Worship in a Reformed Episcopal
Church: Why We Do What We Do
Whether
you are familiar with our services or not, we believe it is important for
everyone to understand why we worship the way we do. The question of why we do
things in a particular way is good and right. Please do not feel uncomfortable
to ask us! I'm sure some have wondered if this is nothing more than following
the dry-as-dust traditions of men. Not at all. We
desire our worship to be vigorous and robust in offering praise to God. We find
it important to express our worship to God with three concerns. Worship must be
biblical, historic, and truly catholic.
The
purpose of this these pages is to show that our worship in Reformed Episcopal
parishes fits these categories, and why. Then, we will explore some of the
specific questions we have been asked along the way. If we do not touch on a
question you have, please feel to email the pastor.
On the
face of it, our worship book, called the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) is 70%
direct quotes of parts and passages of the Bible. Another 20% is a paraphrase
of the Bible, and 10% drawn from biblical teachings. But it is more than just
quoting a bunch of verses, more than pulling verses from all parts of the Bible
to fit the things we want. The services conform to biblical worship scenes;
those in heaven as well as those on earth. Those scenes serve as a model for
the worship within the Reformed Episcopal Church, and the larger Christian
church over the ages. Thus, the worship is biblical, even if you are
unaccustomed to seeing some of the Scriptural principles put into practice.
This
short study should deepen your understanding of biblical worship. Permit me to
anticipate some of your questions, especially the ones the form the foundation
for why we worship the way we do.
Why do we come for worship?
The
answer determines everything about the service. Are we there for God, or for
ourselves? Why do we come for worship?
Therefore when you come together
in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating . . . one is
hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?
Or do you despise the
The
answer to the question, “Why do we come for worship?” determines everything
about the service. It can only be answered one of two ways: We are in worship
for God, or we are there for man.
If we
come to worship for man, we become principally concerned with such questions
as, “Are we having a good time?” “Is this service giving us a good feeling?” “Are
we getting good fellowship?” “Do we like the preacher?” “Are we moved by the
sermons?” These questions have one common denominator. They reflect
man-centered purposes for worship, because they all have to do with man. Don't
misunderstand. Many of these question touch legitimate
concerns. But they are not sound Biblical purposes for worship, for the “coming
together” mentioned in the above passage.
The Bible
clearly teaches that the purpose of worship is for God. The Apostle Paul
rebuked a group of Christians for putting their own selfish desires before
God's glory, for “coming together” for man-centered reasons. The Corinthian
church cared only about stuffing their own mouths,
having a good time, and celebrating together. They had lost sight of the real
purpose which was to “show forth the Lord's death” (1 Corinthians 11:26). They
were not to be taking the Supper primarily for themselves, but for the Lord.
How they felt and what they liked were not reasons for coming to worship.
As a
matter of fact, Christians man not feel good when they
“come together.” In the same passage the Apostle Paul says Biblical worship
will make some people sick if they come for the wrong reason (1 Corinthians
11:30). They may begin to feel miserable or sick because there is sin in their
lives. They are made to feel this way so that they will repent. How we feel or
even what we think about Biblical worship is not the point. We are not the
point at all. God is. We come to worship Him!
Once
we've settled why we come for worship, the rest falls into its Biblical place,
making formal worship reasonable.
Why is your worship so formal?
Let us draw near with a sincere
heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an
evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the
confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and
let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not
forsaking the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:22-25)
Corporate
worship is an official occasion. It is not casual time. Instead, it is a
special moment when the church as a whole enters the very throne room of God.
It is a special time before God in a way that the church is not before Him at
any other time. If this is not the case, if the church does not specially come
before God's presence on the first day of the week in its worship, then these
words do not make any sense: “Let us draw near [to God] . . . not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together . . . and so much the more as you see the Day
approaching” (Hebrews 10:19-25). From the context of this passage, the apostle
compares the temple of the Old Testament and the heavenly temple manifested in
the New Testament. The old temple is removed; the veil keeping out God's people
is torn; and access is made available to the heavenly temple. Therefore, Paul
says, “draw near”; to worship Him.
