pRAyERfOundAtiON™ WORSHip SERVice pARt 1: tHE LiturGy Of tHE WORd

Compiled by S.G. Preston from the Earliest Christian Liturgies

St. Kevin’s Church, Glendalough Monastery, Ireland. (Copyright Irish Tourist Board).

 

“Let our prayer arise before You as incense,

 and let the lifting up of our hands

 be an evening offering.” 

 

-Psalm 141:2

 

         

           PrayerFoundation™ Worship Service             

Part 1: The Liturgy of the Word  _____________________________________

 

Each of us attends the individual Church of our choice on Sundays. 

 

In 2007, we began to have shared Dinner together on Friday Evenings, followed by our Christian Film Night, where we watched together and discussed half of a Christian Film each week.

 

And that was followed by this Worship Service.

 

We have memorized it as one long prayer, consisting of (or based on) Holy Scripture.  

 

This was not as difficult as it might seem, because we already had many of the individual parts memorized.  

 

You can also pray it as you read along, as has been done by visiting Christians worshipping with us.

 

Once, on a four hour drive from  Bend, Oregon  to Vancouver, Washington, we spent an hour praying the entire Worship Service straight through, singing and saying it from memory.

 

Which is what we do in our Chapel.

 

-Lay Monk Preston & Lay Monk Linda

yOuR cOMMENtS: (Lay MONK KaREn, NEw JERSEy)

Dear Lay Monk Preston, 
I love the new Worship Service pages, as I feel it gives (for me at least) another connection to you all there in Washington State.  I’m happy to add the Worship Service to my daily prayer.
 
Also, I wanted to say I love you all, and I’m praying for you.
 
Warmly in Christ,
Lay Monk Karen (New Jersey)

yOuR cOMMENtS: (Lay MONK dENiSE, JApAN)

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Thank you so much for putting me up (and putting up with me and my friends) on Dec. 26-27!  It was a wonderful beginning to a hard week.  I was able to relax and focus on God, which prepared me to do what I had to do next. 

 

Also, I was considerably less plagued with jet lag than usual.  Although Mizuho didn’t show it, she apparently enjoyed it too.  She kept sniffing her clothes and saying: “This smells good, it smells like the monk’s house.”

 

I’m back to teaching from today.  Just wanted to say THANK YOU for letting me be a part of your life and worship for a day.

 

In Christ,                                                                                                                               Lay Monk Denise (Missionary in Japan)

 

P.S.: I agree with Lay Monk Karen (New Jersey) that it is wonderful to have the Worship Service.  I am also using it as a part of my Daily Office (albeit in the morning), so I feel that I am worshipping together with you all, and I bless you from my room.

 

NoteLay Monk Denise teaches missionaries’ children in Japan.  Mizuho is her daughter, who was then about 12 years old.  In honor of the Christmas Holidays, the incense we were using in our Chapel during our Worship Service was pure Frankincense from Eritrea, a natural tree sap resin.

 

pRAyERfOundAtiON™ WORSHip SERVice pARt 1: tHE LiturGy Of tHE WORd

Rubrics:

+ The Sign of the Cross, made by Officiant at the mention of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Congregation is welcome to join Officiant in this, but not required to).

iNtROductORy RitES

 

Preparation for Worship / Entrance Procession

 

Lighting of Oil Lamps and Candles.

A bell is rung three times in the historic monastic call to worship.

Entrance Procession (optional), singing a Psalm, Hymn, or Spiritual Song.  

(Ephesians 5:19)

___________________

 

Opening Worship

 

Gloria Patri – Glory to the Father (Doxa Pater – Eastern)

 

All sing:  Glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.  

(Ephesians 3:21; 1 Timothy 1:17; Jude 1:25; Revelation 1:6)

___________________

 

The Lord’s Prayer

 

(Everyone and everything incensed during The Lord’s Prayer in dedication to God.)

 

All sing:  Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. 

