The Liturgy

 A "Collect" (KOL-ekt) is a structured prayer made on behalf of the whole congregation. It comes from the Latin "Cōllecta" which means "gathering," because it is gathering the prayers of the congregation into one. Essentially, a collect is a specific corporate prayer. Here are the different collects encountered in a Sunday service:

1. The Collect for Purity. This collect opens the service after the hymn. Here we ask for God to make us clean before Him and prepare our hearts for worship. "ALMIGHTY God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen."

2. The Collect for Providence. This follows our recitation of the Law. We ask that God will govern us by His good will and strengthen us to follow His Law rightly. "O ALMIGHTY Lord, and everlasting God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct, sanctify, and govern, both our hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments; that, through thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen."

3. The Collect of the Day. This immediately follows the prior collect and is specific to the day of the church calendar and thematically paired with the readings of the day. So, for example, if the readings are related to forgiveness then the collect will likely emphasize our desire for God to forgive us our own sins and to help us to faithfully forgive others.

4. Other Collects. Sometimes, at the discretion of the minister, other collects made be added into the service as appropriate. For example, we will commonly pray a collect asking for God's grace in the recovery of illness when our parishioners or their loved ones are ill, or for mercy in undergoing a surgery, or for safe travel, etc.

Note: Collects are more plentiful in the Daily Prayer Offices than in Sunday Holy Communion service.

The Liturgy of the Word is the part of the service in which the Word of God is read and culminates in the Sermon, which is the preaching of the Word. In our Sunday service we always have the following readings (also called lessons):

1. The Old Testament. Up to a chapter in length, typically (but not exclusively) from the Prophets.

2. The Psalm. We recite on Psalm responsively by half verse, with the minister leading the first half and the congregation finishing the second half.

3. The Epistle. This usually emphasizes Christian living with instruction in faith in manners according to the theme of the day. On special days there is non-Epistle reading designated to be read in lieu of the Epistle—typically from Acts but sometimes from the Old Testament.

4. The Gospel. This emphasizes the direct words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the instruction He gave us during His earthly ministry. Typically the content of the Gospel lesson guides the selection of the OT lesson and the Psalm. It is preceded by the Gradual Hymn and immediately succeeded by the Creed and Sermon. All stand for the reading of the Gospel.

After the Creed the Minister makes any appropriate announcements, offers a pastoral prayer, and gives the Sermon. The sermon usually expounds upon one or more of the readings from the service and lasts about 30 minutes. In his preaching, Rev. Dove endeavors to be Christ-Centered in his purpose, Redemptive Historical in his method, and Law-Gospel Distinguishing in his exhortation—for those who know what any of that means. The purpose of the Sunday sermon is not to give a Biblical lecture, but to be confronted with the truth of the Gospel in order that it may:

1. Convict us of our sin.

2. Comfort us with God's grace.

3. Conform us to the Image of Christ.

4. Compel us to walk in love for God and our neighbor.

Click Here to sample our pastor's sermons.

Following the Offertory, the Prayer for the Whole State of Christ's Church is a longer prayer which pleads for God's blessing and mercy upon His Church, our clergy, our nation and government leaders, and all those who are in need or distress. It is essentially a comprehensive supplication. We pray for our Bishop, the President of the United States, and that the Church which is currently fractured will be unified in the truth of the Holy Gospel. This is immediately followed by the General Confession.

The Zenith of the Liturgy is the Eucharist, which comes from the Greek word for "thanksgiving." It is indeed a celebration of thanksgiving! It is also called Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper. All of these words describe the same event, which proceeds as follows:

1. The Consecration. "To make sacred," i.e., devoted unto God's holy purposes alone. The minister returns to the center of the Lord's Table to consecrate the elements with our Lord's Words of Institution: "For in the night in which he was betrayed, he took Bread; and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take, eat, this is my Body, which is given for you; Do this in remembrance of me. Likewise, after supper, he took the Cup; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this; for this is my Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for you, and for many, for the remission of sins; Do this, as oft as ye shall drink it, in remembrance of me." AND NOTE that it is the authoritative and living Word of God which pronounces these divine mysteries over the common elements of bread and wine. It isn't any power or work of the minister himself, but of God alone. The bread and wine remain bread and wine, but united with them is also the Word and True Presence of Jesus Christ.

