Order of Service
A Summary and Explanation of Our Lord’s Day Worship Service at Fellsmere Historical Church
Christ is our great high priest, interceding unto God who is worthy of our worship.[1]
Christ is the head of his body, the Church.[2]
The pastor serves as head of the local church by leading the congregation into the presence of the Lord in worship.[3] And the congregation participates.[4]
We are summoned by God himself to partake in this banquet where we draw close to Him, remember his promises, and offer up ourselves in worship and praise to Him.
Our worship service is ordered.
There are six main elements:
PRELUDE | CALL TO WORSHIP | HYMN OF PROCESSION
First, the Lord calls us into worship. Here we have the Prelude to prepare our hearts and minds, to deal with any offense, or to meditate on the prayer provided in the bulletin. Then God calls us to come into His presence. We do not simply enter without this invitation.[5]
Having been called, we respond with the only appropriate response: praise! We sing our Hymn of Procession. The pastor begins the procession from the back of the sanctuary to signify an entering into the presence of the Lord.
CONFESSION | ASSURANCE OF PARDON | COMMUNITY OF PRAYER | SHARING THE PEACE
Second, the Lord cleanses us.[6] Now, as we enter, we take time to confess our sins. We sit or kneel as we confess together from a posture of humility and reverence. Once we have confessed, we rise to receive a declaration that we are forgiven in Christ and able to share in God’s promises as well as the meal He has prepared for us.[7]
This element of our service concludes with sharing our prayer concerns, praises, and the Lord’s peace with one another. [8]
HYMN OF ASCENT | READINGS & HYMNS | SERMON | GLORIA PATRI
Third, the Lord consecrates us. Now that we have confessed and are cleansed, we begin our ascent into His heavenly presence to hear His word and fellowship at His table. In his presence, we hear his word through the corporate reading of scripture. Though we can read these words at home, reading these words in public confronts us in a unique way. The Spirit works in special ways when the Word goes forth in public worship.[9] We respond to each reading with thanks and praise. God gives to us his Word, and it is right and proper that we should respond with a “Thank you!” in a spirit of joy and gratitude.
We stand for the gospel reading because, although all scripture is breathed by God[10] and helpful to us, the climax of God’s story is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All the other portions of scripture point to Christ[11], and by giving special emphasis to the gospel reading, we highlight that we are a Christ-centered community.[12]
We sing the Gloria Patri as a reminder that the Triune God — Father, Son, and Spirit — has fully and finally revealed Himself to us through the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ.[13]
The sermon illuminates the word, illuminates our hearts, proclaims God’s character and promises, and tells us of the requirements of being God’s people.
OFFERTORY | DOXOLOGY | PRAYER
Fourth, the Lord collects our gifts. The offertory is more than simply giving of our money. Though that is an important part. We offer up ourselves out of an overflowing gratitude.[14] We give generously to God and to those in need. Earlier, we brought our confession to the Lord, and He accepts us as we are. But this offering in our gifts is a reminder that God does not allow us to stay as we are.[15] He demands that we consecrate ourselves and our work to His service, and He promises to make this transformation possible by His grace.[16]
As a royal priesthood[17], we gather before God to act as representatives for all humanity.[18] In addition to praying for those in our congregation, we make requests on behalf of and for the world[19], concluding with the Lord’s prayer.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
Fifth, the Lord communes with us. The Lord’s Supper is the supreme means of covenant renewal between God and His people. This meal is our peace offering where we feast with God at His table.
Here we remind God of Christ’s sacrifice[20], and as God remembers this gracious covenant with us in Christ, He comes to visit us by His Spirit and imparts life to us as we receive the body and blood of Christ in faith.[21] This Supper emphasizes thanksgiving in getting to live as God intended, being shaped more and more into Christ’s image.
CLOSING HYMN | BENEDICTION | DISMISSAL
Lastly, the Lord commissions us. Having received nourishment, we now leave the heavenly sanctuary ready and prepared to labor for Christ’s kingdom and to lay down our lives in His service. We receive God’s blessing and leave as those ready to bless the world.
Our hope and prayer are that we see this as a wonderful and invaluable gift.
And proclaim Christ exalted.
Scripture References*
1. Hebrews 7:25-27
2. Ephesians 1:22-23
3. Hebrews 5:1
4. 1 Peter 2:5
5. Hebrews 9:24
6. Hebrews 10:22
7. 1 John 1:9
8. Colossians 3:15
9. 1 Timothy 4:13, 2 Peter 1:19-21
10. 1 Timothy 3:16
11. Romans 15:4
12. Romans 10:17
13. Colossians 1:25-26
14. Romans 12:1
15. Hebrews 13:15-16
16. Romans 6:19
17. 1 Peter 2:9
18. Ephesians 3:10
19. 1 Timothy 2:1
20. 1 Corinthians 11:24-26
21. 1 Corinthians 10:16-17
*Christ brought us into a new covenant in his blood that made the old covenant obsolete. But that does not make God’s revealed will in the old covenant was made irrelevant or defunct. Indeed, Old Testament scripture remains useful for teaching and understanding God’s redemptive plan for his people who looked forward to Jesus and the cross. Yet, as it pertains the church, Christians look backward to Jesus and the cross. As such, New Testament scriptures handed down by the Apostles are what’s used to order the church. That’s why our references above include only New Testament letters and epistles. Nevertheless, even these Apostolic-derived liturgies have their basis in the order God first established with Christ, before the foundation of the world, at creation.