No church liturgy is perfect! Some liturgies are better than others, but no liturgy is perfect. The Church has much more to learn about the Scriptural patterns for worship. This is how we should view our liturgy. As a pastor I am the first to acknowledge a certain fear when making changes, but I am also the first to acknowledge that if we truly care about this Divine service, then we will continue to learn and that means continuing to make changes and perfecting our Order of Worship.
A couple of weeks ago I argued that the exhortation is a form of verbal preparation for the call to worship. To help us transition from exhortation to the call to worship, we have added a short time of silence and preparation. Even though Covenant Renewal Worship is fond of triumphant hymns and exuberant praise, this does not mean that there is no time for reflection. Silence is crucial to frame our minds and to set the mood for what is to come. It is proper during this transition to reflect silently, to distance ourselves from worldly concerns, and prepare for the Call to Worship.
During this time it is appropriate to read through the short meditation found in your bulletin, or to pray that God would enable you to sing with joy, that your ears would be attuned to the Word preached. This is a time to consider how God will shower you with his gifts.
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