Living Our Liturgy

Reflecting our worship patterns in everyday life

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congregation in church listening to the preacher
April 2022 Monthly theme graphic - Belonging

As a hobby linguist, I love looking up the origins of where our words come to us from. So, let’s start at the very beginning with the word “liturgy.” Liturgy comes from Greek, and the first part of the word means “people” or “public” and the second part means “works.” 

But most commonly, in liturgical denominations we use the word liturgy to talk about our order of worship, our seasons of the year, or which version of kyrie, hymn of praise, and Gospel acclamation we are going to sing during worship.

Liturgy means “public works of the people”  

So how do these two things—“liturgy” and “public works of the people”—go together? For an outsider to a liturgical worship service, the patterns of worship may seem odd, and one might feel left out or like one doesn’t belong for not knowing what to do. Many who find a spiritual home in a liturgical worship service don’t have the words to explain why we do what we do in worship.

Liturgy is the pattern of our worship service, the structure that we give to our time in worship. Liturgy is much bigger than the words we use to say our prayers or the tunes we pick to sing during worship. Liturgical worship tells a story from beginning to end that is both biblical and Sacramental.

The pattern of liturgy are the patterns we live out daily—perhaps without even realizing it. The four major sections of our liturgical pattern are: Gathering, Word, Meal, Sending.  

  • In the Gathering, we center ourselves by calling on God’s name, claiming God’s presence in our midst, and preparing ourselves for hearing God’s word and gathering around Jesus’ table by laying down our burdens, confessing our sin, and hearing the promise of forgiveness proclaimed.    
  • In the Word, we listen to God’s word. We read scripture and explore the meaning of God’s word in our lives today through the sermon. We respond to God’s message in song and offer up prayers for the church, the world, and all those in need.
  • In the Meal, we greet one another with the peace of Christ, offer up to God our time, talent, and treasure as a grateful response to God’s work in our world, and join together around Jesus’ table of forgiveness and love with all the saints from around the world and across time.
  • In the Sending, we prepare to leave worship to return to our discipleship walk in our daily lives. We receive God’s blessing of mercy, care, and guidance to carry out with us throughout the week. And we are sent out, changed by God’s word, to remember the poor, proclaim the good news, and to go in peace.

Liturgy in our daily lives

When I go for coffee with a friend, attend a family gathering, run into someone at the grocery store, or when a visitor drops something off at the church office, I live out a pattern of liturgy.

  • In the gathering, we greet one another by name, hug, and ask how the other is doing.We may apologize and forgive for running late.
  • In the word, we share the news of the day and of our personal lives. We talk about what is at school, at work, at church, around the community, or around the world. We interpret these stories and what they mean for our lives.
  • In the meal, we share a cup of coffee together or break bread.  with a handshake or a high five, by being part of a community that loves each other equally as Christ does. We respond to the word we have heard with offers to help a neighbor out or with words of support and comfort.
  • In the sending, we stand up to leave, we send each other out to the rest of our lives, we share blessings of “travel safe” or “good luck with your project” or “I hope your situation is looking up soon!” And we leave, changed by the time gathered together.

Even Jesus lived a liturgical life. After the resurrection, Jesus joined a couple disciples on the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24).

  • The disciples and Jesus gathered together, greeting one another, and discovering they were all headed to the same destination.  
  • They share the news of the day and God’s word as they walk, discovering meaning from God’s word in their present situation.  
  • They gather around a table together, breaking bread.  
  • And they are sent out from their encounter to return to Jerusalem, proclaiming the Good News of the Resurrection.

Liturgy as “the public work of the people” is our worship patterns reflected in our daily life patterns. The reverse is also true. Our patterns in daily life are reflected in our liturgy. Our daily patterns and our liturgy patterns are both “the public work of the people.” 