If the
church does specially “draw near” to God in worship, then God's people should
reflect this reality in their attitudes and actions. They should demonstrate
all of the dignity and reverence such an occasion demands. This is the heart of
why we worship the way we do. We come to worship with the conviction that we
are entering the court of the King of kings. Indeed we are! Shouldn't we then
make our actions count, being careful not to do things that are offensive to
God? I think the answer to the question of formality lies in the modern
Church's failure to view worship as real entrance into the presence of the
Living God. Once this is grasped, however, our perspective changes, and all of
the questions about more formal (liturgical) worship can be answered.
I believe
that the modern Church has become so preoccupied with the freedom to be casual
that it has lost the sense of God as King. The notion of respect, dignity, and
honor are gone. If we think about the different times of formality and
informality in our own homes, we can begin to see the rationale for formal time
in the Church. There are times when I am very serious with my children and I
don't want them to take what I say lightly. I expect them to listen and answer
back with ordered courtesy: “Yes sir,” or “No sir.” Then there are occasions
when I play and my children crawl into my lap and get tickled. There are those
moments when my children and I dress casually and we play or work in the yard
together. There are also times when my children want to perform for me. My sons
would put on their best clothes and play the piano. My daughters would put on
their best dresses and dance for me. They wanted to dress up for their father
because they were performing. Isn't it interesting that when my children want
to perform for their father they don't have a problem with dressing up?
This is
the idea of formality in worship. It doesn't mean that there are not informal
times such as our Wednesday night prayer meeting or home Bible studies. It
means, however, that there are formal times where we present our best, and
perform for God, our High and Majestic King. Just as in life there are formal
and informal times, so in the Church there is the same dynamic.
Why is the pulpit off to the side?
If we are
drawing near to the throne room of God, the furniture in the room should
reflect this Scriptural truth. The Table of communion pictures the Lord's
throne to which the Church approaches in worship. It is in the center because
God is the center of activity not man. To emphasize further this centrality of
Jesus Christ, the pulpit and the lectern are placed to the side. Furthermore,
the Word of God is read in a different place from where the Word is preached to
point out that although preaching is important it is not the same as the Word
of God. What man says is different from what God says. Thus, the central
position of the Table (called an “altar” in some churches) is to underscore the
centrality of Jesus Christ as Lord and Head of the Church.
Why do the ministers wear special clothing?
In
Biblical worship, the ministers wear distinctive garments to cover their
clothing in the Old and New Testaments (Revelation 4:4). Why? They represent
someone beyond themselves, namely, Jesus Christ. They cover their clothing with
other garments to point away from themselves and to Christ. When they lead the
worship, they are not just “good old Joe.” They hold an office as a minister of
God and the clothing signifies the office. For example, a judge wears a black
judicial gown because he does not act for himself. He represents the law and
government of this land. In the same way, a minister represents the law and
government of another kingdom by the clothing he wears. Just as the location of
the table emphasized the centrality of Christ, the minister's clothing has
Christ-centered meaning as well.
The basic
color for worship is white, representing the light and glory of the
Resurrection. This white garment (a surplice) is normally worn over a long
black gown called a cassock. It symbolizes the death on the Cross. The two
together emphasize the finished work of Christ. Over the surplice and cassock
the minister often wears a long narrow strip of cloth around his neck: either a
black preaching scarf, called a tippet, or a colored one when communion is
served, called a stole. This mantle represents the “yoke” of Christ, as He
said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me . . .
for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30). The yoke was
literally a harnessing device for oxen in the time of Christ. Being harnessed
with a yoke, an ox could bear a load. When Christ says that He is the “yoke,”
He means that He literally carries the burdens of this life. When the minister
wears the stole, he is preaching a visual sermon, reminding people of the
Christ who bears their burdens.
To
symbolize further that the minister is a servant, he also wears special
clothing for his everyday work. This should be viewed as his uniform, just as
any special service for the community has a distinct uniform: firemen,
policemen, doctors, and so forth. The standard symbol of clerical clothing is
the collar around the neck. This neckband was around slaves in the ancient
world. The Church adopted this as its distinctive symbol for its ministers to
emphasize their being “slaves for the Lord.” Certainly every believer is a
slave for Christ, but the minister specially represents this function. In his
calling he actually symbolizes the priesthood of the whole Church, the
priesthood of Christ. The clothing of the minister points to Jesus Christ and
sets Him apart in the throne room of worship and life.
