Reading from the Gospel

The Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are the four books in the New Testament about Jesus’ life. When we read the Gospel passage in church during a service of Holy Communion, a lot happens. First, we stand up! This reminds us to wake up, take notice. At some services, the reader walks into the congregation, reminding us of how Jesus came to us. When the reader announces the Gospel, we respond, “Glory to you, Lord Christ.” Afterwards, we say, “Praise to you, Lord Christ.” This is because these are the words of Christ—Jesus himself is speaking! So when you hear the Gospel read, ask, “What are you saying to me, Jesus?” (Footnote: During non-Communion Sunday services--what Anglicans call Morning Prayer--typically two lessons are read: one from the Old Testament, and one from the New Testament. Sometimes the NT reading is from one of the Gospels, while other times it is from Acts, the Epistles, or Revelation. In any case, the congregation remains seated for both the OT and NT readings during Morning Prayer, even if the NT lesson is from a Gospel.)

The Collect (or Prayer) of the Day

Traditionally called the “Collect,” these prayers gather up, or collect, the prayers of the congregation. They often focus on the seasons of the church year or some aspect of the Christian life. Using a written prayer keeps it brief and keeps us focused on God. It is not rote; as we pray, we add our own emotions and longings. Think of it like when you sing along with the radio. Someone else wrote the words, but they become yours.

The Shape of Our Service

Our services can be divided in two halves. The first part focuses on God’s Word (the Bible). God speaks through the reading of his Word, and his Good News (the Gospel) is proclaimed to us who are lost, suffering, weak, or sin-sick. The second part focuses on the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper (or Communion). This is another way of proclaiming the Gospel. We hear the story of Jesus death for us, and that he wants to live in us. As we respond with faith in Christ, eating and drinking in remembrance of him, we are powerfully reminded that we are people who need something from outside ourselves to save us. We leave church assured of his grace and refreshed by his power in us.

The Collect (or Prayer) for Purity

A collect is a short, focused prayer that "collects" and gathers the prayers of the people in worship.
This collect comes at the start of our service. It begins, “Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid.” This reminds us God knows all about us (our little secrets)—and it ain’t pretty. This rightfully and wonderfully puts us in our place. Thus, we don’t come lightly or self-righteously into worship. Next we pray that God would "cleanse the thoughts of our hearts." This acknowledges the reality that when we come to worship, we are a distracted and sinful people, with cold hearts and wandering minds. So this prayer helps us come to God with great humility, aware that we cannot even worship God without his intervention in our hearts. Then we conclude by praying that by God's grace and help we might be able to "worthily magnify" (or praise) his holy name. When we worship rightly, it is only by God going before us and giving us hearts that love him.