ORDER OF WORSHIP REFINED AT PROVIDENCE BEGINNING JUNE 2005

Our Order of Worship #3

v      The Prelude: This is music supplied by the musicians at 11:00 a.m. that provides the time of adjustment for and starts the worship, in which members prepare themselves for the Presence of the LORD. The musicians play a short selection that serves to direct the focus the congregation to the LORD. Prior to the Call to Worship, the choir will enter the choir loft in anticipation of the worship leader rendering the Call to Worship.

v      *The Call to Worship: This is an announcement of the manifestation of the Presence of the LORD, exhorting the congregation to focus their attention to Him as a congregation. This admonition or exhortation from the Scripture is used to charge the members to reverence the LORD, as He makes Himself present to them.

v      *The Invocation: This is a short prayer, intended to acknowledge the Presence of the LORD, and to ask His mercy, as He manifests Himself among the congregation. It may include anticipatory thanksgiving for the LORD sparing the congregation, who is a group of sinners saved by His grace, to enjoy, host, and be hosted by His Presence, and petitions for His blessing Presence throughout and beyond the ritual service.

v      *The Chant: This is a choral response by the choir that continues the prayer. It may consist of acknowledgment of the LORD, thanksgiving, or simple petitions for His mercy. Its familiarity permits the congregation to pray as a whole in song.

v      *The Hymn of Praise: This is usually a song of praise, thanksgiving, or commitment, intended to reflect the celebration and joy of the congregation in being recipients of the mercy and the Presence of the LORD, who has not condemned or judged them by His self-revelation in their midst.

v      †The Responsive Reading: This is a litany of Scripture or a prayer, that is shared by the congregation and the clergy. Here, the Sacred Text is read in effort to hear the WORD of the LORD that is manifested mysteriously through His Spirit.

v      *The Response: Usually, the Gloria Patri is sung, praising the LORD our GOD and His Son, as communicated to the congregation through His Spirit, in reading and hearing the words of the Sacred Text and His WORD itself.

v      **The Interlude: This is a moment for meditation, during which members may personally reflect upon the goodness of GOD, and pray, as so led by the ethos of the service, sharing the particular concerns that they have brought for GOD’s attention. Also, at this point worshippers shall be admitted into the sanctuary.

v      *The Welcome: At this point the Pastor or the designated officer/member extends blessings or greetings to the members, including visitors, in the name of the LORD.

v      The Gospel or The Anthem : These are songs derived from Scripture that are designed to testify to the glory of GOD or to instruct the congregation about the LORD.

v      The Prayer: This is the Pastoral Prayer, in which the Pastor articulates the needs of the congregation, confesses them to the LORD, and asks for that which will address them. Here, the status and the situation of the members and the occasion within the Church Calendar are considered in an effort to focus the communication with GOD.

v      The Response: This is a choral response that continues the prayer and permits the congregation to pray. The song that is constantly used is The Contrition, which was written by Gordon Blaine Hancock, a late Pastor of Moore Street Baptist Church, Richmond, VA.

v      The Offertory: Here, the members express their love and commitment to the LORD by giving of the blessings they believe He has given them. Their gifts are to reflect the quality of their relationships and commitment to the LORD and the quantity of His blessings bestowed upon them.

v      *The Offertory Chant: This is a song of praise, acknowledging and thanking the LORD as the Original Giver or the Source of the offerings that have been given. As the ushers return to their stations and the choir prepares to sing, worshippers may be admitted into the sanctuary.

v      The Spiritual: This is an inspirational song by the choir, designed to encourage belief in the LORD among the members and to focus the members along the Biblical themes to be expounded in the sermon. It is preparatory for the proclamation of the WORD of the LORD.

v      The Scripture & The Sermon: The human record is read, that is, some passage of Scripture is referenced and explained. The situation or problem in the Sacred Text is matched with the same in the life of the congregation, and the principles fostered in the passage are utilized to direct the lives of the members. The most important task is the indication and implication of the WORD of the LORD, that is, informing the congregation where and how the LORD is active in their lives and what this activity requires of them.

v      *The Hymn of Dedication: In response to the hearing of the WORD of the LORD as presented, hopefully, through the preaching, members re-dedicate themselves to serving Him, ritually and socially, and offer an opportunity for persons to receive for the first time the sovereignty, governance, or jurisdiction of the LORD in their lives and to become members of the church of their choice or the one to which the LORD is leading them. This response takes the form of a hymn, which pledges allegiance to the lead of the LORD or celebrates the relationship that the believers have with the LORD by virtue of His grace and mercy.

v      *The Benediction: The Pastor or the clergy blesses the congregation in the name of the LORD, that is, the minister announces the bestowal or provision of that which the congregation needs to be whole and holy according to and from the hands of the LORD. [Prior to the blessing, the present Pastor gives a standard twelve-fold charge to the congregation, directing their conduct while away from one another.] In acceptance of the blessing from the LORD as announced by the Pastor or the clergy, the congregation says, “Amen”, which signifies their belief and agreement with what the LORD provides! Also, the choir renders a benediction chant or response that directs them toward the ministry/mission of the Church.

v      The Postlude: This is music supplied by the musicians, as they leave the sanctuary to continue their service to the LORD. It is usually preceded by a chant (e. g., Amen, Father, I Stretch My Hands to Thee, etc.) by the choir, which facilitates the involvement, fellowship, and reflection of the congregation, and focuses the members toward the LORD in thanks and trust, as they leave to serve Him socially, that is, in their daily lives.

Written by Jerome C. Ross

April 10, 1995

Revised May 3, 2005

* Please Stand or Enter

† Please Stand as able for the Reading of the WORD

The Revisions

1. The morning worship shall begin at 11:00 a.m. Instead of 11:15 a.m. with the Prelude. The period of Prayer and Praise that previously preceded the morning worship and The Processional that previously followed the Call to Worship will be omitted.

2. The Welcome, which will be given by the Pastor or the designated officer/member, will replace The Passing of the Peace.

3. Forasmuch as possible, the announcements will not be read but shall be written in the bulletin, necessitating that they be given to the Church Clerk by the Tuesday before the Sunday(s) in which they are to appear in the bulletin.

4. The Recessional that previously followed the Hymn of Dedication will be omitted.

5.  The Postlude shall mark the moment of departure, when music will be placed as the worshippers dismiss from service or fellowship. The congregation will not be seated as previously.