Why do you sit, kneel, and stand in worship?
I urge you therefore, brethren, by
the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,
acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. (Romans 12:1)
Worship
is “service” according to the Scripture. It is not passive, no less than a
servant is to be passive before his master. It is active. How many times I have
heard people say worship is an experience. This misses the point. It is an act
which purposefully engages the participants in adoration of the Lord. Worship
is not something to sit back and enjoy. It is spiritual service, spiritual
work.
Since
worship is an act of showing reverence, various postures are assumed in the
service. The general rule of thumb found in the Bible is: kneel to pray, sit to
listen, and stand in response. The worship at All Saints uses all three.
Worshipers in the modern church may be tempted to ask, “Why all the getting up,
sitting down, and even kneeling? Why can't we just come in and sit down?”
First,
kneeling is the most common posture in Scripture for prayer. The Apostle Paul
says, “I bow my knees unto the Father” (Ephesians 3:14). He adds, “Therefore
God also has highly exalted Him [Christ] . . . that every knee should bow, and
that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians
2:9-10). Kneeling for prayer expresses a variety of attitudes: humility,
respect, submission, thankfulness, and praise. The common position of sitting
for prayer in most evangelical churches is nowhere to be found in Scripture;
never do we see Abraham, David, or even Jesus sit for prayer. Instead, one
finds in the Bible a different posture for a very good reason. The bodily
action of bending the knees in prayer puts form to our attitudes.
Why? As
Thomas Howard writes, “Our innermost attitudes cry for a shape. They long to be
clothed with flesh. We can see this wherever we turn: we are happy, and our
face muscles stretch into smiles; we are sad, and our tear ducts go to work; we
are ashamed, and our neck muscles incline our heads forward; we are awed, and
our mouths gape open; we are exasperated, and we throw up our hands; we are
angry, and we clench our fists.” Prayer involves the whole person. Worship
should not just be a mental act, simply listening to a sermon. Kneeling, in
many ways, represents what the whole of life should be.
Second,
sitting is an appropriate way of hearing the Word of God read and preached. You
will notice that the Bible is read more in this type of service than in others.
Many churches hardly ever read Scripture, which is a sad statement. In Reformed
Episcopal parishes, however, the Old and New Testaments are read in Morning
Prayer along with a reading from the Psalms. In fact, the Psalms are normally
read responsively, again emphasizing the activeness of worship, answering back
to the Lord His own Word which is actually what man's whole life should be.
Third,
standing to respond is a way of showing respect. You will notice that every time
the Word of God is read, the congregation will stand and say or sing a response
of praise. These responses are usually sections of Scripture or ancient hymns
called canticles. The posture of standing is also the appropriate response for
our whole life. When God speaks, the Church should walk forward in Christ.
So, the
physical movement in the service - standing, sitting, and kneeling - is quietly
teaching God's people important lessons. They are to respond with action when
God speaks. Yet, they are not to respond in just any old way they want. They
should take action according to the Scriptures. And finally, they are to take
action that speaks for what the whole of life should be: submission (kneeling),
listening (sitting), and walking in Christ (standing).
Why various symbols such as candles and the cross?
And thus the sons of Israel did,
as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan,
just as the Lord spoke to Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the
sons of Israel; and they carried them over with them to the lodging place, and
put them down there. Then Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the
“The
common stuff of our mortal life is girded with symbols: wedding rings,
diplomas, medals, badges, handshakes, flags, uniforms, birthday candles,
Christmas wrappings, bridal gowns, school colors, roses, lilies, kisses, even
table settings. All of these gestures, clothes, and artifacts say something.
They convey meaning to us.” (Thomas Howard) This truth about symbols originates
in the Bible. Holy Scripture speaks of all kinds of symbols that reinforce the
relationship between God and man. They are not to be worshiped, but they do
serve a couple of important purposes.
