Hello, Liturgists!
** If you have any questions on Sunday feel free to ask the Liturgist team leader, Rebekah Berna (312-351-4425), or John Creasy (412-979-7764) **
This is a COMPLETE ORDER OF SERVICE for those leading worship. A physical copy of this same thing will be available for you on Sunday. You can also find the complete service at https://www.pghopendoor.net/ordinary-time-liturgy.
THE JOB: Read selected material during the worship service. The task can be completed by a single person or spread among up to three people.
WHEN: Please arrive by 10:15 am and check in with the pastor.
HOW:
If you are serving this week, just look for the header with your job title on it and follow the instructions.
Things you SAY will look like this
** THINGS YOU DO WILL LOOK LIKE THIS **
We have three liturgists listed, but most weeks only one person will play all three roles. If you want to jump straight to your specific tasks, click the button below
Please approach this role prayerfully since you are leading your siblings in Christ in worship and helping them connect deeply with God.
When reading the liturgy, please TAKE YOUR TIME. Speaking slowing and clearly is very important. Also be attentive to notes to pause, especially during the Prayers of the People.
Upon arrival, check in with a pastor to make sure you have a copy of the materials and understand your part during the flow of worship.
LITURGIST 2: Please confirm with Minister what passage to read for today’s scripture. You can read from the physical Bible found in the supply bin. If you are using an online source, please read from a NRSV translation.
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Why these songs? For Ordinary Time, we will be using a limited song book. New songs will be selected to mark the change of seasons.
Please note that some lyrics have been slightly amended to reflect the values of our community—with an eye toward inclusivity and generous orthodoxy.
Song credits can be found at the bottom of this page.
** WHEN SINGING ENDS, LITURGIST 1 SHOULD APPROACH THE FRONT. **
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What is the bell? Many in the Open Door identify as contemplatives and mystics — traditions that focus on embodied experience over doctrine. If God is to dwell among us, we must first make space in our hearts, minds, and bodies. When the bell chimes, you are encouraged to breathe deeply and invite all parts of yourself to this moment so that you may more fully encounter God’s Holy Spirit.
What is this prayer? The Call to Worship is a traditional part of many difference services. Our Ordinary Time prayer is called the “Collect for Purity” and is taken from the Book of Common Prayer.
** AS THE SONG ENDS, YOU SHOULD APPROACH THE FRONT WITH THE INVITATION BELL. **
Liturgist 1: Please open to the first page of your bulletin and join me for the call to worship.
Liturgist 1: The Lord be with you!
People: And also with you!
Liturgist 1: Come. The door is open.
** RING THE INVITATION BELL... WAIT FOR TWO SILENT BREATHS. **
Liturgist 1: Let us pray—
People: Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
** PLEASE SIT FOR THE NEXT SONG, BUT BE READY TO RETURN WHEN IT ENDS **
Worship in Song
** WHEN SINGING ENDS, LITURGIST 1 SHOULD APPROACH THE FRONT. **
Celebration & Dismissal (Liturgist 1)
** APPROACH THE FRONT. **
Liturgist 1: Before moving deeper into worship, we want to pause and celebrate milestones in our congregation. If anyone had a birthday, anniversary, or other “big news” from this week, you are invited to stand up and tell us all about it.
** WHEN EVERYONE HAS SHARED, YOU CAN PRAY A PRAYER OF BLESSING ON THEM**
Liturgist 1: God we ask you to bless [INSERT NAMES or “these your children”] as they enter into new chapters of life. May you open their hearts and minds to continuous growth, unexpected change, and deeper connection to You and your creation. Amen.
Liturgist 1: Now we ask our children pre-k to fifth grade to stand so we can bless them before they head into the important work of play and discovery. Please turn to page 2 of your bulletin and join me.
** WAIT FOR CHILDREN TO STAND. **
Liturgist: Children of the Open Door: May the Lord bless you and keep you!
