song in
which the singers praise, worship, or thank God.
Offering
Originally, members of the congregation produced the bread and wine for Communion and presented it to the celebrant in the middle of the worship service. This presentation of the bread and wine was called the offering because it paralleled Jesus' offering of His flesh and blood for our sin. In the United States, where churches are financed through donations rather than tax money, the term offering has come to refer to a monetary offering.
Paraments
Paraments are decorative cloths that cover various items in the chancel of the church, hanging down in front of them. A full set of paraments includes one for the altar, one for the pulpit, one for the lectern, and a bookmark for the Bible. They are usually the color of the season and often have an appropriate embroidered or appliquéd symbol.
Paten
A paten is the small circular plate the holds the communion bread. It is used with a chalice and is made of the same material as the chalice.
Procession
Until quite recently, there were no
accurate timepieces, so worship services did not have a precise starting time.
After the people gathered, the clergy and other ministers would enter the church
in procession to begin the service. This custom is still continued in many
churches today. The first person in the procession is usually the crucifer
(carrying a processional cross), followed by acolytes who light the candles and
carry service books, then the choir, then lay ministers, and then the
clergy, with the highest ranking clergy last.
Readings
Most churches are faithful to 1 Timothy 4:13 and incorporate the public reading of Scripture in the worship service. Traditionally, there are up to four Bible readings during the service. The readings used each Sunday at Faith Lutheran are from the ancient pericopal system in a three-year series, which means, the readings each week are the same you will find in any other Christian church using the pericopal system, with each reading repeating every three years.
The Old Testament
The Old Testament reading is taken from any part of the Old Testament except the Psalms.
The Psalm
The Psalm is either an excerpt from a psalm or an entire psalm. Normally, the congregation participates in the psalm reading, either by reading it responsively or in unison, or by chanting it.
The Epistle
The epistle reading is taken from any book in the New Testament other than a gospel.
The Holy Gospel
The gospel reading is taken from the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. Pews were invented by Roman Catholics during the late middle ages for the comfort of the worshipers. Therefore, many congregations today continue to stand during the gospel reading to show respect.
Vespers
Simply meaning "evening," this worship service is usually contemplative in nature, with scripture and prayer.