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The following is the typical Order of Worship or format of the Sunday morning worship service at 9:30 am:
The minister and the elders and deacons enter the auditorium. One elder leads the minister to the pulpit, he then shakes the hand of the minister who proceeds to the pulpit. The minister first reads any general announcements. If we have a guest preacher, the elder will make the announcements before shaking his hand.
He will then:
- Read a portion of Scripture which speaks of worshipping our God as a call to worship and then ask those who are able in the congregation to rise.
- Make a confession of dependence in the name of the congregation. (Votum; Psalm 124:8)
- Give a greeting to the congregation in the name of the Lord. (Salutation; Revelation 1:4-5a or 1 Corinthians 1:3 or 1 Timothy 1:2)
- Request the congregation to sing a song. After singing, the congregation is seated.
- Read the Ten Words of the Covenant (10 Commandments from Exodus 20:2-17 or Deuteronomy 5:6-21), followed by the singing of a song (seated).
- Lead in a prayer of confession of sins, prayer for forgiveness and renewal, and illumination by the Holy Spirit over the reading and preaching of the Word of God.
- Give the congregation assurance that God has granted pardon for our sins.
- Read some portions of Scripture. After the Scripture reading the congregation will rise to sing a song.
- Deliver the sermon. After the sermon, the congregation will rise to sing a song of response.
- Lead in a prayer of thanksgiving and intercession followed by an offering collected by the deacons to assist those in need. When the collection is finished, the congregation again rises to sing the final song.
- Conclude the service by blessing the congregation in the name of the Lord. (Benediction; 2 Corinthians 13:14 or Numbers 6:24-26)
Six times per year, the Lord's Supper or communion is celebrated in the morning service.
The following is the typical Order of Worship or format of the Sunday afternoon worship service at 3:30 pm:
The afternoon service begins the same way as in the morning but typically there are no further announcements. An elder will shake the hand of the minister who then goes to the pulpit.
He will then:
- Read a portion of Scripture which speaks of worshipping our God as a call to worship and then ask those who are able in the congregation to rise.
- Make a confession of dependence in the name of the congregation. (Votum; Psalm 124:8)
- Give a greeting to the congregation in the name of the Lord. (Salutation; Revelation 1:4-5a or 1 Corinthians 1:3 or 1 Timothy 1:2)
- Request the congregation to sing a song. After singing, the congregation is seated.
- Lead in a prayer of illumination by the Holy Spirit over the reading and preaching of the Word of God.
- Read some portions of Scripture followed by a song for which the congregation stands.
- Read a portion from the Heidelberg Catechism.
- Deliver a sermon of teaching and explanation. After the sermon, the congregation will rise and sing a responsive song.
- Direct a communal confession of the Christian faith. Often this is done by the congregation singing a version of the Apostles' Creed set to music. At other times, the minister may ask the congregation to recite the Apostles' Creed together or he may read it or the Nicene Creed himself on behalf of the congregation and then ask the congregation to sing an appropriate song in response. If the congregation recites or sings the Creed, they do so standing.
- Lead in a prayer of thanksgiving and intercession followed by an offering collected by the deacons to assist those in need. When the collection is finished, the congregation again rises to sing the final song.
- Conclude the service by blessing the congregation in the name of the Lord. (Benediction; 2 Corinthians 13:14 or Numbers 6:24-26)
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