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.  Amen.  

(Matthew 6:9-13)

 ___________________

 

The 23rd Psalm

 

All:  The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.  He leadeth me beside the still waters.  

He restoreth my soul.  He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.  

 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.  Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.  

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.  

 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

___________________

 

Psalm 117

   (Laudate Dominum When Gloria Patri is Added)

 

All:  O praise the LORD, all ye nations; praise Him, all ye people.  

For His merciful kindness is great toward us, and the truth of the             LORD endureth forever.  

Praise ye the LORD!

___________________

 

The Greeting

 

Officiant:  + Grace be with you, and peace; from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.  

(Philippians 1:2)

 

All:  And with your spirit.

 (2 Timothy 4:22)

___________________

 

This is the Day 

 

Officiant:  This is the day that the LORD has made: 

 

All:  We will rejoice and be glad in it!  

(Psalm 118:24)

___________________

 

Gloria In Excelsis Deo – The Gloria Hymn / The Greater Doxology 

 

(Sung to the tune of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” which replaces the Gloria Hymn during the 6 weeks of Celtic Advent.)

 

All sing:  Glory be to our God in the highest; and on the earth, peace and good will toward all.  

(Luke 2:14)  

We bless You, worship You, and adore You; we give thanks, we praise You for Your glory.  

(Psalm 86:12; 138:1)  

Lord God, our King, the Father Almighty; Lord Christ, only Son of God the Father.  

 (1 Peter 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3)  

Lord God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.

(John 1:29; Psalm 51:1). 

You sit at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer, for You alone are Lord. 

(Psalm 110:1; Mark 16:19; Psalm 6:9; Nehemiah 9:6)  

O Light from Light, You alone are Most High; You alone are the Holy One of God. 

(John 8:12; Psalm 83:18; John 6:69).  

Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit, in all the glory of God the Father.  Amen. 

(2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 1:17)

 

tHE LituRGy Of tHE WORd

 

God’s Word 

 

Salvation Verses (Justification)

 

All:  For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.    

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  

(John 3:16-17)

 

I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me.

(John 14:6)

 

For by grace are you saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.  

(Ephesians 2:8-9)

 

These things have I written unto you that believe in the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life. 

(1 John 5:13)

___________________

 

Reading of the Psalm

Reading of the Old Testament

Reading of the Epistle (or The Acts of the Apostles, or Revelation)

 

Reader:  The Word of the LORD.  

 

All:  Thanks be to God!  

___________________

 

Your Word is Truth

 

Officiant:  Then Jesus lifted up His eyes toward heaven and prayed: “Sanctify them through Your truth:

 

All:  Your Word is truth.” 

(John 17:17)

 

Officiant:  The entrance of Your Word gives light.  

(Psalm 119:30)

 

All:  Your Word is a light unto my path.  

(Psalm 119:105)

 

Officiant:  The spirit of a person is the candle of the LORD. 

(Proverbs 20:27)

 

All:  You will light my candle; the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.

(Psalm 18:28)

___________________

 

Unity of the Spirit

 

All:  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another.  

(Romans 12:5).  

Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body, and one Spirit, even as we are called in one hope of our calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

(Ephesians 4:3-6)

___________________

   

The Nicene Creed (The Profession of Faith)

 

All (Say or Sing):  I believe in one God, the Father AlmightyMaker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

(Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31; Ephesians 4:6; Genesis 1:1; 35:11; Isaiah 44:24; Romans 1:20; Colossians 1:16)

 

And in one Lord Jesus Christ; the only begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages.  God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God. Begotten, not made; being of one substance with the Father; through Him all things were made. 

(1 Thessalonians 1:1; John 1:1-3,10,14; 8:12;   10:30,38; 14:29; 20:28; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 3:9; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:15-17, 2:9; Hebrews 1:5; 1 John 5:20; Revelation 1:8)

 

Who, for us all, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man.  And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.  He suffered and was buried.  

