Your favourite part of worship?

[VeryTiredGirl]

Some years ago, I was at a concert put on by an ELCiC pastor. He was introducing one of his songs, "It All Comes From You", which talks about confessing one's sins to God.

He said that his favourite part of the Divine Service was the Confession and Absolution-because it gave him the chance to 'make right' with God and then to move into the rest of the worship service assured of his forgiveness of sins through Christ.

So...what is your favourite part(s) of the worship service? Communion? The sermon? The benediction (whether the beauty of the words or just that it's time to go home!)?

[VeryTiredGirl]

For me, there are two parts. The Confession and Absolution is definitely a favourite part of worship. A chance to 'come clean' and then to hear the assurance of forgiveness before moving forward in the worship service.

Second is Holy Communion. Even if I'm not feeling well, I find I perk up when we get to that part of the service. To come to His table, to be one with Christ, and then to hear again the assurance of forgiveness of sins and God's grace is a wonderful way to end off a worship service. My church has two worship services most of the year, and so Communion alternates; early service has Communion 2&4th Sundays, and late service is 1&3rd. I alternate services so that I can go to Communion each Sunday. :blush::blush::blush:

My one pastor sometimes introduces the benediction by saying, "God told Aaron to bless His people, and to say these words..." for some reason, that touches me a little bit more than the benediction normally does.

[RedneckAnglican]

sermons...good chance to learn more about CHRIST and my Lutheran heritage...

[VeryTiredGirl]

sermons...good chance to learn more about CHRIST and my Lutheran heritage...

Is there a sermon that stands out in your mind as especially memorable?

[RedneckAnglican]

my pastor has an undergrad degree in astronomy from MIT...so he does a lot on what he calls "mystery and awe"...see GOD in science and the natural world...not in a pagan-druid sort of way...but seeing the wonders of creation to prove to people the GOD exists...so he has this way of showing God as so large and awesome...almost with wonder like a little child...it's pretty cool...i enjoy his sermons a great deal...

[GlowingFirefly]

Hmm.. Tough question..

Sermons come at a close second for me as well as communion, but I think the best part of worship is singing the hymns.

The songs we sing in worship at my church are just so beautiful, and sometimes quite powerful. I can really get myself into the song when I sing sometimes.

And by the way, this is coming from someone who normally doesn't even like to sing! :D But church is different for me. A few times I thought about joining my teen choir at church because I just love to sing at church for some reason. Everywhere else I wouldn't be caught dead singing, but church is different. :)

After singing comes communion, and then sermons for me. Listening to my Pastor's sermons can sometimes be hard for me to understand, most of the time I can get them, but sometimes I can't follow. But that's okay. I'm still learning. :)

[VeryTiredGirl]

my pastor has an undergrad degree in astronomy from MIT...so he does a lot on what he calls "mystery and awe"...see GOD in science and the natural world...not in a pagan-druid sort of way...but seeing the wonders of creation to prove to people the GOD exists...so he has this way of showing God as so large and awesome...almost with wonder like a little child...it's pretty cool...i enjoy his sermons a great deal...

That would be really interesting to listen to. I listen to Michael Card, and on his "Scribbling in the Sand" DVD, he talks about his love of astronomy and the Heavens declaring the wonder of God. I've gone to the local planetarium a few times and looked in the telescopes-it was just amazing. We had a blood moon a few months ago, and it was like nothing I'd ever seen-the moon was bright red.

[VeryTiredGirl]

Hmm.. Tough question..

Sermons come at a close second for me as well as communion, but I think the best part of worship is singing the hymns.

The songs we sing in worship at my church are just so beautiful, and sometimes quite powerful. I can really get myself into the song when I sing sometimes.

And by the way, this is coming from someone who normally doesn't even like to sing! :D But church is different for me. A few times I thought about joining my teen choir at church because I just love to sing at church for some reason. Everywhere else I wouldn't be caught dead singing, but church is different. :)

After singing comes communion, and then sermons for me. Listening to my Pastor's sermons can sometimes be hard for me to understand, most of the time I can get them, but sometimes I can't follow. But that's okay. I'm still learning. :)

I have performed in a public choir, and my singing is very quiet and timid there. When I'm in church, I belt it out. I pity the people sitting in front of me. :P Do you have a favourite hymn or hymns to sing?

It takes time to learn to get into pastor's sermons-and sometimes even people who've been listening for a while have trouble. My pastors are both excellent preachers, but there is the odd sermon that goes *zing!* right over my head.

[Tetzel]

Communion
Especially this canticle, which I always thought of as a nice song of prayer to God in preparation of receiving his blood and body.

"Let the vineyards be fruitful Lord, and fill to the brim our cup of blessing. Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown, that we may be fed with the bread of life. Gather the hopes and dreams of all. Unite them with the prayers we offer. Grace our table with your presence, and give us a foretaste of the feast to come"

[Music4Hym777]

Communion, recieving the body and blood of our Lord.

