Is Bethany Presbyterian a liturgical church? We often think of liturgical as more “formal” worship – written prayers, call-and-response, reciting creeds, kneeling.

But liturgy is whatever form our worship takes:

• silence,
• call to worship,
• confession,
• offering,
• praise songs,
• sermon,
• Communion,
• benediction

…all of it. Even more spontaneous elements, like open prayer and raising hands to God, become the form of our worship, our liturgy.

The word liturgy comes from an ancient Greek word meaning “public service.” The word was not just religious, but referred to any service or work offered to someone else. Paul uses a closely-related word (latreia) in Romans 12:1…

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (latreia). -NRSV

When we worship, we offer God a “living sacrifice” of our whole bodies:

• mind,
• voice,
• emotion,
• hands,
• eyes

…all of it. And the worship we offer God on Sundays – our liturgy – takes work. It’s not just feeling warm fuzzies, it’s the Holy Spirit moving among and inside of us, encouraging us to respond actively with outward expression. This looks different for different people.

Worship doesn’t stop when we leave the sanctuary on Sundays – so our liturgy continues Monday through Saturday: We are called to worship when we wake up, we listen to God when we are silent, we confess our sins and study God’s Word, we break bread together, we serve and offer praise.

We worship 24-7, and it takes some work. May we always be a liturgical church.