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Role of the local church

The main function of a local church or chapel is a place for people to go to worship. This includes
people attending church services, or visiting the church for private prayer.

There are also many other religious functions which take place in a church, such as rites of
passage ceremonies. Rites of passages include, eg:

• baptism
• marriage
• funeral

Many Bible study groups for both children and adults, such as Sunday school, can also take place
in local churches and chapels.

Social and community function of churches

Christians believe that it is part of their duty to act in a moral way and this involves helping others
around them. The Church can play a vital role in Christians helping others as they provide:

1. food banks – a place where people living in poverty can go and collect some food
2. Salvation Army – a Christian denomination who help those who are suffering
3. Help for the homeless – Housing Justice is a Christian charity who try to ensure everyone
has a home

There are also many non-religious functions that can take place in a church building, eg:

• crèche facilities
• youth groups
• community meeting places (eg keep fit classes)
• adult education classes
• charity events
• coffee mornings
• birthday parties
• concerts

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Jesus taught the importance of helping others who are less fortunate, and this is why the Church
has these extra functions:

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something
to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick
and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” -Matthew 25:35-36

Importance of prayer

Worship is an essential part of a Christian's faith. Christians worship God to thank him for his
love, ask for forgiveness for their sins and try to understand his 'will' for them.

Prayer and meditation

Christians describe prayer as a conversation with God. Prayer can be silent or said out loud. It can
use set words, or a person's own words. In prayer, Christians lift their minds and hearts to God.

There are many different kinds of prayer, including:

• adoration - praising God for his greatness and admitting dependence on him
• confession - owning up to sin and asking for God's mercy and forgiveness
• thanksgiving - thanking God for his many blessings, eg health or children
• petition - asking God for something, eg healing, courage or wisdom
• intercession - asking God to help others who need it, eg the sick, poor, those suffering in
war

Nature and importance of prayer

Most Christians believe prayer deepens a person's faith. Praying can help the believer come to a
greater understanding of God's purpose for their lives. Christians interpret the response they
might get to their prayers in the following ways:

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God answers prayers, but not always in the way the person wants. When a prayer is not
answered, it may be that the person asked for something God thinks would not be good for them,
or that their prayer will be answered later.

Sometimes Christians think that God has answered their prayers in quite spectacular ways, eg
the recovery of a sick person. They may see this as a miracle. For some Christians, meditation or
contemplation is a way of trying to reach a higher spiritual level.

▪ Others, especially Orthodox Christians, use the 'Jesus Prayer', Lord Jesus Christ, Son of
God, have mercy on me, a sinner. They may chant this prayer over and over to clear their
minds and achieve inner peace.
▪ Other Christians, especially Catholics, use a rosary to meditate on the life of Jesus.
▪ Candles, a crucifix or a cross can all help Christians to focus on meditation and allow the
Holy Spirit to enter their hearts. Private prayer

Private prayer means to pray alone. This is considered very important to Christians, as it is a time
when they can personally connect with God.

o Private worship gives Christians a chance to spend time alone with God. Prayer,
meditation, Bible study and singing hymns may all be done at home. Christians can unite
themselves with the Church of God as they pray while not actually going to a physical
church. Some Christians belong to the 'house church' movement and meet for worship in
each other's homes.
o Most Christians use the Bible in private worship. They may read it all over a number of
years, or they may reflect on specific parts of it. Some use a study guide to learn how
scholars interpret the Bible. Others may read the psalms as they pray.

Symbolism in worship at home

Christians use different symbolic objects to help them pray. A cross or crucifix reminds them of
Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection.

Some will light a candle to create the right atmosphere to feel the presence of God.

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Catholics may use a rosary, a string of beads which helps them count their prayers as they
meditate on the life of Jesus and call on Mary to offer their prayers to God; they call this
intercession.

Extemporaneous prayers

Extemporaneous (or improptu unrehearsed prayers) are prayers that are said without prepared
words. An example of this might be after someone has heard some bad news, they will say a
prayer for those who are involved. Some Christians believe this type of prayer to be more
heartfelt as they are not ‘arranged’.

Informal prayers

Informal prayer refers to prayers which speak to God in more simple, everyday language.

Communal prayer

Communal prayer means to pray with others. This can take place during church services, or it
could be a structured meeting of Christians who have arranged to pray together. This type of
prayer can help Christians connect with each other as well as God and help to strengthen the
Christian community.

