Dear BP (don't mean to be too informal -- let me know if that moniker offends and I'll quit),

I don't want to kindle any worship wars, but I will take a moment to describe what we've been doing since about 1560 or so. Actually, we do deviate slightly from the old Scottish liturgy in the sense that we have weekly communion (following the liturgy of the word we have the liturgy of the upper room). This practice is more in line with Calvin's approach to worship than the old Scottish approach.

Liturgy of the Word

1. Call to Worship. The purpose of the call is two-fold. It is first to remind people of their duty to worship God in the public assembly; and second to set a line of demarcation between that which is included in worship and that which is previous to worship (individual preparation, etc). This is generally taken from the Psalms.

2. Invocation. This is a prayer offered up by the pastor on behalf of the congregation, asking God to accept our worship as it is offered throught the mediation of Jesus Christ. As with all our prayers (except for the congregation reciting the Lord's Prayer), it is extempore.

3. First Psalm. Self-explanatory?

4. First Reading. In the AM service, the first reading is from the NT. In the PM service, the first reading is from the OT. It consists of at least one chapter of Scripture, followed by an explanation as the minister deems necessary to the understanding of the least skillful present. I typically keep this very simple -- at the level one might expect to find in family devotions.

5. Public Prayer. Either the minister or a worship assistant will pray. It will follow the skeletal outline of the Lord's Prayer in the AM worship, but will descend to particular prayer requests in the PM worship. Especially in the AM worship it consists in confession of sin. We regard this as necessary to approach God. While it may not be clear from a simple list like this, the concept of corporate worship is to approach God. Thus from the beginning to the end, that is what should be on our minds, both as worship leaders and as worshippers.

6. Second Reading. This is another chapter reading. In the AM it is from the OT and in the PM it is from the NT. Once again there will be a short explanation.

7. Second Psalm. Self-explanatory?

8. Prayer before Sermon. Specifically asking for the presence of the Holy Ghost in the preaching of the Word, for Christ to be glorified in the preaching, and for the conscionable hearing to work grace in us.

9. Sermon. Typically I preach from the NT in the AM and from the OT in the PM. This year, however, I am preaching through the Heidelberg Catechism in the PM service.

10. Prayer after Sermon. Asks for specific blessings on particular aspects of the preached word. Requests that applications be brought home to the hearers and that there be the fruit of the preached word in the lives of God's people.

Liturgy of the Upper Room

1. Table Talk. Generally, this talk will be an encouragement to look to Christ in his person, work, offices, titles, attributes, etc. More often than not, there will also be an encouragement to consider our own sinfulness and Christ's perfection; confessing our sins and turning to him in renewed faith. This concludes with a call for those who have been admitted to the table to come and partake.

2. Procession to the Table. Sometimes, in the past, as people come to the table, they sing a Psalm as they come. We no longer practice this, thinking that it results in a confounding of the elements of worship. The Sr. and Ass't. Minister remain standing at their places while the communicants gather round the table and take their seats. The Ass't. minister is the last seated, while the Sr. Minister remains standing and leads in opening prayer. The opening prayer thanks God for the grace that is in Jesus Christ and exhibited in the meal before the communicants. He confesses corporate sins, asks forgiveness in Christ, and closes in the Name of Jesus.

3. Passing the Bread. The Minister explains that on the night Jesus was betrayed, he took bread and blessed and broke it, saying "This is my body which is broken for you." He then breaks the loaf in two pieces and passes them in either direction around the table. When everyone else has broken a piece for himself, the Minister breaks his piece off last (as befitting a servant) and all partake of the body of Christ by faith.

4. Passing the Cup. The Ass't. Minister (or Sr. Minister if there is no assistant) prays similarly, explains that Christ then divided the cup and said "This cup is the New Covenant in my Blood, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." He passes the cups in either direction, serving himself last. All then partake of the blood of Christ by faith.

5. Prayer for God's Blessing. One or the other of the Ministers prays for God's blessing upon the sacrament and dismisses the people to their seats for the singing of the final Psalm.

6. Third Psalm. Self-explanatory?

7. Benediction. The worship service has been leading up to this moment. The people have approached God and worshipped him, expecting his blessing upon them. Now the Minister, speaking by the authority of his office, pronounces God's blessing upon the congregation and dismisses them in prayer.

There ya go. In the past (up to about the 1870s or so) we used a common cup. The invention of germs in the 19th century led us to use individual cups in the Lord's Supper. I would prefer to return to the old practice, but it is hard to convince people to give up "the yuck factor." <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bravo.gif" alt="" />