The United Methodists, just as the Christians of other denominations, gather every Sunday to celebrate “the day of the Lord”. The worship is the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, the encounter of God and man, and realization of their mutual fellowship. This is the gift of God, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift of the risen Christ. It realizes through word (sermons, prayers, chants, testimonies of faith, etc.), through sacraments (baptism and the Lord’s supper), and through fellowship of mutual ministry and love. We believe that every worship gathering is the participation in fellowship of the entirety of God’s people across time and space.

The elementary structure of the Methodist liturgy is made of the worship of word and of the worship of altar/table. However, in the global UMC there are plenty of liturgical forms.

  • The worship is a sacred time in which the Holy Spirit leads God’s people to prayer and the celebration of God.

“We are proclaiming your death, we are confessing your resurrection, we are waiting for your coming, Lord Jesus Christ.” /from Eucharistic prayers/

  • The worship is the mission of God's people. God sanctifies people with his word and through the Spirit blesses them, so they become a blessing.

"Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love, we have not loved our neighbors, and we have not heard the cry of the needy. “ /one of the guilty confessing prayers before the celebration of the Lord’s Supper./

"By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet.“ /plea over the gifts of bread and wine at the celebration of the Lord's Supper/

"Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves for others.” /one of the thanksgiving prayers after the celebration of the Lord's Supper/

Every worship is the gift of peace and the resting of man before God. Just as God has rested on the seventh day (Gn 2:2-3, Ex 20: 8-11), so one can and should rest from everyday work. God's service as a gathering of God’s people with God and before God reminds us that we become man just before God and at the same time in the community of love and mutual service.

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