How We Worship
Treasuring the richness of our liturgical tradition Holy Trinity’s worship is a rich fare for mind, body and soul. Though many aspects of the service are ancient and connect us to our early Christian roots, other elements reflect the diversity of the human family and our contemporary context.
HOLY COMMUNION
Through the ages the basic pattern for Christian worship on Sunday has included both the reading of scripture and Holy Communion. The liturgy of the word has its origin in the Jewish synagogue service of scripture readings, psalms, hymns and prayers. The Eucharist (Greek for “thanksgiving,” a common word for Holy Communion) is what makes Christian worship unique as we share the bread and cup, remembering the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Though Protestants communed less frequently after the Reformation, Lutherans and others are returning to Sunday gatherings centered in both word and meal. Weekly communion is a deep source of spiritual nourishment for those who observe this practice.
At Holy Trinity all baptized Christians (including children of all ages) are welcome at the Lord’s Table and others invited to come forward for a blessing. We use leavened bread, reflecting the most ancient practice, which gives witness to the connection between the Eucharist and ordinary life. The assembly may receive the wine from a common cup or by intinction, dipping the bread into the wine. Those who cannot partake of either the bread or wine for health reasons may commune in one form.
PROCESSIONS
Processions add a festive element to our worship. The cross leads the processions at the beginning and end of worship, representing our baptismal journey from death to life. Some bow as the cross passes, honoring the mystery of salvation.
Holy Trinity’s processional cross has an image of the resurrected Christ, sometimes called Christus rex (Christ reigning in glory). By the fourth century processional crosses were used in Christian worship. In the sixth century crosses with the body of Jesus began to be used, but Jesus was portrayed as risen, vested as a monarch. By the eleventh and twelfth century crucifixes began to bear the image of the dead or dying Jesus. Protestant Christians in North America have generally had empty crosses, noting the victory of the resurrection. Lutheran traditions in Europe as well as the United States include both empty crosses and crucifixes, depending on individual congregations. A suffering Christ on the cross is very appropriate for meditation as it reflects the theology of the cross which is central to St. Paul and Martin Luther. The representation of the risen Christ signifies that suffering leads to resurrection and new life.
After a procession of the book the gospel is read in the midst of the assembly. Since the time of the early Church the gospel has been considered the climax of the liturgy of the Word, and has often been accompanied with special acclamations and ceremony. The procession to the center of the nave and the reading of the gospel among the people is a sign of God coming among us in Jesus Christ. As the gospel is announced some worshippers make a small cross on their forehead, lips and breast, a prayer that the Word may dwell in our minds, on our lips and in our hearts.
Gifts of money, bread and wine are carried forward during the offertory procession. Our financial gifts support the ministry of the congregation, the Church around the world, and outreach to the poor and needy. With the bread and wine we offer our life and work with the prayer that through our participation in the Eucharist we may become the body of Christ for the world.
SILENCE
Our liturgy is made up not only of words, music and ritual actions, but also of silence. Prayer is more than speaking to God; it can also be seen as a stance of openness to the presence of the holy. In our busy and noise-filled lives it is often very difficult to be still and savor silence. The brief periods of silence in the liturgy are an important balance to the words and music of the service. Silence following the sermon and communion allow a few moments for personal reflection or peaceful quiet. A meditation bell from Eastern traditions calls us to silence and centering.
Top
SIGN OF THE CROSS
The sign of the cross has been made by Christians since earliest times. Originally a small cross was made with the thumb on the forehead. Later the sign was made as we make it today, with the whole hand from forehead to breast and then from shoulder to shoulder. In his Large and Small Catechisms Martin Luther called for the continuing practice of the sign of the cross. Unfortunately Lutheran Christians have until recently lost this powerful tradition. The sign of the cross is a gesture shared by the “catholic” Church, that is, the universal church.
We make the sign of the cross in remembrance of our baptism. When entering the church some people dip their hands in the baptismal water before making the sign of the cross. This is another tangible reminder of God’s promise to be faithful to us throughout our lives. The sign of the cross may also be made during a Trinitarian invocation or benediction, and before or after receiving communion. The sign of the cross reminds us that worship involves our whole bodies, not only our minds and hearts. An outward gesture such as the sign of the cross can help to shape our inner spirituality.
Top
BODY POSTURES IN THE LITURGY
The ways we use our bodies in worship reveal much about our attitude toward God, ourselves and creation. The various postures and gestures of worship express the dignity of the body as well as the presence of God in the midst of the worshiping assembly. The use of the body in worship also enables us to see all of life as prayer, not only words but also actions.
A biblical gesture for prayer is outstretched hands. This gesture of openness and trust is used by the leaders of prayer during the service; the assembly is invited, if they feel comfortable, to pray with outstretched hands during the Lord’s Prayer.
