Have I ever mentioned how blessed our family is to be part of such a wonderful church? I’m sure I have, but I was particularly blessed today by the care the folks showed for me today in asking about the status of my health and just the concern in general that I am not completely whole yet (I had a really bad ear infection last Lord’s Day you see, and a fairly bad cold… the ear infection lingers and I still have a cough that’s becoming a dry cough, yeck!).

But more than that, I was blessed today by the Liturgy (thank you Pastor Lovett for your dedication to put that together each week for us). Even though I couldn’t sing that well today, and am having trouble with my ears, I was still able to come and worship the Lord today in this covenant conversation we have each Lord’s Day.

I want to share a little bit about Heritage’s liturgy. Now, for those of you who don’t know, the definition of liturgy according to the American Heritage Dictionary is:

A prescribed form or set of forms for public religious worship.

Liturgy is simply an order of worship which we follow on the Lord’s Day for our Worship. At Heritage, our liturgy is very purposeful and deliberate.

In a somewhat abbreviated fashion, this is the basic structure of our Liturgy.

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Prelude
As the appointed time approaches for our worship, the pianist plays a hymn arrangement to both let us know worship is about to begin so we can find our seats, and to aid us in preparing our hearts for worship.

Meditation
After the prelude, the Elder (currently our only Elder, we are actively seeking God’s council and wisdom for leadership) will ask us to meditate on a passage of scripture as the musician plays a meditative piece.

Call to Worship
After the meditation, the Elder calls us to the worship of God almighty. This is typically responsive as the Elder leads us and we respond.

Invocation
After we are called to worship, the Elder asks for God’s presence in our worship.

Hymn of Praise
We respond to God’s presence in our worship with a Hymn of Praise and thanksgiving!

The reading of the Law
The Elder then reads the Law of God to the people. This is to remind us that God is Holy and we are transgressors. We serve a Holy God and we are sinful creatures.

Confession of Sin
We respond to the reading of God’s Law in corporate confession of our sin.

Assurance of Pardon
After the confession, the Elder proclaims God’s pardon of His people from His Holy Word, to which we corporately respond, “Thanks be to God.”

Psalm of Response
We then respond to God’s assurance of pardon with an appropriate Psalm from the Psalter.

Confession of Faith
After our Psalm of response we confess our faith. For some months this has been by means of the Heidelberg Catechism where the Minister asks the question and we respond with the Catechal answer.

Pastoral Prayer
At this time, the Elder will pray for God’s people as the Lord leads him.

Psalm of Praise
We then sing a Psalm of Praise to the Lord from the Psalter.

Reading of the Text
The Elder now reads the text for his message

Prayer for Illumination
Without the Holy Spirit we cannot understand spiritual things. This is the prayer for the Illumination of the Holy Spirit as the Word is expounded unto God’s people.

Message
At this time, the Elder brings the message the Lord has laid on his heart to bring before the People of God.

The invitation and fencing of the Table/Words of Institution
As we prepare to commune with the Lord at the table He has prepared for us, the Elder fences the table by extending the invitation to the table to God’s people and warns that the table is only for God’s people. The Elder then recites the Words of Institution.

The Sursum Corda
It is at this time that we are encouraged to lift our hearts up to the Lord in communion with Him:

Minister: Life up Your Hearts

People: We lift them up to the Lord

Minister: Let us five thanks unto our Lord God

People: It is good and right to do so

Unison: And so, merciful Father, we lift our eyes from the visible elements even as we lift our hearts to heave itself, where Jesus Christ is seated on the right hand of the Father, from where He shall come again to complete our redemption, in Whom all the promises of God are fulfilled, and all spiritual blessings are to be found. In Joy of heart, in brotherly union, in Christian love we come to partake of Your table, giving thanks for the great love which You have shown to us, and ever singing…

Sanctus

Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord!
Holy, Holy, Holy, Worshipped and adored.
He without beginning, Ageless and the same,
Is and ever shall be, Glory to His name.

Prayer for the Work of the Holy Spirit
At this time we pray in unison for the work of the Holy Spirit as we partake of the elements.

Consecration of the Bread
The Elder consecrates the element of the bread, then as we sing a hymn, he distributes the bread. The Elder then asks us to partake together.

Consecration of the Wine
The Elder consecrates the element of the wine, then as we sing a hymn, he distributes the wine. The Elder then asks us to drink of the wine together.

Prayer of Thanksgiving and Consecration
We then pray in unison, giving thanks, and consecrating our week ahead to the service of the Lord, asking him to send us out with His blessing.

Benediction
The Elder then pronounces the Benediction of the Lord upon His people, asking for God’s favor to shine upon them.

Singing of the Shalom

The Sending Forth

Minister: Go in peace to love and serve the risen and reigning Lord Jesus Christ

People: Thanks be to God!

Postlude

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I cannot tell you how I look forward to this conversation with the Lord every week. We need rest, we rest one day in seven as the Lord commands. I know I need to come into the presence of the Lord, hear his assurance of pardon to His people, and be equipped for the coming week of service to the King. The Lord’s Day is God’s blessing to His people, and the fellowship of God’s people is also his gift of refreshment to His children.

So there’s a glimpse into what I look forward to each Lord’s Day, and what I long for during the week.

Disclaimer, this post took me a little bit of time to write, it is long after all. There is bound to be spelling mistakes, and/or grammatical mistakes. Please overlook those, and look into the heart of my post.