(Matthew 1:18; 27:2,6; Mark 15:15; Luke 1:27,35; John 6:38, 51; Acts 2:36, 4:12; Romans 1:3; Philippians 2:6-7; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Timothy 3:15)

                 

And the third day He rose again, in accordance with the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.  And He shall return, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; His kingdom shall have no end.  

(Matthew 16:21; Mark 15:46; 16:19; Luke 1:33, 24:5-7; John 5:22; 20:17; Acts 1:9-11;10:42; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Timothy 3:16; 1 Peter 3:21-22; Revelation 1:7)

 

And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father.  Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. 

(Matthew 28:19; Luke 11:13; John 3:5, 14:17, 15:26; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 1:21)

 

And I believe in one holy, universal, and apostolic Church.  I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.  And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.  Amen. 

(Matthew 18:20, 26:28, 28:18-19; Luke 24:27; John 3:16,17:20-23; Acts 2:38,42; Romans 6:3-4, 11:36,16:5; 1 Corinthians 2:9, 15:12, 21-Galatians 3:27; Ephesians 2:20, 4:1-6; Philippians 4:3; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 3:15; Philemon 1:2; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 3:21; Revelation 21:27)

___________________

 

Reading of the Gospel

 

Reader:  The Gospel of our LORD.  

 

All:  Praise be to Christ!

___________________

 

Teaching from Holy Scripture

 

Officiant:  All glory to God!

 

All:  Thanks be to God!  

___________________

                                         

                                       The Summary of the Law (Anglican)                                                                   The Greatest Commandment / The Jesus Shema                                                                 

All:  And Jesus answered: The first of all the commandments is:

‘Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’  This is the first commandment.  

And the second is like it, namely this:

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.”  

(Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Leviticus 19:18; Mark 12:28-31)

___________________

 

All Sing:  Three Psalms, Hymns, or Spiritual Songs  (Colossians 3:16)

___________________

 

Prayer

                                                 

                                              Let Our Prayer Arise (Eastern)

 

All Sing:  Let our prayer arise before You as incense,

and let the lifting up of our hands be an evening offering. 

(Psalm 141:2)

___________________

 

Christ Our Intercessor

 

Officiant:  Having therefore boldness to enter into the Holy of Holies, by the blood of Jesus:  

(Hebrews 10:19)  

Let us then go boldly to the throne of grace, so that we can receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. 

(Hebrews 4:16)

 

All:  Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.  (1 Peter 5:7)

___________________

 

Prayers of the People

 

Officiant:  Let us pray: 

 

All:  For all people; for rulers and all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty.      

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.           

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and mankind: the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

(1 Timothy 2:1-6).

     

O Lord of the Harvest, send forth laborers into Your harvest.  

(Matthew 9:38)

 

Let us now offer our individual prayer to the Lord:

Lord, hear our prayer.

___________________

 

Prayers from the Congregation

 

(Each prayer offered by an individual should end with:)

 

Individual petitioner:  In Jesus’ name I pray.  

(Followed by all together praying:)

All: Lord, hear our prayer. 

___________________

 

Blessed be the Lord God

 

Officiant:  Blessed be the LORD God, from everlasting to everlasting.  And all the people said:

 

All:  Amen! 

(1 Chronicles 16:36; 2 Corinthians 1:20; Psalm 106:48)

 

___________________________________________________________________________

       PrayerFoundation™ Worship Service Part 1: The Liturgy of the Eucharist

Click on either Photo (Bellow) to go to our webpage:

 

“PrayerFoundation ™ Worship Service Part 2: The Liturgy of the Eucharist.”

 

Or continue reading the additional information posted below.

   

    PrayerFoundation™ Worship Service       

Part 1: The Liturgy of the Word, and Part 2: The Liturgy of the Eucharist.  Compiled by  S.G. Preston, in 2007, and revised by him in 2020.  