Being liturgically welcoming

When liturgical worship is unfamiliar to a person, it can be intimidating or feel awkward to worship in a liturgical style. To be a church that welcomes people into this kind of worship, we first have to understand “why we do liturgy” for ourselves. And we need a way in which we convey the meaning of our liturgy to those new to it.  

Transition moments between two elements of worship are easy places to add a one sentence transition cue that also teaches the “why” to liturgy while feeling like it fits and belongs in worship. In the same way, the church bulletin or projection program might have room in the margins, corners, or footnotes to include a variation of these explanations to be welcoming to all those joining us for liturgical worship. These teaching moments make for a more welcoming worship experience. But bigger than a teaching moment, we deepen our worship by adding meaning and reflection into the smallest places of worship.

Here is a list of transition phrases that add to the “why” of liturgy, a list of examples to get your creativity started or to teach you something new about the “why” of liturgy.

  • “As we begin our worship together we call upon God’s name and proclaim God’s presence among us in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (Invocation)
  • “As we prepare our hearts to hear God’s word and promises of love, let us confess our sin together.” (Confession) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, [God] who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9)
  • “Since we have confessed our sin, hear God’s promise of forgiveness.” (Absolution/Forgiveness). Bless the Lord, O my soul . . . who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. (Psalm 103:2-3)
  • “Let us stand and give thanks and praise to God by singing our next hymn/song” (Music) Sing to the Lord a new song, God’s praise in the assembly of the faithful. (Psalm 149:1-4)
  • “Please join in our Kyrie and Hymn of Praise, asking God’s mercy and grace in our world and responding with joy and thanks to the assurance of mercy” (Kyrie)
  • “As we prepare our hearts to hear our scripture readings, let us join together in prayer.” (Prayer of the Day)
  • “Out of joy and readiness to hear Christ’s words in the Gospel, let us stand and sing our acclamation” (Gospel Acclamation) Hear the word of the Lord. (Jeremiah 2:4) Give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. (1 Timothy 4:13)
  • “In response to hearing God’s word and exploring what this means in our life today, let us stand and join together in song.” (Hymn of the Day) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. (Colossians 3:16)
  • “Let us pray for the church, the world, and all those in need.” (Prayers of the People/Intercession/Church) First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
  • “Let us confess our faith along with the whole Christian church in every place in the words of the Apostles Creed” 
  • “As our grateful response to God’s grace and love in our lives and work in the world, we take a moment to offer up to God our time, our talent, and our treasures.” (Offering) Is not this the fast I choose . . . to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? (Isaiah 58:6-7)
  • “As we come to gather around the Communion Table, let us hear the words of Jesus’ promise of forgiveness and love in this great feast.” (Holy Communion or Words of the Institution) When [Jesus] was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. (Luke 24:30-31)
  • “Let us say a prayer of thanks for the food and drink, gifts of grace and love, that we have just received.” (Prayer after Communion)
  • “As we go out from worship, go with these words of God’s blessing” (Benediction)

Living our liturgy, welcoming others into our liturgical worship, doesn’t need to be a required part of a new member class, or a special Bible study (although it could be). The most simple way is to include within our own worship experience, simple and short moments that add understanding to our liturgical lives. As we grow in our understanding of our liturgical pattern in worship, the more we see our liturgical patterns emerging in our daily lives and see ourselves as living, working, and walking in “the public work of the people.”

As you walk through your Gatherings, Word, Meals, and Sendings of your daily life and your worship life…

Go with God’s blessing and promise of grace and love, each and every day. 

Go in peace, to love and serve the Lord.

Related reading: Singing Together Again

  • Beth Pottratz

    Rev. Beth Pottratz currently serves as pastor of First Lutheran Church in Little Falls, Minnesota. Ordained in 2016, this is Pastor Beth’s second call in the Northeastern Minnesota Synod. Between her first and second calls, Pastor Beth worked as a Chaplain in hospice then in a hospital for over a year. When she is not working, Pastor Beth spends much of her time raising children and chickens with her husband in rural Central Minnesota.

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