O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Psalm 95:6-7
Through Scripture, the psalmist continues to call people of faith to humbly worship our Creator. Although the forms and expressions and venues for worship have been and continue to be many and varied as Jesus’ disciples have spread his teachings around the globe, the One we worship remains eternal.
John E. Burkhart writes in Worship: A Searching Examination of the Liturgical Experience, “Worship is the celebrative response to what God has done, is doing, and promises to do.” In worship we encounter the Triune God, who invites us into transformation and to see the world through divine eyes. Worship motivates us to serve: serve God, one another, our community, and the world.
The 221st General Assembly (2014) called the denomination to consider a proposed revision to the Directory for Worship—the middle section of the Book of Order. A draft of this revision has been commended to the church for a one-year “season of study”—July 1, 2014-July 1, 2015—with an invitation to comment upon it. Comments will be reviewed and considered for incorporation into a further revision, expected to go to the 222nd General Assembly for inclusion in the Book of Order, pending subsequent approval by the presbyteries.
A recent 30-minute webinar on this proposal—“Revising the Directory for Worship: Bread, Bath, and Beyond,” now available on the Directory for Worship website—was recorded and is free for congregational and individual study as well.
All across the PC(USA)—in congregations, mid councils, seminaries, and beyond—not only is the proposed revision generating positive reviews, but it is being put to practical use. One mid council leader reports that he is already using the draft to talk to pastors about worship and finds the revision clearer and easier to use. Seminary professors say they look forward to using it to teach about worship and help students prepare for ordination exams. Leaders from another Reformed denomination have praised the document as an excellent account of our common tradition.
I invite you to take the time to “co-missionally” engage this Directory for Worship revision process with questions, thoughts, and suggestions. In this way, worship can truly be the work of the people of God.
by Marilyn Gamm, 2014–2016 Chair of the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board
