The meaning of Liturgy in the Church is etymologically derived from the Greek, namely Leiturgia and Leiteurgein which means cooperation and joint service. The liturgy is present in all Christian services/masses. In general, the liturgy is an order of worship in a church service. The liturgy must be arranged and there must be a pastor who directs the course of the ministry. The arrangement of the liturgy is carried out so that worship can be organized and help the congregation to turn their heart towards the Fathers.
Elements of the Liturgy
There are many theories and opinions regarding the elements of the liturgy itself because the liturgy of each denomination is different. Catholic, Calvin, and Lutheran liturgies have some differences. However, every denomination certainly has the main elements of this liturgy. The following are the main elements of the Christian liturgy:
1. Vote
Votum is a declaration of the start of worship which is read by the liturgist or worship leader that God is already in the midst of the congregation to guide the congregation in worship. This section is not an opening prayer for worship because the opening prayer is read after the voting takes place. Usually, the vote reads, “This worship begins with the presence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
2. Confession of Sins
All humans in this world are creatures who are not free from sin. In a service, the congregation must ask for forgiveness of sins from God and confess the sins that have been committed so far. At the time of confession, the congregation must humble themselves and themselves before God who is already present in worship to ask for forgiveness of sins.
3. Preaching the Word/Sermon
The preaching of the word is usually divided into 2 types, namely Epistles/Psalms and Evangelicals.
Epistle/Psalm
Epistle / Psalm is the verse that is the introduction to the sermon on Sunday. This verse is read by the liturgical elements together with the congregation and will be used as one of the sermons that will be delivered by the Pastor or Pastor during worship.
Evangelium
The Evangelium is the verse that is the main material of the sermon. This verse will be read by the pastor/shepherd. This sermon material will be synchronized with the epistles verse. What is said by the pastor/pastor/preacher is not the message conveyed by the preacher, but the word of God conveyed through the preacher through the mediation of the Holy Spirit to the congregation. Therefore, the shepherd who conveys God's word must not be a careless person so that God's message can be conveyed properly and correctly to the congregation.
4. People's Answer
The word of God that has been mediated by the shepherd must be responded to by the congregation. The congregation's response to God's message is divided into 3 main parts, namely:
Confession of Faith
The congregation professes its Christian faith through the Apostles' Creed which was agreed at the Council of Nicaea in the 4th century. This confession of faith is pronounced by all the congregations present and is directed by the liturgy and led by the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Presentation
Giving thanksgiving offerings is usually done through thanksgiving and giving some of their wealth to God. These assets are usually used for church management. The offering of thanksgiving is not only material, it can be in the form of a hymn, a promise to serve in the church, and a promise to serve in the community.
5. Receiving Blessing
After the service is over, the congregation must receive the blessing from the Holy Spirit given through the intermediary of the pastor who leads the service. Receiving a blessing is proof that the congregation has heard the word of God and was sent to testify about the truth of Christ. From this, we can conclude that worship is education for mankind to convey good news to people in the world.
Those are the liturgical elements in worship. For those of you who rarely go to church, starting from this week. Service in the church is very important. One of our goals in going to church is to fellowship with God and our brothers and sisters in the faith. Go back to the service because there is a Person who is missing you. The figure who longs for you is the Father who manifests in 3 persons (trinity), the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.