What is Liturgy?We have included this article for two kinds of
people. First, it is for newcomers from other denominations
who are interested in worshipping
at the Cathedral of Saint
Matthew but cannot always understand what we are doing
during the service. It is also for long-time church members
who have discovered that too often during a worship service
they have gone on "automatic pilot."
Every church intends that its liturgical actions will have
significance for the worshiper. What does it mean that we
read our prayers? What is a "collect?" What do the candles
mean, and which comes first, Epiphany or Lent (and why does
it matter)? The more you know, the more the activities and
actions will enrich your worship experience. You may soon be
saying to yourself, "I got so much more out of the service
today." Understanding liturgy helps you to see that there are unexplored
riches hidden within the framework of the liturgy, treasures
which reveal themselves at many levels, deepening your
spiritual life in new and vital ways.
What Are We Doing in Liturgy? |
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The word liturgy means the prescribed form for a
public religious service, the ritual patterns that a
church uses. It comes from a Greek word meaning ... |
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The Prayer Book |
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The book of Common Prayer is a book of services,
prayers and scripture. It is an "anamnesis," that
is, a remembering … |
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The Church Year |
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Church time and the world's time are different,
or had you noticed? A book's author might sign the
preface with a name and a date … |
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The Lessons |
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When scripture passages are read in the early
part of the worship service, we call them "The
Lessons." The first selection will be from the Old
Testament … |
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Kneeling, Sitting and
Standing |
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It was the Greeks who taught that people could
and should separate the spirit from the body in
order to achieve holiness… |
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Signing the Cross |
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We make the sign of the cross, not as a mark of
our church politics, but as a sign of our devotion
to the person of Christ … |
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What is the Eucharist? |
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Eucharist is the nurturing of Christians in the
church community as they grow toward God. The word
Eucharist means "thanksgiving." … |
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Vestments, Candles and
Incense |
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Why do priests wear special clothing? Why do I
feel worshipful when they light the candles, and why
use incense? When one worships in a church … |
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Collects and Prayers |
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Praying can be done in many different ways.
Prayer can be made in silence, with actions, or with
words. Churches typically choose … |
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The Eucharistic Words and
Actions |
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Sunday after Sunday, we notice that there is a
definite pattern to the celebration of the
Eucharist. The words may change … |
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What Is Our Worship About? |
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Understanding the different moments and acts of
worship enriches our spiritual experience and
deepens our ability to listen to God … |
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