A Sunday Service that Directs Me to Christ
The thought snuck into my head every Sunday. “Is this it?” Despite the faithful preaching, something was missing from the standard order. There were three songs, a prayer, announcements, a sermon, a final song, and then lunch at Chipotle.
It wasn’t that I was looking for more components that suited my preferences. I wanted to come to church and worship God, not to be a consumer or to be entertained. Something was missing. I couldn’t put my finger on it until I entered the Anglican parish where I presently work.
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What Makes Anglicans Different?
Like most people, probably, I had my initial hesitations about the way Anglicans did things. “Why are we reading prayers? Since we look Roman Catholic, aren’t people going to think we are Roman Catholic? Aren’t these rituals just getting in the way of what matters?” Nevertheless, something kept me coming back. While the preaching was expository and gospel-centered, it wasn’t the only reason I continued to attend.
The service’s unified effort in directing our hearts to Jesus Christ captivated me.
From the procession to the prayers, every part of the service pointed to Christ. The songs to the sermon, the responsive liturgy to the Lord’s Supper, not one part was done unintentionally or irreverently.
Intentional Liturgy
Every part of the service was thoughtful. Not one part was done flippantly. Each piece served to build up the church in the faith (1 Corinthians 14:26).
This meant I had to be present. I was surprised at how much work it was to worship! Every prayer and song required me to pay attention to what I was saying. Rooted in the Scriptures, the sermon demanded that I truly listen. This involved more than just reciting prayers. When I genuflected for confession, how could I recite the prayer without truly asking for forgiveness for the actual sins I had committed? After confessing my sins, there was a time for me to make peace with anyone with whom I had a grievance. Each Sunday, a context wholly immersed me.
An Atmosphere of Awe
I never had a sense of awe at the churches I grew up in. Is that to say that God was not present? By no means! There was nothing in the service to remind me that He was. Reverence and awe exist naturally; we do not need to manufacture them. If God showed His face to me right now, I’d die.
When God established worship for His people in Israel, He instituted means to remind them of His holy presence. This gave them a sense of reverence when they came to the temple. While worship in the church is pretty different (there’s not so much blood now), the same Holy God who hates sin is still present (Acts 5:1-11).
God was not more present in the Anglican service than in the other church services in my life. The difference was the atmosphere that reminded me of the complete transcendence of God. The ministers wore robes that communicated they were filling an office that exceeded them as individuals. The recitation of the creeds reminded me that I was worshipping a triune God who created everyone in the room. When the congregation knelt down to confess sin, we were truly kneeling before the Lord. God’s holiness and greatness were called to mind throughout the whole service.
Christ in All Things
The liturgy of the service challenged me to be present in worship. The atmosphere produced in me a sense of reverence. However, the greatest thing to me about the service was the clarity of Christ in all things. The crucifer lit the candles on the altar, reminding me that the Spirit of Christ was among the congregation. I came to worship in His presence.
The ministers conducted the service in vestments. These visuals of Christ’s white robe of righteousness cover everyone who trusts solely in Him. The gospel reading proclaimed the beautiful reality. The incarnate Word came to the people, drew near, and offered his good news to everyone.
What’s more, I ate from the Lord’s Table every week. The sermon called me to trust in Christ and his work on the cross. I was able to respond to that every Sunday by feeding on Christ. Every piece of the service shone a light on Jesus Christ. Sunday departures were impossible if we hadn’t seen Him and His work on the cross.
Involvement in Worship
The liturgy was more than an order of service for me to observe. It was an invitation to be truly involved in worshipping Christ.
I realized that what I was missing at my old church was the involvement of my whole being and body in the service. I didn’t view my time in the sanctuary as worship because there was not much there to help me see it as such. The Anglican liturgy immersed me in an atmosphere where I gained the tools to worship Jesus.
That’s not to say that my Baptist brothers and sisters are not worshipping God when they meet. However, the order of the service at my old church did not help me picture my Sunday as a gathering with the people of God to worship Christ in awe. It may have done it for others, but it didn’t for me. I needed Christ everywhere around me, not just in the sermon. I needed him in the clothes, in the food, in the walking, and every single song and prayer.
Today I work as a pastoral assistant at the Anglican parish my wife and I have attended for more than two years now. We are currently in a confirmation class, continuing to learn about Anglicanism as we determine what ministry will look like for us in the future. We praise God that He has led us to such a rich tradition that equips us to worship Christ and know Him more every Sunday.
Photo by Diocese of Spokane, courtesy of Unsplash.
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