First,
symbols visually teach important truths in the Bible. In the Scripture above, a
pillar of stones was built to symbolize how God had delivered His people. It
was made of stones from the riverbed to remind God's people that He had raised
them up out of the waters of judgment, reminiscent of the Flood and the
Second,
symbols in the central place of worship not only pointed to important spiritual
lessons, but they created a glorious atmosphere for worship. Remember, if the
people of God draw into the Lord's throne room during worship, it is
appropriate to decorate the room to reflect this reality. Anglicans use candles
to symbolize the light and presence of the Lord. Some churches may have great
vaulted ceilings or even golden domes to convey the vastness of the heavens of
the Lord. The use of symbols to convey special messages and to establish a
beautiful environment is commended, although not commanded, in the Bible.
Probably
the most common symbol in the Church is a cross. Many parishes a beautiful cross on the wall. The members do not worship the symbol
itself. Rather, they are reminded of the most central event in history, the
Death and Resurrection of Christ, by seeing the cross in the center. The cross
is a tree pointing all the way back to the tree of life in the garden. Only
this tree is even more the symbol of the cross in the garden on
Symbols
are a part of life. They are not forbidden by God. If they are, then “we would
have to go through our own houses and throw out all the stuffed animals from
the children's beds, and all the pictures from the walls, and all of the Hummel
figures and wood carvings from the bric-a-brack
shelves. We would never have paid homage at the Lincoln or Jefferson Memorials,
since these shrines were dominated by huge graven images.” (Thomas Howard)
Perhaps some Christians would have no problem throwing out these things, but if
they do, it is not because Scripture commands them. Symbols have a definite
Biblical place in worship and life!
Why do we read prayers and repeat so much?
But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may
proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you
out of darkness into His marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)
The whole
Church is called a priesthood. Since the people of God
are priests, they should be actively involved in worship. They should be the
ones conducting worship. In Anglican services, the ministers lead, but the
people are actually performing the worship. The people are able to do this
because they know how to worship. They have been trained with a tool called the
prayer book. It is not intended to replace the Bible. The prayer book, though,
is to worship what the hymnal is to music. It is designed to equip the people
for doing the work of the priesthood.
The
recited prayers are part of the training manual for worship. They are not the
only kind of prayer, for there will also be “free” prayer during worship. Our
Book of Common Prayer has special places for the ministers to say
extemporaneous prayers. The set prayers follow Biblical examples such as the
Lord's Prayer. They are usually well-stated prayers that uniquely express the
common needs of God's people. They are called “collects” because they are a
collection of the needs of Christians that are brought to God by the minister.
Set
prayers are prayers that have a unique history to them. The following prayer
has a special story attached to it: “O God, who art the author of peace and
lover of concord, in knowledge of whom standeth our
eternal life, whose service is perfect freedom; defend us thy humble servants
in all assault of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in thy defense, may not
fear the power of any adversaries, through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.” This prayer was written by a minister in the city of
The
common objection to read prayers are that they are not
sincere. But this is not necessarily the case. People read vows at a wedding or
even memorize what they say. Does this mean that they are insincere? Hardly. In fact, human beings very carefully choose their
words when they really have to mean them. Remember, this is how people act at
special occasions before special people.
But how about the repetition? Doesn't this lead to deadness? No, again. Humans
usually like to repeat what they love. Favorite, oft-recited portions of
scripture such as Psalm 23, the Lord's Prayer, and the Beatitudes, all serve to
illustrate this. How about certain hymns, Christmas carols, or simple songs
such as Jesus Loves Me? These are repeated by the same people over and over.
Does the repetition mean they are insincere or don't mean what they say? Not at all. They are repeating what they love and mean. In
fact, repetition is difficult when people don't mean what they are saying. This
is true of every aspect of worship. Finally, repetition has been called the “mother
of learning.” Repetition is a way of learning basic elements of anything,
including worship. Most Christians don't know how to worship because they have
been led to believe that it comes naturally. It doesn't, no more than anything
in the Christian life come naturally. It must be learned. And, since repetition
is the most basic way of learning, the worship service involves repeating
certain important parts.
Why do you observe the Church Calendar?