We stand to offer praise and prayer to God. Our standing suggests the importance of our corporate action: singing, hearing the Gospel, participating in the great thanksgiving at the table. We sit to listen to the scripture readings and the sermon. Kneeling is a posture that signifies penitence, adoration and awareness of God's transcendence. We kneel for confession and during portions of the liturgies of Lent and Holy Week. Kneelers in the pews may also be used for prayer before the liturgy or after receiving communion.
Bowing is a sign of reverence. During the procession the ministers, choir and others make a simple bow toward the altar as a strong symbol of Christ’s presence at the table and in our celebration of the Eucharist. Members of the assembly may bow as the cross processes and recesses, honoring this sign of our baptism into Jesus’ death and resurrection. The presiding minister also bows toward the assembly which is the principal symbol of the body of Christ. Though Americans are often independent and self-sufficient, we could learn from Asian Christians about the deep significance of a mutual bow toward one another.
Top
COLORS FOR THE CHURCH YEAR
White, a color of joy and festivity, is appointed for all festivals of Christ such as Christmas, Easter, and All Saints Day. Red, the color of fire and energy is used for Pentecost, celebrating the giving of the Holy Spirit, Reformation, ordinations and other festivals of the Church. Scarlet is used during Holy Week to mark the final days of Lent in which we meditate on Christ’s passion and death and for commemorations of saints who were martyred for their faith. Green, representing growth, is appointed for the seasons after Epiphany and Pentecost when we focus on spiritual growth and the teachings of Jesus. Purple reflects penitence and is used during Lent, the season of preparation for the festival of Easter. Blue is the color for Advent and calls to mind the sky and hope. It expresses the waiting and expectation of Advent, the season of preparation for the festival of Christmas. Gold is used on Easter Day to heighten the joy and celebration of this feast of feasts. Black, the color of ashes, is appointed for Ash Wednesday, the most somber day of the church year. No color is used on Good Friday, as the worship space is bare and stripped of all color and furnishings.
Top
DRESS FOR WORSHIP LEADERS: ROBES
Though the assembly does not dress up for church as they may have in other times and places, the leaders for worship wear garb rooted in tradition and common ecumenical use today. The basic white robe, called an alb, is worn by the ministers, worship leaders and the choir. The alb was originally the everyday garb in the ancient Mediterranean world; it represents the white robe of baptism. To live our baptism is to “put on Christ” and despite our divisions and differences, to be made one.
In addition to the alb, pastors wear a stole, similar to the Jewish prayer-shawl worn by leaders of prayer. The stole signifies the unique role of the pastor to announce the forgiveness of sins, and to preside at services of Holy Communion and Holy Baptism. The principle garb of the presiding minister is called a chasuble. The original chasuble was like the traveling garment or “poncho” in the ancient world. There are chasubles in each of the liturgical colors and its full shape represents God’s embrace of the whole assembly.
Top
BAPTISM SYMBOLS
The baptismal font at the inside the door reminds us that baptism is at the heart of our Christian identity, for it is our entrance into the community of faith. Martin Luther encouraged us to return daily to our Baptism, confessing our sin and walking in newness of life. The water kept in the font is a visible reminder of the “day to day” character of Baptism. As we pass the font we are invited to dip our hand in the water and make the sign of the cross, a prayer in which we use our bodies to remember the covenant God made with us at the font of rebirth.
Each year a new paschal candle inscribed with the numerals of the current year is carried in procession during the Easter Vigil on Easter Eve. The paschal candle stands next to the baptismal font, and is lit during the season of Easter, representing the light of Jesus’ resurrection. It is also lit for each baptism, to show that in baptism we share Jesus’ death and resurrection. Finally, it is lit at funerals revealing that in death our baptism is complete as we share Christ’s victory over death.
Top
ECUMENICAL LORD’S PRAYER
There has never been one standard version of the Lord's Prayer for English-speaking Christians. If you have visited other denominations in past decades you know that some churches have used “debts” instead of “trespasses”; some churches conclude with the words “for ever” while others say “for ever and ever.” Still others leave off the entire concluding doxology (“for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever”), which is not included in either Matthew or Luke's accounts of the Lord's Prayer.
In 1975 the International Consultation on English Texts published the ecumenical version of the Lord’s Prayer that Christians of various denominations might use this common text in their liturgies. Most recent worship books since then provide this text, although some include the traditional version next to it.
In addition to ecumenical considerations, many parents and teachers find that the ecumenical translation is much easier for children (and adults) to understand. The “thees” and “thous” have been eliminated, as has been done with the liturgy. Instead of “trespasses,” the word “sins” is used. The often misunderstood “lead us not into temptation” is rendered “save us from the time of trial.”