People: May the Lord make Their face shine upon you and give you grace and peace. Amen!
** SEND THE KIDS OUT. **
Liturgist 1: Children pre-k to fifth grade are invited to go to Children’s time. Everyone else is invited to pass the Peace of Christ to one another: The Peace of the Lord be always with you!
People: And also with you!
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What is The Peace? This is a traditional liturgical greeting-and-response:
“The Peace of the Lord be with you.”
“And also with you.”
Passing the Peace of Christ is more than just a friendly greeting — it is an opportunity to sincerely offer a blessing to those in the congregation with whom you feel conflict or disconnection. It is a chance to come to the Lord’s Table with no bitterness or frustration or anger toward one of your siblings in Christ.
** RING THE BELL. YOU ARE DONE! THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP! **
Announcements (Minister or Liturgist 2)
Liturgist 2: Please confirm with Minister what passage to read for today’s scripture. You can read from the physical Bible found in the supply bin. If you are using an online source, please read from a NRSV translation.
** This will usually be performed by the Minister. If not, Liturgist 2: please come to the front.**
** RING THE INVITATION BELL TO CALL PEOPLE BACK FROM the PEACE. **
Liturgist 2: Before we step back into worship, are there any announcements in the community?
** CALL ON PEOPLE AS THEY RAISE THEIR HANDS. WHEN SOMEONE MAKES AN ANNOUNCEMENT, PLEASE REPEAT IT INTO THE MICROPHONE SO ALL CAN HEAR. **
Liturgist 2: For more information on events, make sure you’re on our email list—there’s a link in back of the bulletin. Also, you can find announcements and details on the Open Door Facebook Page.
** REMAIN UP FRONT AND CONTINUE TO THE READING. **
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What is this? Traditionally, liturgical services include three separate scripture “lessons”—one from the Hebrew Bible, one from the Gospels, and one from the Epistles. Sermon topics are usually built around these passages, which are determined by the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship.
For Ordinary Time, we will be reading Gospel passages from the NRSV translation.
The spoken response comes from Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heard be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”
Liturgist 2: Please confirm with Minister what passage to read for today’s scripture. You can read from the physical Bible found in the supply bin. If you are using an online source, please read from a NRSV translation.
Liturgist 2: Come. The Word is good.
** RING THE INVITATION BELL. WAIT FOR TWO SILENT BREATHS. **
Liturgist 2: Today’s reading is from [PASSAGE]
** READ SELECTED VERSES **
Liturgist 2: The Word of the Lord
People: Thanks be to God
** LITURGIST 2: YOU ARE ALL DONE! THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP! **
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What’s this? This is our opportunity to enter into conversation with God, who has assured us They will hear our prayers. It consists of three parts:
Prayers of the People: The following prayers have been adapted from Form IV of the Book of Common Prayer. The call and response is a version of a “Kyrie Eleison” (“Lord have mercy”) and is a central part of many liturgical traditions.
Prayer of Confession: This is a moment to hold ourselves accountable before each other and God.
Assurance of Pardon: Spoken in response to the confession, this affirms the Good News that all are forgiven—for our God is a God of Grace. Our Assurance of Pardon is adapted from Psalms 103:10-12
** COME UP FRONT TO LEAD THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE. **
Liturgist 3: Come. Your voices are heard.
** RING THE INVITATION BELL. WAIT FOR TWO SILENT BREATHS. **
Liturgist 3: Grant, Almighty God, that all your children may be united in your truth, live together in your love, and reveal your glory in the world. (**PAUSE**) Lord, in your mercy–
People: Hear our prayer.
Liturgist 3: Guide the people of this land, and of all the nations, in the ways of justice and peace; that we may honor one another and serve the common good. (**PAUSE**) Lord, in your mercy–
People: Hear our prayer.
Liturgist 3: Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own abundant creation, that we may honor its holiness and use its gifts rightly in the service of others and to Your glory. (**PAUSE**) Lord, in your mercy–
People: Hear our prayer.
