How We Worship
Christians gather on the Lord’s Day to celebrate the resurrection of Christ. The cross is the central symbol that marks our worship spaces and when Lutherans worship, singing fills the air. The voices of all the people joined in song and the participation of all the people in the worship is a witness to our conviction that in worship we are being drawn in to God’s own saving story.
The Lutheran worship service is divided into two major parts:
The Liturgy of the Word derives from the Jewish synagogue service and is made up of scripture readings, psalms, and prayers. In Luke we have an account of Jesus in the synagogue, reading from the prophet Isaiah (Luke 4:14-21).
The Liturgy of the Eucharist is the sharing of bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Holy Communion has its roots in Jesus’ Passover meal with his disciples on the night before his death (Matthew 26:26-29).
Our experience of worship is similar to the experience of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The risen Jesus breaks open the word for us, and then is made known in the breaking of bread (Luke 24:13-25). With Easter faith, we confess that Christ appears to us as the scriptures are read and the eucharist is celebrated. (See also Luke 24:27, 30-31a.)
The book of Psalms is central to Christian worship. Most or all of the psalms are usually printed in hymnals. Not only are psalms used as a response following the first reading from scripture, they often form the basis for hymns and other responses.
Each Sunday three scripture readings are included in worship. These are appointed in a lectionary, which is a cycle of Bible readings spread over a three-year period and shared by the majority of the world’s Christians. During year A we read from the gospel of Matthew, year B from the gospel of Mark, and year C from the gospel of Luke. Portions of John’s gospel are spread over all three years. Readings from the Hebrew scriptures are chosen to correlate to the gospel selection. During a large portion of the year, the epistles of Paul and others are read in a semi-continuous fashion from week to week.
The individual components of the liturgy developed over the centuries, but most of the texts have some kind of origin in the scriptures. The core phrases and images of the liturgy derive from the Bible and provide an important connection to the scriptures. Listed below are direct or indirect biblical references used in the liturgy of Holy Communion.
THE PREPARATION FOR WORSHIP: (Psalm 149:1; Joel 2:15-17; Isaiah 48:14; Matthew 18:20; Acts 2:1-13)
The Parish Notices
The Opening Voluntary
The Confession of Sin and Absolution (1 John 1:8-9)
THE ENTRANCE RITE
The Processional Hymn
The Apostolic Greeting: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ... (2 Corinthians 13:13)
The Kyrie (during penetential seasons of Advent and Lent): Lord, have mercy (Luke 17:13)
The Gloria: Glory to God (Luke 2:14)
The Salutation: The Lord be with you (Ruth 2:4; Luke 1:28)
The Collect of the Day
THE LITURGY OF THE WORD: (Matthew 4:4; John 1:1-5; Colossians 3:16; 1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 4:1-5)
The Old Testament Reading (Hebrew scriptures; Acts during Easter)
The Gradual (Psalms)
The Epistle Reading (New Testament epistles)
The Sequence Hymn
The Holy Gospel (Gospels)
The Prayers of the People (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
THE LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST: (John 6:48-50; Acts 2:42)
The Passing of the Peace (Matthew 5:23-24; John 14:27; Romans 16:16)
The Anthem at the Offertory (sung by the Parish Choir)
The Offertory Hymn
The Sursum Corda (Psalm 136)
The Sanctus: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord (Isaiah 6:3; Matthew 21:9)
The Eucharistic Prayer and Words of Institution (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13)
The Agnus Dei: Lamb of God (John 1:29)
The Motet at the Communion (sung by the Parish Choir)
The Hymn at the Communion
THE SENDING: (Matthew 28:19; John 20:21)
The Postcommunion Collect
The Benediction: The Lord bless you... (Numbers 6:23-26)
The Processional Hymn
The Dismissal: Go in peace, serve the Lord...(Luke 7:50)
The Closing Voluntary
Other References and Resources:
For references on the foundations for the Christian assembly from the writings of the early Church and the Lutheran confessions, consider The First Apology of Justin Martyr, Chapter LXVII: Weekly Worship of the Christians (c. 150 A.D.), and the Augsburg Confession, article VII (1530).
Source: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America www.elca.org