New to worship?
Have you found yourself confused by what happens in worship?
Are you interested in attending worship, but don't know what to expect?
Has it simply been a while?
If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, you've come to the right place! We here at Grace know that attending worship can be an intimidating thing for those who haven't had much experience with worship. Even people who have attended worship their whole lives can be intimidated by the prospect of attending a new church. For that reason, we want to provide some information about why we do what we do and what you can expect if you join us at one of our worship services.
Are you interested in attending worship, but don't know what to expect?
Has it simply been a while?
If you answered "yes" to any of the above questions, you've come to the right place! We here at Grace know that attending worship can be an intimidating thing for those who haven't had much experience with worship. Even people who have attended worship their whole lives can be intimidated by the prospect of attending a new church. For that reason, we want to provide some information about why we do what we do and what you can expect if you join us at one of our worship services.
Why we worship:
Worship at Grace Lutheran Church is how we as a congregation come together to receive God's Word for us, celebrate God's action on our behalf, and encourage each other in our lives together. We believe that it is God who is the primary worker in our worship, and everything we do in worship is a response to that work which God is doing in our lives. In worship, we aim to bring our entire selves (both the good and the bad) into the presence of God in order to be comforted, challenged, and transformed by the powerful Word and Work of God.
What to expect:
Throughout the service, there will be prayers and songs for the congregation to pray and sing together. The order of worship (what to do and when) is printed in bulletins. Generally, hymns will be sung using red hymn books located in the pews. In the contemporary worship service, the order of worship as well as song lyrics are projected on screen. People tend to dress nicely but casually for worship.
The details may vary from service to service, but all of our worship services follow a basic pattern: Gathering, Word, Meal/Thanksgiving, Sending.
In the Gathering section of the service, announcements are made about various community events, and then we take a minute or two to welcome each other with a hand shake and a "Good morning!" The pastor opens worship by invoking the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which reaffirms for us that we are in God's presence. Time is also taken during this section to confess as a group that we have sinned (fallen short of God's expectations of us) and then to receive God's forgiveness from the pastor.
In the Word section of the service, we hear God's Word spoken aloud to us. This takes place in the form of reading one or more passages from the Bible and in a sermon inspired by the biblical texts. We believe that God speaks to us through the words of the Bible as well as the words of the sermon, and we believe that God's words to us transform us as we hear them. It is also in this part of the service that we will confess the tenants of our faith as laid out in either the Apostles' creed or the Nicene creed. Finally, we also take time to offer prayer for those who are in need, both inside and outside of our community.
In the Meal/Thanksgiving section, we give thanks for all that God has done for us. This thanks is expressed by giving a free-will offering and through song and prayer. Twice a month, we receive the presence of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion. In Holy Communion, we receive a small wafer of bread and a small bit of wine (grape juice is also available) and we remember that Christ promises to be present for us in this bread and in this wine "for the forgiveness of sin." If you do not wish to receive communion, you may still come forward and receive a blessing (fold your hands to signal you are not receiving communion), or you may remain in your seat. All are welcome to receive Christ's presence at our table.
In the Sending section of the service, we receive a final blessing from God, sing a song together, and are then sent out into the world in order to do the work God has laid before us in our daily lives. Often there will be music as we leave the sanctuary, and the pastors will often greet the worshipers as the worshipers exit. Also, people often remain in the sanctuary and chat for a bit after worship.
If you have any other questions about worship, feel free to ask them here, or go check out our sermon videos for yourself!
The details may vary from service to service, but all of our worship services follow a basic pattern: Gathering, Word, Meal/Thanksgiving, Sending.
In the Gathering section of the service, announcements are made about various community events, and then we take a minute or two to welcome each other with a hand shake and a "Good morning!" The pastor opens worship by invoking the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which reaffirms for us that we are in God's presence. Time is also taken during this section to confess as a group that we have sinned (fallen short of God's expectations of us) and then to receive God's forgiveness from the pastor.
In the Word section of the service, we hear God's Word spoken aloud to us. This takes place in the form of reading one or more passages from the Bible and in a sermon inspired by the biblical texts. We believe that God speaks to us through the words of the Bible as well as the words of the sermon, and we believe that God's words to us transform us as we hear them. It is also in this part of the service that we will confess the tenants of our faith as laid out in either the Apostles' creed or the Nicene creed. Finally, we also take time to offer prayer for those who are in need, both inside and outside of our community.
In the Meal/Thanksgiving section, we give thanks for all that God has done for us. This thanks is expressed by giving a free-will offering and through song and prayer. Twice a month, we receive the presence of Jesus Christ in Holy Communion. In Holy Communion, we receive a small wafer of bread and a small bit of wine (grape juice is also available) and we remember that Christ promises to be present for us in this bread and in this wine "for the forgiveness of sin." If you do not wish to receive communion, you may still come forward and receive a blessing (fold your hands to signal you are not receiving communion), or you may remain in your seat. All are welcome to receive Christ's presence at our table.
In the Sending section of the service, we receive a final blessing from God, sing a song together, and are then sent out into the world in order to do the work God has laid before us in our daily lives. Often there will be music as we leave the sanctuary, and the pastors will often greet the worshipers as the worshipers exit. Also, people often remain in the sanctuary and chat for a bit after worship.
If you have any other questions about worship, feel free to ask them here, or go check out our sermon videos for yourself!