WORSHIP AT CALVARY

Calvary is a liturgical church. This means we follow a prescribed order of service for Sunday mornings or festival days of the Church Year. We use the term “Divine Service” to describe what happens, because God is serving us with His gifts and, in return, we offer Him our thanks and praise.

The Divine Service order includes the Kyrie (our pleading for the Lord’s mercy); the Gloria in Excelsis (our song of praise to the Lord); a series of readings from the Scriptures; a sermon based on those readings; recitation of the Nicene Creed (an ancient statement of faith); prayers offered for ourselves and others; and the offering of the Lord’s Supper to Jesus’ disciples. Hymns are also sung within that order. The order helps to keep our worship anchored on hearing about Jesus’ saving work for us and receiving the benefit of that. For those who are new to such type of worship, it becomes familiar with use.

We use Lutheran Service Book, a hymnal published by Concordia Publishing House, our Synod’s publishers. To help mark the different times of the Church Year, the use of liturgical music settings varies:
Service 3 - Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany
Service 2 - Lent and Easter
Service 1 - Pentecost to the Last Sunday of the Church Year.

Keeping with Lutheran customs, the pastor and assistants wear liturgical vestments—clothing that helps to make people uniform. That way, focus isn’t put on the individuals leading the service, but on hearing Christ’s words and receiving His gifts through them.

Singers and instrumentalists enhance the worship services by using their gifts. This is usually done from Advent through Easter.