Liturgist 3: Comfort and heal all those who suffer in body, mind, or spirit; give them courage and hope in their troubles, and bring them peace wherever they are. (**PAUSE**) Lord, in your mercy–
People: Hear our prayer.
Liturgist 3: We commend to your mercy all who have died or suffered at the hands of sickness, tragedy, or injustice. We pray for the peace of your kingdom to mend this broken world. (**PAUSE**) Lord, in your mercy–
People: Hear our prayer.
Liturgist 3: Bless all whose lives are closely linked with ours, and grant that we may serve Christ in them, and love one another as he loves us. (**PAUSE**) Lord, in your mercy–
People: Hear our prayer.
Liturgist 3: We now invite those in our congregation to share the prayers of their heart – be it sorrow, celebration, or anything in between. You may do this either aloud or in silence.
** HOLD EXTRA LONG SILENCE FOR TWENTY BREATHS **
Liturgist 3: For these prayers, spoken and unspoken, Lord, in your mercy–
People: Hear our prayer.
Liturgist 3: Please turn to page 3 in your bulletin and join me in the prayer of confession. Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
People: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Liturgist 3: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is God’s love for us; as far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our transgressions from us.
** GO TO THE CHILDREN’S AREA AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THE MESSAGE HAS BEGUN. LITURGIST 3, YOU ARE DONE. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP! **
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What is this? For Ordinary Time, we will be using a rotating message, which includes other activities besides sermons. To learn more, please tap any of the categories below.
Why is the sermon so early in the service? This is the placement as outlined in the Book of Common Prayer. It reinforces a general movement from “head” to “heart” as we enter more deeply into prayer in preparation for communion.
Sermons in the liturgical tradition are often less central (and shorter) than in other Protestant traditions, which tend to privilege preaching while eliminating other historical elements of the liturgy.
During the season of Ordinary Time, we will be rotating between several different types of programming. Tap any of the sections below to learn more:
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** ASK SOMEONE TO CALL CHILDREN BACK **
LITURGIST: The Peace of the Lord be always with you—
People: And also with you
LITURGIST: This is the moment during our worship service when we usually come to the Table together, but today we did not have a Minister of Word and Sacrament among us. In the Presbyterian tradition, a person with that title is required, so this absence may happen occasionally during this stage of our church’s life as we have one part-time pastor. And that’s okay.
In many ways, the absence of the communion is a bit like a mini-Lent or a mini-fast—a time to reflect on our communal and individual need for God’s grace, for the remembrance of Christ with us. So I invite you to acknowledge the absence of the Table in our midst, the presence of God’s life-giving breath in our lungs even without the Table, and the anticipation of coming together to the Table again next week.
** RING INVITATION BELL **
Let’s welcome our children back into worship by singing “Holy Holy Holy” from page 4 of your bulletin.
** SING HOLY, HOLY HOLY **
LITURGIST: During our last song please feel free to come forward and dip your hands in the water to remember your baptism. If you have an offering you can put it in the basket on the communion table.
** WHEN THE SONG IS DONE, PLEASE LEAD THE DOXOLOGY AND BENEDICTION **
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What’s This? In the liturgical tradition, communion is the centerpiece of worship — it happens every week.
Why these particular words? This language is adapted from “Eucharistic Rite II” in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. The Anglican Church was formed around the principal of “via media” (middle way) in an attempt to reconcile the extremes found in more dogmatic practices. Consequently, this language was specifically crafted to accommodate a wide array of theological beliefs.
What’s this song? The “Sanctus Benedictus” is a song traditionally used in the Communion Service. “Sanctus” means “Holy” and “Benedictus” means “blessing.” The language is taken from the books of Revelation and Matthew. There have been countless settings for this song. We are singing one created uniquely for the Open Door
Minister: Come. The table is ready.
** RING THE INVITATION BELL, PAUSE FOR TWO BREATHS. **
Minister: The Lord be with you!
