Go Ye!

The final section of the United Methodist rubric for worship is the Sending Forth. Traditionally, a hymn or song is shared by the congregation before the worship leader bestows upon the community the Dismissal With Blessing, often called the Benediction (from the Latin for good speech). Far from a “hasty exit,” the hymns and actions of the Sending Forth symbolize the faith community’s final acts of preparation to take all they have shared and experienced within the time of worship into the world. Many congregations will follow the acolytes, who bear the light from the altar, as they symbolically take the Light into the world.

It would be easy to dismiss the actions of worship as dry routine prescribed by somebody some time ago. It would be easy to relegate the rituals of worship to the irrelevant habits of people out of touch with today’s world. It would be easy; but it would be wrong. For a world which seeks multisensory experiences, worship feeds the soul through image, through scent, through sound, through taste, and through action. For a world which searches for meaning, each action in worship is purposefully full of symbolism and significance. For a world which seeks to “connect” with other people, worship provides not only connection with our fellow believers but a genuine encounter with Him in Whom we believe.

Instead of viewing worship a an obligation, we can believe it to be a time of celebration. The Guest of Honor will be there. He promised.

Sources:

The United Methodist Book of Worship. 1992. The United Methodist Publishing House: Nashville, TN.

The Sacristy: A Community for Wesleyan Sacristans, found October 19, 2009, .

More than “same old, same old”

Why do we do the same things in worship, week after week? According to the United Methodist Book of Worship, the Basic Pattern of Worship consists of four parts: the Entrance, the Proclamation and Response, the Thanksgiving and Communion, and the Sending Forth. During the first period of the Entrance, the Gathering, the congregation renews its sense of community by informal greeting, encouragement, and prayer or quiet meditation during appropriate music. It would be appropriate for acolytes to light candles at this time. Bells or music may be sounded to call the community to worship. During the second period of the Entrance, the Greeting and Hymn, a representative of the community officially greets the congregation in the Lord's name, welcome visitors, and makes announcements of interest to the community. An additional choral greeting would be appropriate, as well. During the Opening Prayers and Praise, the third period of the Entrance, the group establishes that the communion of the congregation is with God and each other. An opening prayer and hymn of praise could follow. The opening prayer could combing several forms, among them a seasonal prayer recited either by the liturgist or the congregation, a prayer of confession with a declaration of pardon, or litany—responsive prayers between leader and people. The hymn of praise centers on the attributes of God that engender gratitude and praise, or expresses the community's greetings to one another in the Lord's name. An affirmation of faith would be appropriate often followed by the Gloria Patri (often called the “little” doxology). While the Entrance could be viewed merely as preparation for the next section of worship, the Proclamation and Response, it is, more appropriately, the time when the community of faith individually and communally welcomes the Living Christ as fulfillment of his promise to be present where two or three are gathered in His name (Matthew 18:20). It is the time when, individually and corporately, the community of faith joins its voices with saints around the world and through the generations in praise of the Rock of Ages.

Resources:
Benedict, Daniel T, Jr. Patterned by Grace. 2007. Upper Room Books: Nashville, TN.

Hickman, Hoyt. United Methodist Worship. 1991. Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN.

The United Methodist Book of Worship. 1992. The United Methodist Publishing House: Nashville, TN.

United Methodist Calendar & Workbook 2009. 2008. Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN.