Dear Church Family,
As the New Year begins, I have chosen the theme of January as “A New Beginning.” With this fresh start, I would like to revisit the significance and purpose of our worship that we hold every Sunday. Our first discussion as a church was our worship plans, where we reviewed the new order of worship and reflected on whether we are fully capturing its meaning.
I believe that worship is a sacred time of communication and connection with God. It is essential to recognize that our entire life should be a continuous act of worship to God. Moreover, our weekly worship service should not merely be a religious ritual; rather, it should be an opportunity to tangibly experience God’s presence and renewal.
Worship is a sacred time when the people are led by the Holy Spirit to pray (Romans 8:22-26) and to worship God (1 Corinthians 14:25). We organize and plan worship, based on a certain structure, which includes sacred elements such as readings, music, sermon, offering, sometimes Communion. The book of Acts outlines the order of worship in the Early Church: They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:42). Worship in those times had four main components: Teaching, Fellowship, Communion, Prayer – elements that continue to be present in our worship today. Based on the United Methodist Worship tradition and local church’s practice, we have introduced a new worship order for 2025.
Welcome (Greeting) & Announcement/Birthday/Anniversary
Prelude (Acolyte + Procession) The service begins with a prelude, often featuring instrumental music. The acolyte and clergy process into the worship space, symbolizing the beginning of the worship experience and inviting the congregation to prepare their hearts and minds for worship.
Call to Worship
Opening Prayer
*Hymn of Praise
Joys and Concerns (Confidential Prayer Request put in offering plate)
Pastoral Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
*Hymn of Response
Children’s Sermon
Scripture Reading
Choral Anthem
Sermon
Offertory & Doxology
*Hymn of Affirmation After the last hymn and prior to the benediction, the acolyte(s) transfers the light from an altar candle to a candle lighter before snuffing the altar candles out. Once the benediction is finished, the acolyte carries the lit candle lighter out, with the pastor following behind. Meanwhile, the congregation waits quietly in prayer.
*Benediction
*Postlude
I have experienced moments when the Holy Spirit is alive and present during worship. During these times, I concentrated on each part of the service, feeling the living presence of the Holy Spirit. I expressed my gratitude for God’s grace and love by praising God with my voice and my entire being. I made a conscious effort to listen to God through the word of God and message. During the time of offering, I recognized that it is not just about giving a material gift to God but about offering my whole heart. Holy Communion becomes a profound encounter with the spirit of Jesus’ love through all five senses—seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling— reminding us of the importance of community, togetherness and belonging in one body of Christ. The beginning and end of our worship is also a time to symbolically experience God’s presence through the lighting and carrying the
candles. As we listen to music, we prepare our hearts for the Lord in silent prayer.
The mission of the acolyte:
The acolyte’s duty is to light the altar candles at the beginning of service and extinguish them following the end of service. Two candles as a reminder of the dual nature of Jesus, both human and divine. Acolytes do more than carry a flame to the altar candles. They are symbolically carrying the light of Christ’s Spirit into and out of worship service. “Jesus said: ‘I am the light of the world’” (John 8:12 NRSV). The presence of the light reminds us of Jesus coming into our world and into our lives. The light is carried into the worship service as a symbol of Jesus coming into the presence of the worshiping community. At the end of the service, the light carried out into the world is a sign that Jesus Christ is for all people everywhere, and that Christ goes with his people into the world where serve as his living body.
As we examine the newly revised order of service, I pray that we take time to reflect on the significance of each moment of service and our response during worship. I hope that through the worship service we do each week, you will be renewed and restored, remembering that we are a community bound by love, called to live out the love of Jesus throughout the world.
Blessings,
Jinkyoung