Top
INCENSE
Holy Trinity uses incense in processions on festival Sundays and at Wednesday evening services. The use of incense in worship has a long history in both Judaism and Christianity. The psalmist expresses the symbolism of incense and prayer: “Let my prayer rise like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”
The clouds of incense represent cleansing and purification, and the sweet smell suggests the sweetness of Christ's robe of righteousness that covers our sin. Incense is sometimes used to honor holy things and holy people (the assembly, that is, the body of Christ). For example, the gospel book, the altar, the bread and wine, the ministers and the congregation may be “censed” as a way of showing their importance in the liturgy. Incense is also used to add a festive accompaniment to processions, creating “holy clouds” and “holy smells” in the air.
Incense is also important because it incorporates the sense of smell in our worship. Our liturgy involves all our senses, showing the significance of our bodies and all of God's creation. We take seriously the incarnation--as God came among us in Jesus Christ all of our humanity is made holy. The sweet smell of incense is a doorway to the holy in the same way that beautiful music, flowers and stained glass can lead us to ponder the mystery of God’s presence. As catholic Christians we rejoice that we can incorporate the richness of the Church's tradition in many forms, and thus feel connected to the Church around the world and through the ages.
Top
ICONS
The use of icons in worship and personal meditation is an integral element of the Orthodox faith and has recently become popular for Christians of many traditions. Icons are stylized renderings of Jesus, Mary, biblical figures or saints. Icons are not merely art but are liturgical in nature, for the iconographer’s first concern is to proclaim the mystery of God through their offering. Looking upon an icon is a way to ponder God’s presence in human life, particularly in the witness of the saints. Holy Trinity has a number of icons associated with various feasts and commemorations of the church year:
Martin Luther King. Jr. (January 15)
An American prophet of justice among races and nations, King was an eloquent preacher, a leader of the nonviolent resistance to race-segregated society, and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He was born on this date, and was assassinated on April 4, 1968
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (April 9)
Bonhoeffer was a German theologian who wrote profoundly, yet in an accessible manner. In the Second World War, he became a leader of the Confessing Church in Germany that resisted the Nazi movement. He was linked to a plot to kill Hitler, and was hanged shortly before the end of the war.
Julian of Norwich (May 8)
When she was about thirty years old, Julian (or Juliana) reported visions that she later compiled into a book, Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love, now a classic of medieval mysticism. The visions declared that love was the meaning of religious experience, provided by Christ who is love, for the purpose of love. She also referred to our “Mother Christ” who nourishes us with the sacrament of communion.
The Holy Trinity
The icon celebrating the name of our parish is a print of a famous icon painted by Rublev. It is called the “Hospitality of Abraham.” The appearance of the three angels to Abraham at Mamre was seen as a “type” of the Holy Trinity. God as Trinity reveals divine relationship and mutuality.
Mary Magdalene (July 22)
Sometimes called “the apostle to the apostles” because she told them of her encounter with the risen Lord, Mary was a woman of Galilee who followed Jesus throughout his ministry. She was present at Jesus’ crucifixion and his burial.
Johann Sebastian Bach (July 28)
Bach was a German musician who wrote more than 300 cantatas along with works for organ and instrumental pieces, and has been called the "fifth evangelist" for the way he proclaimed the gospel in music. Holy Trinity periodically performs a Bach cantata during the Sunday liturgy.
Mary, Mother of Our Lord (August 15)
The church (including Martin Luther) honored Mary with the title theotokos, meaning "God-bearer," for her role in giving birth to the Son of God. Her song, the Magnificat, speaks eloquently of God's lifting the lowly and feeding the hungry.
Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12)
The image and story behind Our Lady of Guadalupe proclaims God’s care for the poor and is a liberating message of hope for many in North America.
MARY
Since the early years of the Church, Christians have referred to Mary as Theotokos, the “God-bearer.” Martin Luther had a deep regard for Mary, and continued to call her the “Mother of God.” Though Mary was de-emphasized in the centuries following the Reformation, there has recently been a renewed interest in her role in the mystery of salvation. For some, she represents the feminine aspect of our Christian faith, and provides a balance to what some call a patriarchal Christianity. Mary is often considered the first Christian believer, as she opened her life to the mystery of God’s will.
In addition, Mary strongly proclaims God’s justice, for in the Magnificat she sings of God raising the lowly and filling the hungry with good things. As Luke describes Mary as “blessed among women” our remembrance of the saints begins with gratitude for Blessed Mary. Several icons of Jesus and Mary in our worship space make a strong proclamation of the incarnation--God fully sharing our humanity in Christ.
Top
See also: