Guidelines Worship by Board Of Discipleship;

Author:Board Of Discipleship;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Published: 2016-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Vital United Methodist Worship Is Liturgical

Some may think the word liturgical doesn’t apply to worship in their congregation. It does, no matter the worship style! The word liturgy comes from a Greek word (leitourgia) that means “the work” (ergon) “of the people” (laos). Whatever you offer in worship is your congregation’s liturgy.

Note where the emphasis of the definition is: Liturgy, at its best, is the work of the people. This means everyone present, not primarily the “folks up front” or the “experts” who design or lead worship. Their role truly is to lead your entire congregation to worship God rather than do it for you.

When worship is primarily the work of the “folks up front,” it becomes less liturgical, no matter the style. It may also become less vital and life-changing when it turns into a spectacle watched by an “audience” and evaluated on how well it entertains them or makes them feel. When the people are less engaged as active worshipers, they are more likely to become active or passive critics of the “performance” offered by others. The worship experience may then become an idol of consumerism instead of a means of redeeming grace. But when people are actively participating and worship is truly the work of the people, vitality and grace abound!

The people’s work in worship can take on a variety of forms. Some lead one or more elements of worship. Others, such as a sound or lighting crew or a choir director, offer their work to help others worship. Many sing or pray or move or listen or respond verbally or even dance. Whatever work particular people are doing at any given time during worship, what matters is how engaged each person is in doing it. Plan so that everyone remains engaged. The single most important factor in maintaining engagement and decreasing disengagement is the flow of worship.

When the basic movements of worship (entrance, word and response, thanksgiving and Communion, sending) and the elements within them flow seamlessly, and when the direction of that flow both feels right and makes sense, everyone is more likely to be and to remain actively engaged from moment to moment. Worship with excellent flow helps worshipers “sync up” with God and one another at the entrance; become prepared to listen and respond to the Word in Scripture, song, sermon, testimony, and prayer; give thanks and be fed at Christ’s Table; and then be sent to live as Christ’s body in the world in the power of the Holy Spirit. (For more about flow and transitions, see the five-part series of articles on “Bearings in Worship” on the UMCWorship blog, umcworship.blogspot.com/2011/04/bearings-part-iii-introduction-fluid.html.)

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