Why Does Grace Worship This Way?

Grace Fellowship is dedicated to the worship of God—the living Lord revealed in the Scriptures as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Worship is Grace’s reason for existence. In particular, we believe the Sunday worship gathering is the formative activity that sets the course for everything else in our church. Our Sundays function as the beating heart of our church body, pumping life-blood to all other vital parts.

We believe these things strongly and have worked over the years to shape our services to be a rich expression of historic Protestant Christian worship. We understand our worship gathering to be a “Divine Service” in which our Lord, by the power of his Spirit, is at work upon us. When we are gathered on Sunday, he is refreshing and restoring our souls, enlivening our weary hearts and bodies, renewing his precious covenant promises with us, and preparing us for another week as his people in the world. 

On a Grace Sunday, you will notice the following movements in our liturgy:

Welcome and Greeting

In our first moments, we welcome worshippers warmly in the name of Christ. Further, we exchange greetings with each other, helping us remember that we do not come to worship only as individuals, but as an assembly, a congregation, before the Lord.

Call to Worship

All creation began with the voice of our Lord. Into the dark, void, and formlessness he spoke words. In doing so, his breath brought light into the dark, shape to the formlessness, and fullness into the void. 

We believe the Spirit, through the Word, carries an ongoing creative power, even today. At Grace, each Sunday, we expect a new and fresh act of re-creation. Our service begins by calling our people to worship with the Word, as an acknowledgement that our Lord initiates fellowship with us.

Confession of Sin and Assurance of Pardon

As we enter into God’s presence, our status as sinners is made plain. Therefore, it is good and right to confess and acknowledge the truth about ourselves forthrightly: There are things we have done and things we have left undone. We name our sinful attitudes and actions; we turn these things over to our Lord and to each other.

After confession of sin, an announcement of forgiveness is declared, as this is one of the sacred responsibilities Christ’s ministers have been given. The announcement of pardon is made on the basis of Christ’s redemptive work on our behalf.

Congregational Singing at Grace

In the Biblical narrative, as the Lord acts in time and space on behalf of his people, they respond by singing his praises. Further, the New Testament teaches us to sing in order that we might encourage one another.

We choose songs, arrangements, and a sound set-up that prioritizes hearing one another’s voices in song. We employ a mix of “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” (Ephesians 5:19).

The Public Reading of Scripture

The Apostle Paul exhorts the young pastor Timothy to “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture…” (1 Timothy 4:13). We, too, read and respond to the Scriptures throughout our gathering. A team of readers have been trained to read and declare God’s words carefully.

Word and Table

As a part of Grace’s commitment to a Reformational identity, the Word preached and the Table celebrated work together. 

Sermons at Grace are an attempt to announce and declare the good news of Jesus from a text of Scripture, aimed at the hearts of the congregation. 

At the Lord’s Table, the truths of the gospel that have been declared move from abstract to concrete; from what we have heard to something that we can see, taste, and touch.

In this sacred meal, we remember and celebrate the work of Jesus for us in the past, we receive grace from Jesus for the present, and we look forward to Jesus making all things new at his return.

Blessing and Sending

Just as our service begins with the Word, it ends there also. 

In our benediction, worshippers are sent out with a good word of blessing. We gather by grace to receive from the Lord, to be built up and renewed in grace, so that we might go back into the world as agents of God’s grace. 

Our worship is for our own edification, but it also meant to extend beyond us, as a gift for our neighbors, co-workers, and friends. 

Stated plainly, Grace Fellowship worships for the sake of the world. We are strengthened in order that we might serve beyond our walls.

Other Characteristics You Will Notice: 

Times of Silence

Our world is very noisy. Our worship has moments of silence, giving us a chance to move more slowly and still our hearts.

Participation

Though certain individuals have particular responsibilities, our worship is led by many diff erent Grace members, spanning across the spectrum of our congregation.

Intercessory Prayer

On a regular basis, we off er a time for worshippers to approach a trained Grace member or a member of Grace’s leadership teams for prayer.

Awareness of Others

Our greeting and hospitality team and Grace’s staff and lay leadership teams try to be on the lookout for those who belong to our church family and those who may be joining us for the first time.

Security and Vigilance

Certain Grace members are tasked and trained to look out for the good of the worshippers, seeking to aid in such a way that our focus can remain steady.

Baby Noises and Restless Children

The Scriptures teach that the kingdom of God belongs to children and that the Lord enjoys and delights in their noises. We embrace this with gladness, with the aim of allowing parents to experience the freedom to care for their children according to their needs.