The
strips of colored cloth on the lectern and other pieces of furniture match the
color of the minister's stole to indicate the season of the Church year. The
principle of the Church year is that time is to be redeemed and brought under
the Gospel (Ephesians 5:16). To help God's people submit time to Christ, the
Church has organized the year around events in the life of Christ, again
seeking to keep life Christ-centered. These events fall into different seasons
of the year, each season represented by a different color. Also, since time has
three patterns - daily, weekly, and seasonal - the Church seeks through its
calendar to reinforce on a seasonal basis what is taught in Church on a weekly
basis. For this reason, there will be special services at different seasons of
the year to focus the Church's attention on Christ.
Advent: The expectation of the Messiah as
king. The lessons have to do with what kind of person He is, why He is needed,
and how He comes into the world. The season is both the beginning of the church
year by directing our thoughts to His first coming in Incarnation, and the
culmination of the church year by anticipating His second coming in glory. The
color is purple to symbolize royalty and penitence in preparation for the
coming of the King.
Christmas: The birth of Jesus and the events
surrounding His Incarnation are read and studied. The color is white for purity
and glory. The Apostle John says that Christ is the greatest expression of this
glory (John 1:14).Epiphany: This word, which comes from the Greek, means “appearing.”
Epiphany tracks Christ’s appearing or showing forth of Himself to the world and
especially to the Gentiles (non-Jews), indicating His world mission as prophet,
priest, and king. The color is green to symbolize the growth of Christ's ministry.
Pre-Lent: These Sundays prepare for Lent.
They are called by the Latin names: Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and
Quinquagesima, meaning seventy, sixty, and fifty days before Easter. The color
is purple for preparation.
Lent: This season begins forty days
before Easter.
It focuses on the fasting and temptation period of Christ’s preparation for His
ministry, a period of forty days. The application to the Church becomes a
special time of repentance and self-examination. The color remains purple for
penitence.
Easter: This includes Resurrection Sunday
and the several Sundays that follow. It points to the Resurrection of Christ
and His activities until His Ascension. The color is white for purity and
glory.
Ascension: We worship, at this time, Our Lord
who has ascended into heaven to be at the right hand of God to intercede for
His Church and to build His kingdom on earth. The color is white for the glory
of God.
Whitsunday or Pentecost: This occurs fifty days after the
Resurrection. It teaches about the coming of the Holy Spirit as tongues of
fire, symbolized by the color of red.
Trinity: The final and longest season (six
months) of the Church year begins with a special Sunday devoted to the doctrine
of the Holy Trinity, the basis of the Christian faith. Throughout the season,
however, the ministry, miracles, and teachings (especially concerning the
Why do you sing chants, psalms, and traditional
music?
In our society,
we are conditioned to think only in terms of the individual. The noted
professor of worship at
Webber
goes on to say that the shift from the corporate to the individual happened
because some early American Christians mistakenly thought that “those who were
converted needed less structure and were less dependent on others for worship.”
In truth, freedom comes through structure in Christianity. For instance, people
can't make music if they don't know music theory and notation. Real freedom
requires that other people be involved in our lives to help us: to train, to
encourage, and “to stimulate one another to good works,” (Hebrews 10:24) as the
Apostle Paul says.
Why does
the modern Church abandon the principle of freedom through structure so often?
I believe it is due to too much emphasis on “I” and not enough on “we,” the
corporate body. Many come to worship for themselves, what “I” can get out of
it, or, what “I” put into it. Biblical worship does not exclude the individual,
but it is a corporate act. It draws together the entire congregation as one
voice to God and one ear to listen to Him.
Furthermore,
corporate worship involves the Church of all ages. We do not stand alone when
we worship. We join with God's people of times past because the Church draws
near to heaven where all the departed saints dwell. Our worship should reflect
not just our own age, for that would be to exclude those of the corporate body
of Christ in the past. It should be compatible with the one, holy, apostolic,
and universal (catholic) Church of all ages. This oneness with the whole Church
encompasses every facet of worship, especially the music.
We sing
music from the entire history of the Church, dating all the way back to the
second century: one example is the Te
Deum Laudamus, (meaning “We praise Thee O God”).
We do not sing music from the twentieth century only, although there have been
some fine composers in this century. We are not simply trying to be “modern,”
although we don't want to exclude what is being done in our own times.
