A Greek word literally meaning “the work of the people,” liturgy is the word we use for our worship, which says a lot about what we think of worship. In our tradition, worship is work that we do, not entertainment that we consume. The congregation is not an audience; the congregation is a company of actors or performers, doing their work to and for the glory of God. Combining the reading and hearing of scripture, the singing of hymns, the saying of prayers and, finally, the sharing of Holy Communion, our liturgy leads us into an exchange with God, through the Holy Spirit, in which we are both givers and receivers. Borrowing ancient Hebrew forms and ancient Christian texts, our liturgy brings the language and experience of those who have gone before us into contact with our own.
