The Prayers of God's People

Scriptures are full of injunctions to pray. In Anglican services, we pray as a congregation during the “Prayers of God’s People” (other churches may call this "The Prayers of the People"). We do this in different ways, but usually with a topical list (based on the Bible’s commands to pray for the church, the government, our own needs, etc.), with each petition followed by a congregational response. For people used to free-form prayers improvised on the spot by a pastor, this may feel stiff or rote. We find, however, that having a list reminds us to pray for things we might overlook. And having the congregation participate shows us that we all are praying together, not just the people up front. As we get used to praying this way, our hearts and minds make these prayers truly “from the heart.” (Also, here's a little bit of bonus online content that didn't fit in the hard copy version of this Service Note. One unique thing about St. Stephen's tradition of the Prayers is that we finish with a "Prayer for Ministry," where we focus on a ministry or situation specific to St. Stephen's. Other Anglican churches typically use a general "Concluding Collect.")

The Creeds (Part 2): Common Questions

First, when we say the Creed, why do we say we believe in the “holy catholic Church”? The word catholic means universal (That’s why it’s not capitalized; it does not refer to the Roman Catholic Church). So we are affirming the church, the global community of people trust in and serve Jesus. Second, people ask about “the communion of saints.” They wonder if we’re praying to saints. Here we are saying that we affirm there are many “saints” (people who trust and follow Jesus), and that together we make up a communion, or a community, of believers who support, pray for, and encourage one another.

The Creeds (Part 1): What and Why

At most of our worship services—and always for Communion—we say one of the great Christian Creeds--either the Apostles or Nicene Creed. The word "Creed" comes from the Latin credo, which means “I believe.” The Creeds are not just “words we say,” but a way of confessing our faith, including our belief in Jesus and our heart-level trust in him. The Apostles’ Creed was first written down around 180 AD—but was in oral form in much earlier. The Nicene Creed was affirmed at the city of Nicaea in 325 AD. One of the main functions of the Creeds is to teach us the Truth about our faith, AND to combat heresy (a word for wrong thinking about God, or false doctrine). Both the Apostles and Nicene Creeds remind us what we do and do not believe. For example, in the Creeds we affirm that Jesus is both fully God and fully man (combating the heresy that Jesus was either a very spiritual man but not God, or that he was God that just temporarily pretended to appear as a man); we also affirm we will rise from the dead—not just disappear or become “ghosts.” The Creeds also bind us in faith with the countless Christians who have said them through the centuries and say them with us today. Next week, we’ll address some common questions about the creeds.

Epiphany

According to the church year, we’re in the season of Epiphany. The holiday of Epiphany is January 6--when we remember the visit of the Wise Men to Jesus. After that, we remember the Sundays after the Epiphany. (You may have noticed on your service sheet "The Fourth Sunday After the Epiphany," etc.). Epiphany is the time between Christmas and Lent. From the Greek for “manifestation,” epiphany means making something known or making something clear—like when you say “I’ve had an epiphany!” it means “Ah-ha! I get it!” During Epiphany, we remember the times when the truth about Jesus was revealed and folks “got it” that Jesus was the Lord, the Messiah. As mentioned above, it begins with the arrival of the Magi (the wise men) to visit the infant King Jesus--the first time Jesus was "revealed" to the Gentiles. During Epiphany, we also remember when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist--another time Jesus' identity and mission was revealed. Our prayers during this time are that Jesus would continue to be revealed to us—and the whole world—and that we would all “get it”: Jesus is Lord!

Church Aerobics: Why Do We Kneel, Sit, and Stand?

We move a lot in our services. In the sanctuary, the congregation will alternately stand, sit, and kneel. In Grace Commons, we don’t have cushions for kneeling, but we still do a lot of stand-up-sit-down. Why? This reflects the way God made us, as the Bible teaches us—we are people with bodies. As such, what we do in our bodies affects our souls, and vice versa. For example, when you stand for the National Anthem at a ball game, your posture tells your brain, “Pay attention!” Likewise, in church, when you stand for the Gospel reading, you can’t help but focus. And when you kneel, you are put in a penitential frame of mind. People in the Bible were always lifting their hands in praise, falling down in confession, or sitting to listen to Jesus. We follow their example and worship God not only with our hearts and minds, but our bodies as well.

Lessons and Carols

The Festival of Lessons and Carols is a treasure of Anglican worship. Edward White Benson (then Bishop of Truro and later to become Archbishop of Canterbury) developed the service and held it for the first time on Christmas Eve in 1880. It was quickly adopted by other churches. Now held around the world (often adapted for local contexts), the service weaves scripture lessons with music to tell of God’s redemptive love. Through readings and song, we follow the story of salvation from hope-filled prophecy to gracious fulfillment in the birth of our Savior.

Advent

Happy New Year! The first Sunday of Advent marks the beginning of the Church Year. Advent (from the Latin adventus, meaning arrival or coming) is the four weeks before Christmas; Christians have observed it for centuries as a time of waiting and preparation. We remember how God’s people waited for Jesus’ first coming, as we now wait expectantly for our King to come again. At church this season, the readings, music, and even the royal blue of the pastors’ stoles all point to our King’s first and second advent—the Good News of Immanuel, God with us.