We should
expect that the majority of our music is from ages past, because two thousand
years of music precede us. We should anticipate less music in our services from
the twentieth century for this reason. We should also understand that most
church music in this century is in imitation of the secular sound. It is not
written primarily for worship. At times, it has an evangelistic purpose. There
may be nothing wrong with writing music to sound like the secular world for the
purpose of evangelization. But the Church of the past understood that the
purpose of worship is different; it is for doxology. It therefore did not write
its music to sound like the secular world.
Indeed,
it used to be that the world imitated the Church's music (Mozart copied Bach).
The church wrote worship music to reflect the action of drawing near to the
throne room of God. Again, it operated on the premise that the best should be
brought, not just from one period in history but from the Church of all ages.
It should not bring trivial or out-of-place music to corporate worship on the
Lord's Day. This service is not for entertainment. (In many liturgical churches
the musical instruments are at the back for this reason). The music for church
worship may or may not have a contemporary sound but it will be compatible with
the purposes of worship.
What is the order of the services?
There are
two basic worship services: Morning Prayer and Holy Communion. Morning Prayer
is a Scripture-reading service with prayer, and Holy Communion is a service
where the Word of God is preached as well as made visible in the Lord's Supper.
The order of both services is similar, though there are some differences. Dr.
J. I. Packer points out that the order is easy to remember because it is the
message of the Gospel itself in a liturgical format. It has a threefold Gospel
pattern: CONFESSION OF SIN, DECLARATION OF GRACE, RESPONSE
OF FAITH. This pattern repeats itself three times in the service, emphasizing
again and again the only way man may come to God.
Morning Prayer
First Cycle
Confession of sin: After singing and symbolically
marching into the presence of God in the form of a procession (from the back to
the front by the ministers and other attendants), the first act is confession
of sin. Anytime someone enters the presence of God in Scripture, this is always
the first step. This is always first in coming to know God. The confession of
sin is said by all. It states sins of omission and commission, and sins of the
heart as well as sins of the flesh. It is a well-rounded statement to include
all of our sins.
Declaration of Grace: After dealing with sin, the grace
of God is declared to us. This is a declaration said by the minister. He does
not have the power actually to forgive sins. He can only declare forgiveness on
the basis of the Word of God for those who are “truly penitent.” He does,
however, comfort those who have confessed their sin with the reality of
forgiveness through Christ.
Response of Faith: The congregation responds with
the Lord's Prayer. We should not forget that prayer is a statement of faith. It
is therefore an appropriate way to respond to the free offer of the Gospel.
Second Cycle
After a
brief transition by way of versicles - short
exchanges between the minister and congregation - the congregation enters the
second Gospel cycle.
Confession (Sin): Psalms are sung and said
(responsively) together. They are a way of stating man's fundamental deficiencies
and needs. They are actually confessions before the Lord about man and God.
Grace: After the second cycle of
confession before God, grace is declared through the reading and response of
Scripture. Old and New Testament portions are read as first and second lessons.
After each reading, the congregation stands and announces the grace of God by
singing Scripture. This is all done out of great reverence for God and His
Word.
Response (Faith): When the Holy Scriptures have
been read, the church gives a special response of faith in the form of the
Apostle's Creed (or sometimes the Nicene Creed). The word “creed” simply means,
“I believe.” All churches have certain beliefs even though they might deny that
they have a creed. Their “creeds” will be their hymns, sermons, Sunday school
material, and so forth. Creeds are unavoidable. The historic church has always
built its creeds around the Holy Trinity. In both of the standard creeds, the
reader will notice this threefold division around Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
This is a creedal expression of faith. Notice that the first response of faith
was in the form of prayer. Now it is by means of a creed. The congregation has
responded prayerfully and doctrinally. Both are important aspects of true faith
in Christ.
Many
churches that use Morning Prayer have the sermon and the offering immediately
after the creed; others will place these responses at the end of the service.
The sermon and the offering are specific responses of faith. The sermon is to
be centered around the Word of God, either the lessons
for the day or some other portion of Scripture.
Third Cycle
The last
cycle is exclusively in the form of prayer. The tension mounts in the service,
as the congregation has been drawn closer and closer to God. But as the people
come to the Lord and in a sense “sit on His lap,” the service ends with
petitions from children to their (heavenly) Father.
Confession (Sin): The final cycle begins with
another versicle transition. This versicle
is an exchange in the form of a confession and request: “O God, make clean our
hearts within us.”
