Worship Services

Sunday Morning - 8:00 am & 10:30 AM

Sunday School and Adult Education - 9:15 AM

Holy Communion - weekly during Sunday worship

Children in Worship

We love having little ones in worship. To us children are an integral part of the church body and we put a high value on families worshiping together. We also understand that children like to wiggle, giggle, and talk. We do not mind, it makes us glad to know that children are with us. To help parents we have several resources for children to utilize during our worship times including busy bags, activity sheets, and even some soft toys. In the back of the Sanctuary is a cry room that also has a changing table for young ones in diapers. We also have a nursery. The nursery is available during Sunday School at 9:15 AM and 10:30 AM Service on Sunday mornings for families who wish to put their children in it. A greeter or usher would be glad to direct you to its location if need be.

What to Expect

• Christ Centered

• Biblical

• Relaxed

• Reverent

• Welcoming

A Fuller Explanation of our worship service at Christ

At Christ we have been described as a "country church in the city."  What that means, is that you can expect a relaxed yet reverent atmosphere for worship. We do not take ourselves too seriously. Our congregation is full of high level business executives, school teachers, farmers, mechanics, retirees, infants, and everything in between. With such diversity you will find people dressed from jeans and a T-shirt to a suit and tie, please feel free to wear whatever is comfortable for you, you will fit right in. The worship service is between one hour to one hour and fifteen minutes depending on what might be occurring during that particular service. All are welcome to join us.

Christianity, by definition, is Christ-centered. Our focus is on what God has done for us - namely, the sending of His Son, Jesus, to save us from our sin. Our worship is the same way. Our worship is also active instead of passive in the sense that instead of passively sitting for an hour or so, the congregation actively voices and engages in various parts of the service in tandem with the pastor. Over the course of thousands of years Christians developed a form of worship called the "liturgy". It is a form of that ancient liturgy that we use here at Christ Lutheran. However, it can be confusing to those who are unaccustomed with it. We understand that. So, we put together the explanation below to help with some of it.

During the year you will notice different themes, banners, and paraments (the different colored cloths that go on the altar, lectern, and pulpit). This is because here at Christ we follow what is known as the Church Year. The Church Year starts with Advent, which begins four Sundays before Christmas (December 25th), and ends on the Last Sunday of the Church Year, typically the last Sunday in November. Each season has a different theme, for example Christmas focuses on how God came to us in the person of Jesus Christ and the Easter season focuses on the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Each part of the Church Year has a corresponding color as a visible reminder of our focus during this time. 

Breaking Down the Individual Parts

INVOCATION

In Baptism God made us members of his family - bringing us into Jesus' death and resurrection - by the washing of water and God's word. Thus, as we begin worship with the words ''In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit'' - the same words we use in Baptism - we are remembering our baptism. We may make the sign of the cross as these words are spoken. The sign of the cross reminds us of Christ's death to save us.

CONFESSION & ABSOLUTION (FORGIVENESS)

As God's children we want to do what God tells us in the Bible. Yet every day we break His commandments. This is sin. We are sorry for our sins. So, we tell God that we are sorry and that we want to do better. We call this talk with God about our wrongs "confession". We are given a brief time of silence for reflection before we admit or "confess" our wrongdoing.

After confessing we are reminded that God has forgiven our sins - this is called "absolution" - and still loves and helps us. Our answer, ''Amen'', means that we believe we are forgiven through Christ and his death on the cross.

KYRIE

Kyrie means "Lord" in Greek. At the time of Jesus, Roman citizens greeted the Caesar similarly when he would visit them. We realize that Jesus, our Lord, is visiting us in His Word and Sacraments. We therefore greet Him with the words of Blind Bartimaeus, "Lord, have mercy." As citizens of heaven, we like Bartimaeus, know that Jesus will help us and all His people with His care and safety. For that reason we ask Him to help us, the Church, and the world as He alone can.

READING THE BIBLE

To hear about God we must turn to His word, that is, the Bible. Usually, there are three readings, each of which helps to build the theme for our service. This is because we use what is called the 3-Year Lectionary. This allows us to hear a wide range of Scripture through the year. It is also a reminder that the entire Bible is God's word and all equally important.

• The first reading is typically from the Old Testament, but sometimes it comes from the book of Acts or Revelation. In it we hear what God said and did for His people Israel centuries ago, or what He will do in the future.

• The second reading, usually referred to as the Epistle Reading, is from one of the New Testament letters telling us how to put the Gospel into practice in our daily lives.

• The Gospel is the third reading from the Bible. The lesson is from one of the first four books of the New Testament - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These readings describe the life of Jesus and frequently tell us what words Jesus spoke in his earthly life until he ascended into Heaven. We stand to show honor for these words spoken by Jesus.

THE CREED (A STATEMENT OF WHAT WE BELIEVE)

Together we respond to the lessons when we say the Creed. "Creed" comes from Credo, Latin for "I believe." There are three catholic, or universal, creeds from the early Christian church which we use: the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. In a Communion service we typically use the Nicene Creed and in non-Communion services the Apostles' Creed. The Athanasian Creed is usually only used on Trinity Sunday which is once a year. The creeds are brief statements of what Scripture teaches and so what the church believes.

CORPORATE (OR GROUP) PRAYER

Corporate or Group Prayer is a time where we come together as a community and pray together. We not only pray for our own and each other's needs, but for the whole church on Earth and all people. Thus strengthening our ties with our brothers and sisters in Christ, not only here but around the world. There are several prayers scattered throughout the service. Some of the prayers are ancient ones that have been prayed since the early church. 

THE OFFERING

What can we offer to God in grateful response for His having offered up His Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation? We offer our very lives (Romans 12:1-2); we give our money to extend His Church both at home and throughout the world. We ask God to bless our gifts, and we believe that He does so in Christ's Name. When the offerings have been gathered we stand and sing the Offertory in praise of all that God has given us.

COMMUNION 

Also commonly known as the Eucharist, the Lord's Supper, or the Sacrament of the Altar. At this point the worship service switches from The Service of the Word to The Service of the Sacrament. The Service of the Sacrament draws us to Christ, the center of our faith, and connects us through the very words He spoke when He gave Communion to the Church for the first time. By partaking we participate in the salvation Christ has gained, by participating in the body and blood of Jesus, Himself, which is present under the elements of the bread and wine (1 Corinthians 10:16) and confessing unity with one another as to the teachings of Scripture.

Following the Lord's Prayer, the congregation sings "The Lamb of God" (Latin, Agnus Dei) as a hymn of remembrance and praise for Christ, the Lamb of God.

HYMN OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

Following Communion, the Pastor speaks of the blessing of communion with one another and Jesus. The congregation responds with a hymn of praise and thanksgiving, two responses which continually characterize our life in Christ. These hymns are usually either "Thank the Lord" or the "Song of Simeon" (Latin, Nunc Dimittis) and are composed of different Bible verses.

BENEDICTION

The service concludes with the Benediction (a blessing), usually quoting Numbers 6:24-26. In these words we are assured of the grace and peace of God before we go out to live the Christian life in the world around us.

For a more in-depth explanation of the various parts of worship, click here.