Worship
“What time?”
“6 o’clock.”
“Six a.m.?”
Yes! Believe it or not Sunday school at many churches runs from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Worship begins about 8:00.
It’s 7:30 on a typical Sunday morning at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Mzuzu. The pastor, preacher, session clerk and elders are gathering in the vestry room to plan for the morning service. The meeting is run by the vestry chairperson. “What are today’s scripture readings? What hymns will we sing? Who will be worship leader? Who will do the intercessory prayer? The announcements? The Old Testament reading? The New Testament Reading? The sermon? The benediction? How many choirs are singing? Is there a children’s time?” Shortly after 8:00am the elders and worship participants are filing out of the vestry into the sanctuary and worship begins.
The congregation (the first 100 or so souls to arrive—mostly members of the various choirs) starts worship by singing (a capella) the first verse of Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. The invocation is followed by a hymn with 7 verses and an opening prayer.
Now it is children’s time. Dozens of bright young girls and boys gather in a gaggle in front of the chancel to hear a Bible story. Today it is about the beheading of John the Baptist. Once the story is told there is usually an oral test to see who has been listening. “W
hat was the name of Herod’s daughter?” Things like that. Then the children are asked for a volunteer to close in prayer. There is never a lack of hands going up. Some repeat the Lord’s prayer while others will pray impromptu in a way that warms the heart.
By now it is about 8:20 and the pews are beginning to fill in. There is an anthem, a solo, the Old Testament Reading, another anthem, the New Testament Reading, and the Apostles Creed.
It is time for Intimations (announcements). This will take from 10 to 35 minutes and includes upcoming meetings, the amount of last week’s offering, prayer concerns, wedding announcements, welcoming visitors, and occasional minutes for mission.
Next a different choir will sing an anthem followed by prayers of intercession and a congregational hymn.
It is now about 9:15 and time for the sermon to begin. The last stragglers are filing in and the church is now full to its capacity of well over 500 worshippers. (On Easter it was Paul’s privilege to preach and serve communion to 1,030 people.) A half hour later the sermon has usually concluded leading to a hymn and the offering.
Two or three anthems are sung during the offering while every single worshipper files forward in an act of commitment to place their offering in the basket. The total offering usually amounts to some $300 to $500 a week.
It is shortly after 10:00 and time for the benediction so the Tumbuka service can begin. The elders recess to the vestry room where a closing prayer is offered and preparations for the next service are finalized.
(pictured is worship at Mchengatuba)
“The Church”
Hard to live with her,
but where would I go without her?
She is full of fluff and arrogance,
irrelevance and deceit,
injustice and hypocrisy.
Yet within her
hope runs deep,
meaning is magnified
justice is proclaimed,
truth is glimpsed,
and true LOVE is tasted.
Though I hate to love the Church,
I do!
Paul Heller
“6 o’clock.”
“Six a.m.?”
Yes! Believe it or not Sunday school at many churches runs from 6:00 to 8:00 a.m. Worship begins about 8:00.
It’s 7:30 on a typical Sunday morning at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church in Mzuzu. The pastor, preacher, session clerk and elders are gathering in the vestry room to plan for the morning service. The meeting is run by the vestry chairperson. “What are today’s scripture readings? What hymns will we sing? Who will be worship leader? Who will do the intercessory prayer? The announcements? The Old Testament reading? The New Testament Reading? The sermon? The benediction? How many choirs are singing? Is there a children’s time?” Shortly after 8:00am the elders and worship participants are filing out of the vestry into the sanctuary and worship begins.
The congregation (the first 100 or so souls to arrive—mostly members of the various choirs) starts worship by singing (a capella) the first verse of Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. The invocation is followed by a hymn with 7 verses and an opening prayer.
Now it is children’s time. Dozens of bright young girls and boys gather in a gaggle in front of the chancel to hear a Bible story. Today it is about the beheading of John the Baptist. Once the story is told there is usually an oral test to see who has been listening. “W
hat was the name of Herod’s daughter?” Things like that. Then the children are asked for a volunteer to close in prayer. There is never a lack of hands going up. Some repeat the Lord’s prayer while others will pray impromptu in a way that warms the heart.By now it is about 8:20 and the pews are beginning to fill in. There is an anthem, a solo, the Old Testament Reading, another anthem, the New Testament Reading, and the Apostles Creed.
It is time for Intimations (announcements). This will take from 10 to 35 minutes and includes upcoming meetings, the amount of last week’s offering, prayer concerns, wedding announcements, welcoming visitors, and occasional minutes for mission.
Next a different choir will sing an anthem followed by prayers of intercession and a congregational hymn.
It is now about 9:15 and time for the sermon to begin. The last stragglers are filing in and the church is now full to its capacity of well over 500 worshippers. (On Easter it was Paul’s privilege to preach and serve communion to 1,030 people.) A half hour later the sermon has usually concluded leading to a hymn and the offering.
Two or three anthems are sung during the offering while every single worshipper files forward in an act of commitment to place their offering in the basket. The total offering usually amounts to some $300 to $500 a week.
It is shortly after 10:00 and time for the benediction so the Tumbuka service can begin. The elders recess to the vestry room where a closing prayer is offered and preparations for the next service are finalized.
(pictured is worship at Mchengatuba)
“The Church”
Hard to live with her,
but where would I go without her?
She is full of fluff and arrogance,
irrelevance and deceit,
injustice and hypocrisy.
Yet within her
hope runs deep,
meaning is magnified
justice is proclaimed,
truth is glimpsed,
and true LOVE is tasted.
Though I hate to love the Church,
I do!
Paul Heller
posted by Paul and Darlene Heller at 11:51 AM
2 Comments:
We have a very similar post on our blog called "While you were sleeping". The service in Lilongwe went from 7am until about 9:15. My favorite feature was the "recap of the announcements" done at the end because so many people missed the first round of announcements!
I'm thinking, "Wow!" Not only does Paul preach on the beheading of John the Baptist, but the kids know who Herodias' daughter is!!!!! I can't wait to meet such children some day!
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