[SemStudent08]

I, like several others who have responded, have several favorites. Confession & Absolution, the Sermon, and Communion are all wonderful. But for some reason I have a particular soft spot in my heart for the sharing of the peace.

[Protoevangel]

Confession & Absolution & Holy Communion. Oh, and don't forget Baptism!

[SPALATIN]

The Invocation and everything thereafter to the benediction.

[]RiSeN[]

My favorite part is living it.:clap: :cool:

[KagomeShuko]

Choose a favorite part? Impossible! It all has great meaning to it!

Stein Auf!
Bridget

[ByzantineDixie]

I am a bit ashamed to admit it...because I do have a favorite. There are times when I don't feel like going to church, when trying to cram that extra hour and a half into my already jam packed schedule is painful but knowing that I can partake of the Body and Blood of Christ with my fellow believers in and through time totally annihilates any objections my flesh wants to raise.

Peace

Rose

[VeryTiredGirl]

Communion
Especially this canticle, which I always thought of as a nice song of prayer to God in preparation of receiving his blood and body.

"Let the vineyards be fruitful Lord, and fill to the brim our cup of blessing. Gather a harvest from the seeds that were sown, that we may be fed with the bread of life. Gather the hopes and dreams of all. Unite them with the prayers we offer. Grace our table with your presence, and give us a foretaste of the feast to come"

I love that canticle. I almost get a mental image of Him coming and standing in the chancel, ready to serve the Supper.

[theologia crucis]

The closing hymn! ;)

[VeryTiredGirl]

Communion, recieving the body and blood of our Lord.

How often does your church offer Communion?

[VeryTiredGirl]

I, like several others who have responded, have several favorites. Confession & Absolution, the Sermon, and Communion are all wonderful. But for some reason I have a particular soft spot in my heart for the sharing of the peace.

Hmmmm...that's not something one hears often; usually good Lutherans are averse to sharing the peace. ;)

Still, there is something special about greeting each other in the name of the Lord-people you might not normally talk to.

[VeryTiredGirl]

Confession & Absolution & Holy Communion. Oh, and don't forget Baptism!

Approximately how many baptisms does your congregation do in a year?

[VeryTiredGirl]

The Invocation and everything thereafter to the benediction.

Sounds good to me.

[VeryTiredGirl]

Fa||eN[']My favorite part is living it.:clap: :cool:

That's not an easy thing to do. At the seminary I volunteer at, they have a sign at the exit of the parking lot that says, "You are now entering the mission field".

[VeryTiredGirl]

Choose a favorite part? Impossible! It all has great meaning to it!

Stein Auf!
Bridget

Have you seen this site? http://old.worship.lcms.org/0402heaventour.htm It describes the Divine Service as a little taste of Heaven here on earth.

[VeryTiredGirl]

I am a bit ashamed to admit it...because I do have a favorite. There are times when I don't feel like going to church, when trying to cram that extra hour and a half into my already jam packed schedule is painful but knowing that I can partake of the Body and Blood of Christ with my fellow believers in and through time totally annihilates any objections my flesh wants to raise.

Peace

Rose

There are Sundays when, for a variety of reasons, the last thing I want to do is get up, get dressed up and haul my carcass off to church. When we get to the Great Thanksgiving, I start perking up right away. Amazing how that works.

[VeryTiredGirl]

The closing hymn! ;)

LOL! Is that because the closing hymn is the most uplifting, or because you're ready for brunch? ;)

[theologia crucis]

LOL! Is that because the closing hymn is the most uplifting, or because you're ready for brunch? ;)

Yes!

Actually, I love the whole service! I love confession and absolution, hearing God's Word, the sermon (now that I know what to listen for, and my pastor preaches it clearly and well: Christ and Him crucified), Holy Communion (I love helping to distribute the blood of our Lord from the common cup), the benediction, etc. I even like the offering! I especially love good, doctrinal, Christ centered, cross focused hymns...

In short, I just love hearing what Christ did for us all!

But, I do like the closing hymn when we're gonna go eat at Freebirds for lunch!

[Protoevangel]

Approximately how many baptisms does your congregation do in a year?I'm not exactly sure. I have witnessed about 4-5 this year, I am sure there were some performed at the earlier services as well.

[VeryTiredGirl]

In short, I just love hearing what Christ did for us all!

But, I do like the closing hymn when we're gonna go eat at Freebirds for lunch!

LOL...you have the best of both worlds...get your soul fed, then your stomach.
;)

[VeryTiredGirl]

I'm not exactly sure. I have witnessed about 4-5 this year, I am sure there were some performed at the earlier services as well.

