For more information about our worship, see the OPC's Directory for the Public Worship of God, which details the theology that informs our liturgy.
Click here for access to all the selections in The Trinity Hymnal (Original Version). We currently use the Revised Trinity Hymnal in Worship as well as the Book of Psalms for Singing.
NOTE: An asterisk (*) below indicates that the congregation ordinarily stands during that activity. A circumflex symbol (^) indicates that there is more information listed in the footnotes which follow.
ORDER OF PUBLIC WORSHIP
Morning Service^
PREPARATION
Prelude (Preparing for worship by private prayer and meditation on God's Word)
PRAISE
Apostolic Salutation and the Votum^
*Call to Worship (usually from one of the Psalms)
*Invocation and Prayer of Adoration
*Psalm/Hymn of Adoration^
CONFESSION
Reading of the Law (the Ten Commandments or some New Testament text which refers to them)
*Corporate Confession of Sin and The Lord's Prayer (prayed in unison)
*Assurance of Pardon from the Word (a Biblical text in which God reassures of His forgiveness)
*Psalm/Hymn of Thanksgiving
THE WORD
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Reading
Sermon
RESPONSE
Prayer of Consecreation
*Profession of Faith (a unison recitation of either the Apostles' or Nicene Creed)
*Psalm/Hymn of Response
Prayer of Intercession (led by the Pastor or one of the Ruling Elders)
*Dedication of Tithes and Offerings (during this time, the Doxology is sung followed by a prayer)
THE SACRAMENT^
The Lord's Supper^
*Gloria Patri^
*Benediction
*Congregational Response (either a corporate "Amen" or the singing of Psalm 72:18-19)
DISMISSAL
Announcements (Announcements and personal greetings are not done during the worship service)
Postlude
^The liturgy for the evening worship service is a simplified version of the morning order.
^The word "votum" is Latin for "desire" or "vow." Liturgically, it refers to the pronouncement/declaration by the minister to the congregation of Psalm 124:8, "Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth." It is a biblical reminder at the start of worship that God is the only help for sinful man. It also serves as a reminder that God's people should trust God alone as Lord over all of life. The Votum is not used in all OPC congregations, but it has a long standing history in the worship of the Christian Church in general and also in the Reformed tradition.
^In accordance with Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 and the practice of Christianity since the time of the Apostles and the Early Church, we believe congregational singing should include metrical psalms as well as time-tested, orthodox hymns.
^Whenever a baptism is observed, it is done immediately before the Lord's Supper. On such Sundays, this section of our Liturgy would read "The Sacraments." We affirm that there are only two sacraments in the Church: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
^Due to our belief that it is a means of grace and that it was very likely the practice of the Early Church (see Acts 2:42, Acts 20:7, and 1 Corinthians 11:17-22), we have chosen to observe the sacrament of the Lord's Supper every week; however, not all OPC congregations observe the sacrament this often, nor do the doctrinal standards of the OPC require weekly observance.
^The Gloria Patri (Latin for "Glory be to the Father") is a hymn from the Early Church (circa 2nd Century) praising the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It is sung not only because of its origin in the Early Church but also and more importantly as a reminder that the Triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is the center and focus of our woship and that there is no other God beside Him.