Movement of Worship

Here's brief overview of the movement of worship:

Perhaps the oldest known record of the early church in worship comes from the First Apology of Justin Martyr. Justin gives us a picture of worship from about A. D. 90. These basic patterns for the church’s Sunday gatherings have survived in the liturgy of the Church for centuries.

On the day which is called Sunday, all who live in the cities or in the countryside gather together in one place. And the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read as long as there is time. Then, when the reader has finished, the president, in a discourse, admonishes and invites the people to practice the examples of virtue. Then we all stand up together and offer prayers. And, as we mentioned before, when we have finished the prayer, bread is presented, and wine with water; the president likewise offers up prayers and thanksgivings according to his ability, and the people assent by saying, Amen. The elements which have been “eucharistized” are distributed and received by each one; and they are sent to the absent by the deacons. Those who are prosperous, if they wish, contribute what each one deems appropriate; and the collection is deposited with the president; and he takes care of the orphans and widows, and those who are needy because of sickness or other cause, and the captives, and the strangers who sojourn amongst us—in brief, he is the curate of all who are in need.

William Willimon and others have recognized eight basic elements in Justin’s description of worship. (1) The church gathers, (2) The church remembers, (3) The church listens and then speaks, (4) The church prays, (5) The church offers, (6) The church gives, (7) The church distributes the gifts of God to the people, and (8) The church scatters into the World. Robert Webber simplifies these eight elements into four general liturgical movements that make up the worship service. It is these four movements that will form the pattern for our service during Lent. Later in this booklet we will spend some time briefly looking at the theological significance of each of these movements, but for now we will simply list them. The service begins first with the Gathering; this is followed by the service of the Word; next is the service of the Table; and finally, the Sending.