WHAT TO EXPECT
Sunday Service
The Liturgy | Visitors & The Lord’s Supper
The Liturgy
“Liturgy” refers to the usual order of things we say and do when we come together on Sunday mornings. At GSLC, the liturgy is found in books navigated using a printed guide called a bulletin. Bulletins are handed out as people enter the worship space, called the “sanctuary” or “nave,” and books for the service are found in the pew benches.
You can find a sample of the bulletin here.
The liturgy we use is rooted in the Hebrew and Greek writings that make up the Christian Bible. Its structure reflects a pattern used by churches for nearly two thousand years, and it draws on some of the greatest poetry and prayers from every century of Christian history. In a word, it’s timeless.
But that also means the liturgy can be strange and even intimidating, especially if you’ve never encountered it before. “Why say this here and repeat that there? What’s with all the standing then sitting then standing again? Why do some parts change week to week while others stay the same?” Rest assured, everything is intentional. We hope you’ll bring your questions, give us a chance to share our answers, and take time to grow familiar with it all.
Visitors interested in joining us for the Lord’s Supper should first speak with the pastor sometime outside the Sunday service.
Otherwise, we invite you to come up and request a blessing or to remain seated during distribution.
Visitors & The Lord’s Supper
One special part of the Sunday service that visitors need to know about is the Lord’s Supper (a.k.a., Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Eucharist). It is a small meal with tremendous importance.
The Supper is an intimate moment when Jesus gathers our congregation to eat bread and drink wine he joins with his body and blood. It’s no mere metaphor or symbol, but an incalculable treasure. When we eat and drink, we receive and are united with the body and blood of the One who was sacrificed and raised for our forgiveness, life, and salvation: Jesus.
In joining us to himself, Jesus also joins us to one another. Which is why we strive to express and confirm our unity by first: sharing the same full and public confession of faith; agreeing what it means to live as followers of Jesus and endeavoring to do so together; and recognizing each other’s value as members of Christ’s body, no matter what skin color, age, class, history, etc.
Finally, it’s a foretaste, anticipating what Jesus has in store for us: an eternal future where God’s people truly and rightly know Him, where they live and flourish according to His will, and where they belong together in His presence as His beloved people forever.
Given the content and purpose of this meal, we ask that all visitors wanting to share in it first speak with our pastor outside the Sunday morning service to see whether it is appropriate. Otherwise, we invite you to come up and request a prayer of blessing or remain seated during distribution.
To be clear: we want everyone to commune. But it has to be on Jesus’ terms; it’s His Supper after all. Speak with our pastor to find out how you can join in.
“The Lord’s Supper is a great antidote to the toxic individualism of our age. Sharing in this sacramental mystery these many individuals become one body, bearing each other’s burdens and heartaches and multiplying each other’s joys.”
