Worship the Presbyterian Way

“Worship the Lord with gladness” - Psalm 100:2a

The Book of Order tells us that Christian worship joyfully ascribes all praise, honor, and glory to the triune God. “Triune” means we worship all aspects of the divine - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Through our understanding of the Trinity, our worship takes shape.

Call to Worship

We begin by worshiping the Almighty Creator God. The majestic organ ushers us into worship, and a biblically based Call to Worship opens our hearts to adore and praise our mighty God. The opening processional hymn is a foretaste of eternity - a rehearsal for the heavenly throne room.

Prayer of Adoration

There’s a vision in the Book of Revelation describing the Elders before the throne and before the Lamb, They bow down and cast their golden crowns on the glassy sea. That beloved hymn, Holy, Holy, Holy, comes directly from this passage. In worship, we first offer our praise to this Holy and Mighty God - and through the majesty of worship, we suddenly realize that we are in the presence of the One whose glory overwhelms us.

Prayer of Confession

In that holy presence, we become aware of our unworthiness and our sin - the very things that separate us from God. Scripture reminds us that to see God face to face is to be overcome by divine immensity, and so we turn to confess our sins. In that confession, we feel a sense of awe, recognizing the grandeur and holiness of God.

Assurance of Forgiveness

The assurance of pardon follows immediately - not because of our repentance, nor because of the act of the pastor, but because of Christ’s enduring love. Our pardon is already secured through His sacrifice. Worship now shifts from God the Creator to Christ our Redeemer and Brother.

We see that God infinitely humbled God’s own self to be with us. Jesus extends forgiveness to all people. His sacrifice is so powerful that it reaches back to the beginning of time, cleansing those who lived before Him, and forward to all who come after. Hebrews tells us this sacrifice is “once and for all” - one sacrifice sufficient to expiate all sins throughout time. After the assurance of pardon, we are deeply aware of the extent of Christ’s love and grace.

Passing of the Peace

We then turn to “pass the peace,” which is the most exceptional moment of our week. When we extend the peace of Christ, we are not simply greeting one another - we are wishing each person the greatest possible gift: the peace of Christ.

In a world of conflict and division, Christ eradicates shame and separation, giving us the true ability to love ourselves and others. This is the profound peace that passes all understanding.

The Word of the Lord

All Presbyterian worship grows out of the Word of God. During the Reformation, worship had accumulated traditions without clear scriptural grounding. John Calvin urged us to return to Scripture, ensuring that every part of worship, its order, content, and spirit, be rooted in the Word of God.

Calvin also emphasized that the center of the Christian life is worship - not salvation. Salvation exists to free us to worship God fully in spirit and in truth. Worship is what we are made for. It is our purpose now and for eternity.

Congregational Response

Sunday worship is really a rehearsal for our entire life. Our whole life is meant to be an act of worship and service to God, with an awareness of the divine presence always. As such, Sunday morning worship trains us to live our lives in honor of God.

Through this Trinitarian lens, our worship mirrors the nature of God:

• We bow in awe before the mighty Creator, eternal God.

• We approach God as a friend through Jesus of Nazareth, who extends welcome.

• We carry with us the Holy Spirit, who makes us aware of God’s presence and teaches us how to pray.

Paul tells us the Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. Worship is not only praying, singing, and preaching, but also listening - cultivating awareness of the Spirit within us. This awareness helps us recognize God in creation and Christ in the stranger, the hungry, and the broken.

Benediction and Sending

Salvation is the gift that frees us to live out our eternal purpose: to praise and glorify God. In Presbyterian worship, every aspect is an act of the whole people of God. Even when the choir sings, it sings on behalf of all. Congregational singing, reading, and serving remind us that worship belongs to everyone. That is why children sing in worship, why youth read scripture, why Elders and Deacons serve at communion. Worship is everybody’s calling, everybody’s responsibility, and everybody’s privilege.

The preacher’s task is to open the Word so that all may sense the Spirit within and live as witnesses to Christ’s love. In Hebrew, the words for worship and service are the same: reminding us that to serve God in the world is itself an act of worship.

Prayer of Confession: 

Holy God, You have made us to worship You in thanksgiving and love. Yet we come seeking more to receive than to give. Expand our hearts to God-sized service, that our reverence might be worthy and set a pattern for our daily lives. Amen.