Set prayers

Set prayers are prayers that are well-known, such as the Lord’s Prayer, which most Christians will
know by heart. These prayers often have significant meaning and importance for Christians and
are helpful for communal prayer and collective worship. The Lord’s Prayer is recited in most
Christian services and is a prayer which Jesus used to help teach his followers to pray.

The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6: 5-13) is the most important Christian prayer. Apart from the last
sentence, it consists of the words Jesus gave directly to his followers.

Public worship helps Christians to achieve a deeper understanding of the Bible, the life of Jesus
and Christian teachings. It also enables those who receive Holy Communion to welcome Jesus
into their hearts.

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Public and Private Worship

➢ Private prayer – praying alone

➢ Set prayer –- well-known prayers, such as the Lord's Prayer
➢ Informal prayer – praying to God using more simple, everyday language
➢ Extemporaneous prayer – spontaneous prayer
➢ Communal prayer – praying with others

Diversity of worship practices

Different Christian denominations worship in different ways:

Anglicans, Catholics and Orthodox Christians have a set form of worship. It is a formal ritual based
around the sacraments, particularly Holy Communion. This type of worship is called liturgical
worship.

Other Christian churches practise non-liturgical worship, eg Baptists and Quakers. This kind of
worship has no set form and often does not involve Holy Communion. It is usually centred on
Bible readings, a sermon, music and prayers. It can be structured or unstructured and
spontaneous.

Whatever style of worship is used, most Christians believe it is important to come together to
share acts of devotion and honour to God.

Public worship focuses on praising God through preaching, Bible reading, prayer and music,
especially in the Holy Communion service where people receive the bread and wine. Because this
is liturgical worship, the words and actions to be followed are set out in the Book of Common
Prayer. There are also services of morning and evening prayer.

Features of worship

▪ The altar or Communion Table is the main focus and is where the Holy Communion service
takes place. This is because Jesus' death is considered a sacrifice. There is also a pulpit
where the sermon is preached and a lectern where the Bible is placed for reading aloud
to the people.

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▪ There may be choir stalls and an organ to accompany hymn singing. Candles and a cross
remind people of the death of Jesus and his resurrection. Many churches have stained
glass windows that tell stories in pictures from the Bible.
▪ Some Anglican services are very formal and similar to the Catholic Mass, but others are
very simple and informal.
▪ The priest leads the Holy Communion part of the service in most churches but in some a
lay reader conducts them. At various points, people go to the altar to receive bread and
wine, which represents the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
▪ The congregation follows the service in the prayer book and responds to the prayers.
Readings and some prayers usually change every week but others stay the same. Readings
from the Bible are followed by a sermon that explains their meaning for people today.
▪ The service usually ends with an opportunity for quiet reflection.

Mass or Holy Communion

Catholic worship

Catholics are expected to attend Mass each week as an offering of themselves to God. The Mass
recalls the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples before his death when he gave them bread and
wine and told them to do this in remembrance of him (1 Corinthians 11:24).

Besides a memorial of past events, it is also a sacrifice, as Catholics believe that during the Mass
the sacrifice of Jesus is re-presented and re-enacted.

The Mass has two main parts:

1. the liturgy of the Word (focused on the Bible)

2. the liturgy of the Eucharist (Holy Communion)

In the first part, people express sorrow for sins, listen to Bible readings, hear a sermon, recite
creeds and offer prayers for the Church and the world.

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In the second part, bread and wine are offered to God, consecrated, and received by the
congregation. An important prayer said during this part is the Lord's Prayer, also called the 'Our
Father', which was taught by Jesus himself.

Features of worship

➢ Hymns are sung throughout the service and the people respond to the prayers by
following the missal.
➢ A priest leads the service, but lay people, including children, serve on the altar and read
some of the readings and prayers.
➢ Some Masses, particularly for young people, include multimedia, modern music and
dance. More traditional services may use Latin and Greek for some of the prayers and
have traditional hymns accompanied by an organ and choir.
➢ Catholic churches have a crucifix on the altar and candles that are lit during Mass. One
candle, the sanctuary lamp, is always lit as a sign that Jesus is present in the bread that
remains in the tabernacle between Masses.
➢ Churches often have statues of Mary and some saints. Catholics do not worship Mary or
the saints, but ask them to pray to God on their behalf. This is known as intercession.
➢ Other services may include penitential services, saying the Divine Office together, and
ecumenical services with other Christians.

Catholics may also gather to say the rosary together. This consists of the following prayers: an
‘Our Father’, ten ‘Hail Marys’ and a ‘Glory Be to the Father’ repeated five times.