Liturgical Worship

This report is based on my experiences of a Eucharistic service I attended on the 26th of March at the Church of St Andrew, Epsom. The congregations make up can, very basically, be expressed as pakeha, fifty plus, suburban, and ‘of means’. This does not speak for the whole congregation, as some children and young adults were also present, however it does give an overview of the church’s general makeup. The context is one of a Tikanga Pakeha setting with a middle to high liturgical tradition and the use of worship structured on page 404 of A New Zealand Prayer Book. The aim of this report is to evaluate this service and my experiences within it, principally through examination of the liturgical space, use of music, hospitality, nature of the worship leading and liturgy, the presentation of biblical texts and sermon, and finally my own feelings as to how the worship experience went.

Liturgical Space

The space in which Christian Worship occurs, from here called liturgical space, is a place of great power in which architecture and theology combine to influence worship and thought, both explicitly and implicitly. My initial impression of the liturgical space at St Andrews was one of busyness. I felt somewhat overwhelmed by furniture, banners, and decoration which hid behind them, and sometimes obscured, the more traditional symbols of Church and worship, such as stained glass windows depicting Saints and Christ, as well as crosses and pulpits. Despite this, prominent place was given to the altar-table and baptismal font, expressing the community’s rootedness in baptism and the Eucharist. As this was a Eucharistic service, it is the prominence and detail of the altar-table to which I paid most attention. Placed slightly ...

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... troubled by some of the wording used and the movement of the Eucharistic proceedings from the altar-table to the ‘higher’ altar and communion rail. I find it hard though to talk of my experience of God in this service as, in the process of mentally recording and critiquing, I felt detached from the worship and aloof from the community. Overall however, I found that I connected with God throughout the service, with the building and leading of the service being reminiscent of my home parish. I will certainly be returning to the Church of St Andrew in Epsom, however it will likely be after lent when a ‘normal’ liturgy is reinstated.

Works Cited

Chan, Simon. Liturgical Theology: The Church as Worshipping Community. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006.

White, James F. Introduction to Christian Worship. 3rd Edition. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2000.