_______________________________________

 

Primary Sources:

 

The Holy Scriptures

 

The Divine Liturgy of St. James — is the earliest known Christian Liturgy.  It traditionally has been attributed to James, the brother of Jesus, and was the Liturgy of the Church of Jerusalem. 

 

Orthodoxwiki states it is: “…among the oldest Eucharistic Services in continuous use.” 

 

And: “The general scholarly consensus is that this liturgy originated in Jerusalem during the late fourth or early fifth century.” 

 

“Fenwick suggests that the Liturgy of St. James was composed by St. Cyryl of Jerusalem c. 370.”

 

The oldest existing manuscript dates from the tenth century; its use can be proven as far back as the fourth century. 

 

This Liturgy is observed a few times a year in Orthodox Churches throughout the world, and is still used exclusively in the Syriac Orthodox Church.

 

St. Basil the Great, in 370-379 A.D. revised, simplified, and shortened The Divine Liturgy of St. James (at the time, 4 1/2 hrs. long) into what is now known as:

 

The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great (at the time, 2 1/2 hrs. long).

 

The Antiochene Liturgy — in the Apostolic Constitutions is the oldest known Liturgical manuscript, dated 380 A.D.

 

Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Liturgies — were in use from the 400’s in Britain until 1078 A.D., when they were replaced by the:

 

Sarum Rite Liturgy — which was simplified and reformed by Archbishop Cranmer in the first:

 

Anglican Book of Common Prayer — in 1549.

 

The Lorrha Stowe Missal (500’s)— is known to have been still in use by Celtic Christians c. 600 A.D.

 

The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (347-407 A.D.) has been in use by Eastern Orthodoxy since the late 300’s A.D.

 

John Chrysostom felt more time should be available for sermons and the teaching of Scripture; so this Liturgy is a revision, simplification, and shortening (by an hour) of:

 

The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great (John Chrysostom’s sermons lasted anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours).

__________________

 

Secondary Sources:

 

The Christian Tradition (Vol. 1-5)

by Jaroslav Pelikan

 

Credo

by Jaroslav Pelikan

 

The Shape of the Liturgy

by Dom Gregory Dix

_______________________________________

 

Commentary:

 

Like the Liturgies in use today, the earliest Liturgies were based on even earlier Liturgies that had long been in use before them.

 

They are all based on Bible Texts, and so I have included the Scripture References for each section of the Liturgy.

 

Unfortunately, there remain no original, unrevised forms of the earliest Liturgies.

 

But fortunately, we are able to compare these earliest Liturgies to the unchanged Holy Scriptures, upon which they were based.

 

By doing so, I sought to compile a Liturgy that returned as close in form to the actual earliest Liturgies as possible.

 

The result is a composite historical Liturgy, of the 4th through the 7th centuries (300’s-600’s A.D.), compared to Holy Scripture, and consisting of Holy Scripture (or based on Scripture verses).

 

“New” portions include the Doxology (“Praise God from whom all blessings flow…”) at the very end of Part 2 of the Service.

 

 It was composed by the Anglican Bishop Thomas Ken in 1695, and is said to be the most sung of any song for the past 300 years.  This is how long it has been a part of the Anglican Liturgy.

 

Also, the small portion of original Liturgy compiled from Scripture by S.G. Preston which includes:

 

Your Word is Truth,

and: Unity of the Spirit.

 

Consisting of, or conforming to Holy Scripture, this Worship Service is therefore suitable for use by Evangelicals, as well as by all other Christians.

__________

 

This time period of the 300’s through the 600’s covers the first half of the Celtic Christian Era.

 

In Ireland, the Celtic Christian Era lasted from 432 A.D., the year St. Patrick returned to the island to begin his ministry, until the Synod of Cashel in 1172 A.D.

 

That is the year of the conquest of Ireland by the English King Henry II, when Ireland’s Celtic Christians were absorbed into the Church of Rome.