2. The Oblation. "To offer." The Oblation recognizes that we are offering not only these sanctified elements of bread and wine unto the LORD, but our hearty thanksgiving and mindfulness of all the benefits procured for us by the blessed passion, precious death, mighty resurrection, and glorious ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. The Invocation. "To implore, to call upon." In the invocation we call upon God the Father to bless and sanctify, by the Word and Holy Spirit, the bread and wine, and that in worthily partaking of Christ's Supper we will be made partakers of His body and blood, united with Him and He with us—in a real, true, mysterious, supernatural, and heavenly manner. In the invocation we implicitly acknowledge that what is happening at the Lord's Table every Sunday is a Divine Miracle. We recognize that we are rendering up our praise and thanksgiving and even our very selves—body and soul—as a reasonable, holy, living sacrifice unto God. And finally, that it is by His work alone whereby we receive all the benefits of God's grace.

4. The Lord's Prayer. The final prayer we pray together before partaking is the prayer given us by Jesus Himself.

5. The Prayer of Humble Access. This prayer is said by the minister alone on behalf of the congregation. It is a prayer of humility which acknowledges that we, in ourselves, are unworthy to approach the Lord's Table. But it doesn't end there! We ultimately recognize that while we are unworthy, we do not approach on the basis of our own worthiness, but Jesus' worthiness! And so we ask that our merciful God would continue in His mercies toward us, because mercy is essential to God's being. 

6. The Reception. The minister invites all to come gather around the table (in multiple groups if the attendance requires) to receive the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. He partakes first, and then distributes the elements, "The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart by faith, with thanksgiving." And "the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was shed for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ’s Blood was shed for thee, and be thankful."

7. The Dismissal. When all have partaken, the minister dismisses the group to return to their seat. When everyone has assumed their place, we sing together the Gloria in Excelsis Deo.
   
   

SOME NOTES: 

• Open Communion. All who profess the Creed and have been baptized are invited to receive of the Lord's Supper at Absolution Church.

• The Elements. We partake from a common loaf of fresh leavened wheat bread (usually baked by our priest) and grape wine from a common cup.

• Allergies and Intolerances. If one in your household has a wheat/gluten allergy/intolerance, a suitable alternative may be consecrated for you along with the common loaf. Please communicate such concerns in advance of Sunday morning in order that necessary provisions may be made.

• Intinction. We do not, under any circumstances, practice intinction (the dipping of the bread into the cup). If for any reason you are uncomfortable receiving the common cup, you may place your hands together and the chalice will pass you by (though the words will still be spoken). 

• The Chalice. While the minister may never release the chalice, you are welcome and encouraged to also take hold and guide it to your mouth.

• Hygiene. For those partaking of the chalice, it is strongly recommended to avoid heavy lipsticks or glosses in order that they do not leach into the chalice. It is encouraged as a matter of good sense and manners that all (if able) conduct proper oral and bodily hygiene prior to service.

• Illness. Speak with the minister if you have any concerns related to personal illness.

• Paedocommunion. Young children will receive a blessing from the minister in lieu of the elements. There is no formal age of admittance to the Lord's Table, but children must first meet with and be approved by the Rector before they may receive the elements. It is expected that a child professes faith; knows the Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer; discerns that the Lord's Supper is not mere eating and drinking; and expresses their own personal desire to be admitted.

• Excommunication. The Rector has the authority and duty to withhold the Lord's Supper from anyone who is known to be in open and unrepentant sin. The purpose of this withholding is to protect the unrepentant from the curse risked upon those who unworthily partake and to encourage their repentance and restoration. Such concerns will be communicated by the Rector to the person in advance of Sunday morning.

• Theology. If you wish to learn more about our doctrine concerning Holy Communion, please read Articles 25-30 of the English Articles of Religion and the appropriate articles in The Confessions. You are invited to reach out to our Rector if you have any questions.