our worship

Our liturgy (meaning work of the people) is our collective work together of worship to God. At 10am everyday Sunday at the corner of 24th and Blake we open ourselves up to worship in four movements.

Gathering

Our gathering opens with a song, a greeting, and a reading from the book of Psalms. We acknowledge that God has brought us together. As Michael Horton says, "Whenever we gather for public worship, it is because we have been summoned. That is what ‘church’ means: ekklēsia, ‘called out.’ It is not a voluntary society of those whose chief concern is to share, to build community, to enjoy fellowship, to have moral instruction for their children. Rather, it is a society of those who have been chosen, redeemed, called, justified, and are being sanctified until one day they will be glorified.”  

Singing

Sing to the Lord a new song,     his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. Psalm 149:1 Singing voices puts into song God's kingdom and God for us. At Defiance Church we'll often have music of ancient and modern songs and hymns that flow into each part of our service. Through singing we hope to unite our voices in praise to God, to lift ourselves up toward God, and to join the chorus that has echoed through creation.  

Word

The Word movement is made up of two elements, the reading of scripture and the sermon. Every Sunday read straight from without interruption for the sake of the community. For us it's a joy to have a moment to hear the scriptures read in the voice of a community member and to have a chance to listen to it.   Following the reading, a sermon is offered that seeks to mine and explore what was just read in both the context of our world and the conversation the church has had on it for 2000 years.

Table

As Word makes up one pillar of our worship; Table is the second pillar. This act goes by many different names (communion, eucharist, Lord's Supper) but regardless of what you call it, at the table we come forward to receive the broken Body of our Lord and to drink the cup. Defiance Church invites everyone who is caught in the act of God reconciling the world to partake in this meal.   Prayer After receiving the Word and the body, we take time to respond, pray, and give thanks. We open this time for the congregation to share how they've heard the word, the needs of prayer in their own life and world, and a time to offer thanksgiving to God. During this prayer time we seek to expand our hearts and lives and to offer intercession for and into the world.

Sending

“Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” John 20:21 Just as God was the one who gathered us, He is also the one who sends us. As we close our service we sing the Doxology together, a praise to the Triune God, and receive a blessing that sends us out into the world carrying the good news we've heard and sharing it with those around us.  

Water of Baptism

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:4 One of the central rites of the Church is baptism, a holy sign which both speaks of and enacts the central identity of the people of God; that we have been buried with Christ in death, and raised into new life. As you come into our gatherings, or as you go out of our gatherings, we invite you to dip your fingers in the water as a way of remembering that this identity is one that goes with us into worship and leaves with us as we go out into the world.