 

The Celtic Christian monastic Orders, 730 years old, were all dissolved at this time, and replaced by the Continental Orders: the Benedictines, Augustinians, and so forth.

 

We do not know for certain how long before the 4th century (300’s A.D.) these Liturgies were in use, but we do know that Liturgies throughout history have changed very slowly, when they have changed at all.

 

Before the Emperor Constantine’s legalization of Christianity in 313 A.D., during the centuries of persecution, Christians met secretly, and seldom made written records of Church practice.  Meeting for Church was itself illegal, and written records could be used against Christians.

 

Worship services were memorized, and were not to be revealed to non-Christians.

__________ 

 

Catechumens, those studying prior to their Baptism, were allowed to attend The Liturgy of the Word (also called: The Liturgy of the Catechumens),

but were asked to leave the Church before The Liturgy of the Eucharist (also called: The Liturgy of the Faithful), and then the doors would be locked.

 

This dismissal is still announced every Sunday in Eastern Orthodoxy’s The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom

but today no one leaves, and the Church doors are not locked.

 

The Early Church considered Communion to be a mystery.

 

 This is how the Bible refers to marriage and to the relationship of Christ and the Church.

(Ephesians 5:32)

 

…and also how it refers to our future resurrection and glorification.

(1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

 

The original Greek word used in the New Testament from which our English word mystery is derived is μυστήριον (mystērion);

 

the Latin translation is sacramentum (mystery), from which our English word sacrament is derived. 

__________

 

We have had visitors from all over the world join us in our Worship Service.  

Presbyterians, Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and Lutherans have all found the Service to be familiar.

 

And why should this not be so?  

All Christian Liturgical Services follow the same basic outline:

 

…including The Liturgy of the Word, and The Liturgy of the Eucharist (Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper).

 

The Liturgy of the Word was a Christian adaptation of the Jewish Synagogue Service, with its Scripture Readings, Psalms, and Teaching Commentary on Scripture.

 

The Liturgy of the Eucharist  was of course instituted by Christ Himself at The Lord’s Supper.

 

Christianity was legalized in the Roman Empire by the Emperor Constantine  in 313 A.D.  

 

The earliest Liturgy or Liturgies appear to have been compiled into their current (very similar) forms between 370 and 407 A.D.

__________

 

We have all been baptized by one Spirit into one body, the body of Christ:

 

“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into One Body,”

-1 Corinthians 12:13

 

And as the Scriptures also teach (included in the second half of this Liturgy, The Liturgy of the Eucharist):

 

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the Bread of Life: those that come to Me shall never hunger, and those that believe in Me shall never thirst.” 

-John 6:35

 

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?  The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?

 

Because there is One Bread, we who are many are one body, for we all share that One Bread.” 

-1 Corinthians 10:16-17

                                   

     -S.G. Preston     

______________________________________

"The Christian Tradition" (Vol. 1-5) by Jaroslav Pelikan
"Credo" by Jaroslav Pelikan
"The Shape of the Liturgy" by Dom Gregory Dix
Christian History Magazine: "Worship in the Early church

 

“Every service is a structure of acts and words through which we receive a sacrament,   or repent, or supplicate, or adore.

 

And it enables us to do these things best –– if you like, it ‘works’ best — when, through long familiarity, we don’t have to think about it.

 

As long as you notice, and have to count the steps, you are not yet dancing, but only learning to dance.”

 

-C.S. Lewis

 

"Beyond Smells & Bells: The Wonder and Power of Christian Liturgy" by Mark Galli
"Ancient-Future Worship: Proclaiming and Enacting God's Narrative" by Robert E. Webber
"A History of Christian Worship: Ancient Ways, Future Paths" (6 DVD Series)
"The Shape of the Liturgy" by Dom Gregory Dix (An Anglican Monk of Nashdom Abbey)
"Prayer as a Total Lifestyle: Learning from the Greatest Lives of Prayer" by S.G. Preston
Christian History Magazine: "Worship in the Early Church"

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