Grace: Next, two collects (prayers of
the group as a whole) and other prayers are offered. One is specifically
called, “A Collect for Grace.” It is a petition for protection and safety as
well as a prayer for righteousness. After the collects, prayers for the nation
and the Church are said. They both ask for grace to be manifested according to
the particular needs of each institution.
Response (Faith): Finally, the congregation prays a
prayer of “General Thanksgiving.” It was originally written during the time of
Puritan England to express man's response of thankfulness for God's great
mercy. It is said by all as a final expression of faith. The service concludes
on this third type of response: thanksgiving. The participants have therefore
responded with prayer, creed, and thankfulness. Faith is prayerful, doctrinal,
and grateful.
The
Morning Prayer service then concludes with a simple request and benediction: “The
Grace.” Three times the congregation has been taken through the Gospel before
the throne of God. The message of Holy Scripture has been riveted by word and
action.
Holy Communion
The
communion service follows the same Gospel pattern. Many of the principles are
the same, except that now the church responds to God in communion, another
dimension of faith.
First Cycle
Confession (Sin): After an opening hymn and
introductory versicle, the minister prays the “collect
for purity.” He then reads the law, after which the congregation prays, “Lord
have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this law.”
Grace: The grace of God is declared by
the reading of Scripture: the Epistle and Gospel.
Response (Faith): The congregation is allowed to
respond in faith by saying or singing the Nicene Creed, listening to the
sermon, giving a tithe and offering to the Lord, and praying for the Church
Militant (Church marching on the earth).
Second Cycle
Confession (Sin): The congregation is called upon to
confess its sin as it enters close to God. This confession is similar to the
one in Morning Prayer. It is a statement of repentance, emphasizing man's need
to turn from his sin.
Grace: After confession of sin, an
absolution is declared. Scripture that promises forgiveness is read. The congregation
is turned to the Lord as the one true source of assurance.
Response (Faith): The congregation responds with the
Sursum corda,
which is simply the Latin for, “Lift up your hearts.” At this point, the people
of God draw near to the heavenlies such that the
boundary between earth and heaven is torn away. The angels are now in the
balcony as “so great a host surrounding” (Hebrews 12:1ff). Immediately after
the Sursum corda,
the “Thrice holy” (historically referred to as the Trisagion) is said with a brief
preface before it. This is a direct quote from Scripture: “Therefore with
angels and archangels and all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify Thy
glorious name evermore praising Thee and saying, 'Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of
hosts, heaven and earth are full of Thy glory; glory be
to Thee, O Lord Most High. Amen.” All of this is a response of thankfulness.
Third Cycle
Confession (Sin): The final Gospel cycle begins
with the “Prayer of Humble Access.” This title graphically captures the essence
of the prayer. It states that the Church is “not worthy to eat the crumbs under
Thy table.” It is a simple statement of contrition.
Grace: The grace of God is expressed in
the “Prayer of Consecration,” where the elements of bread and wine are set
apart, together with the people. Communion is a means of grace: the grace of
God is applied through participation by faith in the Lord's Supper.
Response (Faith): The rest of the service is one
large response. Everything has led to this point. The response of faith begins
with the reception of communion. The people come forward to emphasize that they
are drawing near by faith. We are privileged to come and kneel before the Lord
in a special way to receive His special meal. Afterwards, they return to sing
the “Gloria,” rejoicing at having
eaten with Jesus. Finally, they pray and receive the benediction. Then the
service closes with a recessional hymn, as the clergy and other attendants lead
the congregation out into the world to respond with good works and living faith.
Closing Remarks
These are
the services of the Reformed Episcopal Church. They are powerfully Scriptural,
conveying the Gospel with a threefold witness every time they are conducted.
Perhaps this is why so many great revivals have followed these worship services
where they have been faithfully observed in history.
The
following was adapted from a pamphlet written by the Rt. Rev. Ray R. Sutton,
Th.D., during his pastorate at Good Shepherd Reformed Episcopal Church,
This page
is copyright material of the Reformed Episcopal Church. It may only be
reproduced en toto, and with the written permission
of the Reformed Episcopal Church. © Copyright, 1996.