This week I have been working on finalizing all the details for our worship service on Sunday December 3rd.  Planning worship has taken far more time than normal.  Because it’s the First Sunday of Advent and Communion and Joining Sunday, oh my!  

Truth be told, that is what has been on my mind this week—worship.  And Good Lord, the sermon is going to be short and sweet.  Though I’ve been contemplating worship not just for worship’s sake.

For instance, when we talk about worship and the sacraments in our Discipleship Class, I always tell the youth of our church that there are reasons why we do what we do.  When we come to worship, we are not just going through the motions.  There are reasons for the prayers we pray, the hymns we sing, the scripture we read, the sermon we hear, the offering we collect, the bread and cup freely offered.

Why do we have the Prayer of Confession on Communion Sundays in particular? 
Because we remember Jesus’ instructions in the Sermon on the Mount.  “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and go.  First make things right with your brother or sister and then come back and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)  It’s good to confess and ask for forgiveness before we offer the gift of Communion to one another. 

Or why do we light two candles that are usually placed on the Communion Table at the beginning of worship? 
Because the candles represent the humanity and divinity of Jesus, and we light them as a visual reminder that we are in the presence of God as we begin to worship God together. 

I could go on and on.  Hence, clergy are required to take worship classes and preaching classes in Seminary.  To learn all of this and to be able to share our traditions with the communities we serve.  All of this to say, on Sunday you will notice that there are several special parts of our worship service.  From lighting the first Advent Candle to people officially joining Colchester Federated Church to sharing the Lord’s Supper together.  It’s going to be great! And I hope to see you there, in-person or online.

Love,
Pastor Lauren

Photo by Svetozar Cenisev on Unsplash

Thursday Thoughts 11/30/23