A Sojourner's Quest

2 8 0 / A S O J O U R N E R ’ S Q U E S T

A Liturgy for the People of God Blessed Hope Missionary Fellowship, The Urban Ministry Institute

The following order of worship represents a liturgical order informed by the Great Tradition of the Church throughout history. Minor changes in order and style have been made consistent with BHMF’s distinctive evangelical identity and heritage. Opening Song and Commencement of Worship With an anthem of thanksgiving and praise we declare our gathering for worship. Candles are lit as signs of the church gathered in God’s presence to hear his Word and to celebrate his Supper. Welcome and Invocation When we gather, we greet and welcome all in the name of Christ, and ask the Holy Spirit to come among us, to be present in this place, and to make our offering of worship acceptable in God’s sight. Acclamation When one enters another’s presence, we normally greet them. Likewise, in worship, we begin by speaking to God and acknowledging his greatness. (This is done responsively). Adoration and Praise We bring sacrifices of praise and worship to God in music, song, and affirmation, allowing for expressions of worship both planned and spontaneous. Collect for the Day (A collect is a short prayer that only asks for one specific thing). This prayer focuses on the theme of the service. The prayer begins by addressing God, describes one of his divine attributes and makes a request that God would teach us from his Word about the central theme being addressed in the sermon. The Psalm Following the tradition of the saints of God in both Israel and the Church, we read responsively a Psalm together, confessing both our love and need for the Lord.