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O come, let us worship and bow down before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice! Worship is at the heart of our life together, and Episcopal worship is rich in symbolism and tradition. At the same time, it is a contemporary expression of our belief and faith in a Living God who is present and accessible in material and ordinary things. Why Worship? The Church is first and foremost a worshipping community. Although we can worship God privately, Christian worship is something that we do together. Indeed, gathering for corporate worship is at the heart of Christian life. In and through it we unite ourselves with others to praise God, to hear God’s Word, to offer prayer, and to celebrate the sacraments. The Worship Service The worship service is called the liturgy, which means the “work of the people.” It is the shared activity of the entire congregation, and not just the ordained ministers. There are no observers in the liturgy. Everyone present is an important participant. The most common name for the liturgy is the Holy Eucharist, which means “thanksgiving.” It may also be called “Holy Communion,” “The Lord’s Supper” or The Mass.” Episcopal worship has its roots in the ancient Church which, in turn, based its liturgy on ancient Jewish worship customs. Following Jesus command to “do this in remembrance of me,” the first Christians gathered for prayer, Scripture study, offering and a shared meal. These elements continue to form the foundation of our Sunday worship. The Book of Common Prayer The Episcopal Church is distinctive from other Christian traditions in that it finds its identity in what its members do together (prayer and worship) rather than in its doctrine. We are united with others throughout the country and the world through our common worship and liturgy. Worship in the Episcopal Church is prescribed by the Book of Common Prayer. Not only does the Book of Common Prayer determine our public worship, it is also the source and statement of much of our belief. This is because the way we talk to God determines how we talk about God. In other words, what we pray expresses what we believe. Importantly, the Prayer Book provides structure and commonality of prayer while allowing flexibility for adaptation to customs, style, needs and expression of a particular community. Parts of the Worship Service Episcopal worship involves both Word and Sacrament, and can be divided into two main parts: The Word of God and The Holy Communion. The Word of God The first part of the worship service focuses on the Word of God. In it we hear readings from the Bible (also called “The Scriptures”), including the Old and New Testaments and the Gospel. (The readings follow a three-year cycle.) The sermon helps us to understand the Scriptures and apply them to our own life and time. This part of the liturgy also includes the Prayers of the People. At St. Timothy’s these prayers are usually written by a member of the congregation so that they reflect current world events as well as the life and concerns of this community. The Holy Communion The Holy Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is at the heart of Episcopal worship. As a sacramental church, we believe that God works in our lives through ordinary, material things. Sacraments, then, are the outward signs of God’s grace. In the Eucharist, these signs are the Communion bread and wine. At Jesus’ last meal with his disciples, he took bread, blessed, broke and gave it to them and said “This is my body… this is my blood.” He also instructed them to “do this in remembrance of me.” When we celebrate Holy Communion, we are sharing a meal. We thank God for the ways that God has acted in history, we offer bread, wine and ourselves to God to be transformed into the Body of Christ, and in receiving the bread and wine we receive God’s grace. We believe that, by God’s action, and in a mystery beyond our knowing, Jesus is present in the gifts of bread and wine. After we have been with the Body and Blood of Christ, we are sent out into the world to do God’s work. Our worship continues by our word and action in our daily life. Worship Services at St. Timothy’s Worship at St. Timothy’s reflects the richness of our tradition and our belief that there are many ways to worship, pray, express our faith, and connect with God within the framework of the Prayer Book. Sunday worship services reflect a variety of worship and music styles: 7:30 a.m. -- no music 9:00 a.m. -- contemporary music 11:00 a.m. -- traditional music (hymns and choir) The Christian Year Just as the face of the earth changes with the seasons, so does the face of the church change with the seasons of the Christian year. We mark time and the cycle of Christian life by designated times of waiting and preparation, penitence, celebration and mission. We express outwardly with things like color and decor what we are doing inwardly and spiritually. Seasons are indicated by liturgical color and decor. They are also marked by changes in posture (for example, whether we kneel or stand), our responses to prayers, and in our opening greeting and parting blessings. The seasons remind us that we are always moving through death and life, crucifixion and resurrection, and that we constantly end and begin again.
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