People: And also with you!
Minister: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them to the Lord.
Minister: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
People: It is right to give Them thanks and praise.
Minister: Eternal God, holy and mighty, it is truly right and our greatest joy to give you thanks and praise, and to worship you in every place where your glory abides. We praise you, joining our voices with the heavenly choirs and with all the faithful of every time and place, who forever sing to the glory of your name:
People (singing):
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord!
God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full–
of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the one
who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest!
* * MINISTER RAISES THE BREAD **
Minister: On the night our Lord Jesus Christ was handed over to suffering and death, he took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me."
** MINISTER RAISES THE CUP **
Minister: After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, "Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Minister: Therefore we proclaim the Mystery of faith—
People: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Minister: Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these your gifts of bread and wine, that the bread we break and the cup we bless may be the communion of the body and blood of Christ. By your Spirit unite us with the living Christ and with all who are baptized in his name, that we may be one in ministry in every place. As this bread is Christ's body for us, send us out to be the body of Christ in the world. And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say–
People:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespasses against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory,
now and forever. Amen.
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Can I take Communion? The Open Door practices an “open table.” If you desire to follow in the way of Jesus, you are welcome to partake. God’s grace is abundant and requires nothing but a willing heart. You do not need to be in a particular headspace or emotional state. No matter who you are or where you are in your journey, this table is for you.
What if I don’t want to take communion? If for any reason you would prefer not to take communion, you are invited to remain in your seats or come forward with your arms crossed to receive a blessing.
What’s this song? This song is called the Agnus Dei (“Lamb of God”). It is inspired by John the Baptist's proclamation of Jesus as the "Lamb of God" (John 1:29). Similar to the Sanctus Benedictus, it is a traditional part of the Eucharistic Rite and has many settings.
Minister: Can I have three elders or deacons to help me serve?
** MINISTER WAITS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO APPROACH. IF NONE COME, FEEL FREE TO INVITE PEOPLE DIRECTLY **
Minister: The Gifts of God for the People of God.
** MINISTER RAISES BREAD AND WINE **
Minister: This is not a presbyterian table, this is a table of our Lord. If you desire to follow in the way of Jesus, this table is for you. If for any reason you would prefer not to take communion, you are invited to remain in your seats or come forward with your arms crossed to receive a blessing.
** MINISTER AND VOLUNTEERS SERVE COMMUNION. PLEASE START WITH MUSICIANS SO THEY HAVE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THEIR FINAL SONG. **
Minister (while serving): The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven. The Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation.
** WHEN EVERYONE HAS BEEN SERVED, PLEASE OFFER COMMUNION TO YOUR VOLUNTEERS. ONCE THEY HAVE FINISHED, ADDRESS THE CONGREGATION **
Minister: Please turn to page 6 in your bulletin and join me in the post-communion prayer. Let us pray together—
People: Almighty God, Holy Creator, we have sat at your feet and listened, we have learned from your Word and eaten from Your table. We give You thanks and praise for accepting us into Your family and encouraging us today. Send us out with Your blessing, to give and witness for You by encouraging others in the power of Your Spirit, through Jesus Christ, the first born from the dead. Amen.
Minister: During our next song please feel free to come forward and dip your hands in the water to remember your baptism. If you have an offering you can put it in the basket on the communion table.
Offering in Song
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What’s this prayer? A benediction is a short prayer of blessing, often used at the end of services. Our Benediction is taken from 2 Corinthians 13:13
What’s this song? The Doxology is a short hymn of praise. The tune is known as the “Old Hundredth” and is widely used in protestant traditions. We have amended the traditional words to make them more inclusive.
** COME UP FRONT TO LEAD THE BENEDICTION. **
Minister: Please stand for the Benediction and Doxology, found on page 6 of your bulletin. You are invited to hold hands with your neighbor as you receive the final Benediction.
** WAIT FOR PEOPLE TO STAND **