That's excellent. We have usually about 20 a year. That's infants and children under three years of age.

[guitarplayer_101]

Communion and the sermon:)

B.J.:wave:

[VeryTiredGirl]

Communion and the sermon:)

B.J.:wave:

Do you have a favourite sermon that you remember?

[lakesidelady]

If I had to pick one or two (it would be tremendously difficult) but I would have to say the Sermon (it's so good I lean on the edge of my seat!) and Communion--with the hymns and Confession/Absolution neck and neck to the rest.

A memoralble sermon? the one on hope and a purpose. I've often told my pastor that he had to be a peeping tom, because he hits SO close to home in so many of his sermons!

Our church recently has started giving communion every Sunday. Last Sunday the pastor was ill and so couldn't do the service, so a layman did the service. so we did without. :-(

[alabaster jar]

The Lord's Prayer is my favorite part. ( I think because everyone participates, even the little kids and it's usually towards the end;) kinda like the last hymn idea)

Other things I like:

When my kids sing in the Lord's Lambs--it isn't every Sunday, but it's sweet to see them all singing--all the kids, not just mine.

The Sermon because I can listen, learn and reflect on it the rest of the day.

Certain hymns (the ones I know best)

[VeryTiredGirl]

A memoralble sermon? the one on hope and a purpose. I've often told my pastor that he had to be a peeping tom, because he hits SO close to home in so many of his sermons!

Our church recently has started giving communion every Sunday. Last Sunday the pastor was ill and so couldn't do the service, so a layman did the service. so we did without. :-(

Isn't it eerie when your pastor preaches a sermon that hits so close to home? I'm not sure if I love or hate those sermons.

We have Communion every Sunday, but with two worship services, we alternate which service has the Lord's Supper. I usually alternate between services so that I can have Communion every Sunday. :blush:

[VeryTiredGirl]

The Lord's Prayer is my favorite part. ( I think because everyone participates, even the little kids and it's usually towards the end;) kinda like the last hymn idea)

Other things I like:

When my kids sing in the Lord's Lambs--it isn't every Sunday, but it's sweet to see them all singing--all the kids, not just mine.

The Sermon because I can listen, learn and reflect on it the rest of the day.

Certain hymns (the ones I know best)

Our Sunday School kids sang for us on Sunday, and then the adults were supposed to join in. The song had actions, and it was so funny to see octogenarians pumping muscles, pulling up their feet to touch their soles (souls), etc. Even more fun than watching the kids! :P^_^

[JADVirginia]

I agree with Tetzel and VeryTiredGirl: I love "Let the vineyards be fruitful Lord ..." I like it so much that sometimes I use it for grace at the dinner table. Especially Thankgiving Day.

I also like the song after shelling out the donation, "Thank the Lord and sing His praise, tell everyone what He has done. Let everyone who seeks the Lord ..." It is jaunty, happy. It rocks!

[VeryTiredGirl]

I agree with Tetzel and VeryTiredGirl: I love "Let the vineyards be fruitful Lord ..." I like it so much that sometimes I use it for grace at the dinner table. Especially Thankgiving Day.

I also like the song after shelling out the donation, "Thank the Lord and sing His praise, tell everyone what He has done. Let everyone who seeks the Lord ..." It is jaunty, happy. It rocks!

I love Thank the Lord...especially the first time we sing it after the six weeks of Lent.

[KagomeShuko]

Y'all have me singing the liturgy now! Not a bad thing. . .I LOVE the liturgy! Just, you do!

Stein Auf!
Bridget

[VeryTiredGirl]

Y'all have me singing the liturgy now! Not a bad thing. . .I LOVE the liturgy! Just, you do!

Stein Auf!
Bridget

I've been doing that on and off for days now. :D Nothing wrong with that at all. Probably some of the best stuff you can sing.

[KagomeShuko]

I've been doing that on and off for days now. :D Nothing wrong with that at all. Probably some of the best stuff you can sing.
Any time any of the liturgy is mentioned, I tend to sing it.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

[RedneckAnglican]

I remember "This is the Feast of Victory" from the old hymnal...even when I wasn't going to the Church I used to sing that all the time...

[VeryTiredGirl]

Any time any of the liturgy is mentioned, I tend to sing it.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

I volunteer at a seminary, and they have chapel daily. I don't go to chapel, since I'm there to answer the phones and greet visitors, but the chapel door is very close to my desk, and I've been known to be singing the liturgy along with the students while sitting down, doing my work.

Anyone passing by who didn't understand the liturgy and it's...singability would think I was nuts.

[VeryTiredGirl]

I remember "This is the Feast of Victory" from the old hymnal...even when I wasn't going to the Church I used to sing that all the time...

I will sing that one just for the sake of singing it and enjoying the beauty of the words and their meaning. I'll also chant a good part of Matins to myself now and then.