To Non-Catholics: What's your service like?

[Jabronie]

Hi all. Just for fun why not give a paragraph or two describing your Service so us Catholics can see how they compare.

I’ll even start with my girlfriend’s Lutheran church (ELCA)

First there’s a song or two (sometimes a choir & organ, sometimes contemporary). Then there’s baptisms (if any are scheduled.) Then there’s a song. Next is a reading, usually NT from what I can tell. Then there’s another song. Then there’s a sermon. Then there’s a song and offertory. After that everyone says “The Lord’s Prayer.” Then there’s announcements and an exit song. They stand for all of the songs, so I joke to her that her church stands and sits more than mine.

 

[Ted_CharlotteNC]

OK in fun
Former Southern Baptist all my life
Medium size congregation

Welcome song
Opening prayer
General welcome of guests
“A baptism if available”
Hymn
General prayer
Hymn
Collection of money
Prayer
Hymn or Special Soloist
Sermon
Invitation to join church and 15 stanzas of “Just as I am”
Dismissal

 

[a_cermak]

Well I’d write up a description of the mass at my Episcopal church, except it’s pretty much just like a Catholic mass except for the music which tends to be older and the communion rail where we kneel to receive.

 

[BrianH]

House church

Prayer-Lords
Song
Prayer-silent
Read OT chapter-in order
Read Psalm-in order

Read and discuss NT verses

prayer

BH

 

[Hilde_Mari]

Preludium
Psalm
Prayer
opening speech
baptism(if there is one)
Credo
Gloria
reading from a text
psalm
reading from a text
sermon
psalm
announcements
prayer and intercessory prayer
collection
communion
psalm
postludium

This is how the program was last Sunday, in a Lutheran church.But I really don’t know how mass is like, so I can’t compare.

 

[kage_ar]

Ted CharlotteNC:

Invitation to join church and 15 stanzas of “Just as I am”

You forgot “Race to the car so you can make it to the restaurant before the Methodists…”

 

[Roman_Catholic_1]

I went to one of my fiancee’s non-denominational chruches, Fellowship something or other, before she converted to Catholicism.

-Lasted for ever, about 2-3 hours.
-No standing, no singing.
-A prayer
-A reading out of the OT
-Then he talked a mojority of the time on his thoughts and
experiences relating to what he read
-Towards the end there was an older man being baptized in a hot
tub that was on the stage (bubbles were on and everything)

One thing that really bugged me was the pastor was so dirty. Torn jeans, dirty hands ect, he looked like he had just come from working in his yard… It was a weird experience.

 

[kage_ar]

When I was in the non-denom world…

Opening Song service (upbeat, standing, clapping)
Prayer
Recognizing Visitors (hold up your hand so we can welcome you and give you a card to fill out…)
More upbeat songs
Offering/Announcments
Slower songs (Praise/Worship)
Special performance of a song
Sermon (around an hour long)
Altar Call

 

[Ted_CharlotteNC]

You forgot “Race to the car so you can make it to the restaurant before the Methodists…”

Thats so true…

 

[Egg4christ]

Non Denom
Worship(upbeat, contemporary as some late are arriving)20min
Worship leader asks us to greet those around us(sometimes in worship you completely forget a buddy has come by, or might notice someone new)
One of the pastors comes up and talks about what’s been going on in the church recently(major death, big changes, church goals ect. not to specific though, we’re a church of 3000 or so) Asks everyone to fill out a “how are you doing” card.possibly prayer(10 min total)
Trailer for our current message series
prayer for message
message(35 min)
closing song
closing prayer

 

[MrS]

You forgot “Race to the car so you can make it to the restaurant before the Methodists…”
[/quote]

…and the Catholics (can’t beat the ones who may have left early though)

 

[buzzcut]

And just for even more fun, here is a description of Christian worship, c. A.D. 150:

“And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.”

St. Justin Martyr, First Apology

Sounds amazingly like the Mass, no?

 

[Jabronie]

kage_ar:

When I was in the non-denom world…

Opening Song service (upbeat, standing, clapping)
Prayer
Recognizing Visitors (hold up your hand so we can welcome you and give you a card to fill out…)
More upbeat songs
Offering/Announcments
Slower songs (Praise/Worship)
Special performance of a song
Sermon (around an hour long)
Altar Call

Something funny… I’ve never actually asked anyone what an Altar Call is. Details? Thanks!

 

[MrS]

Jabronie:

Something funny… I’ve never actually asked anyone what an Altar Call is. Details? Thanks!

It is a non-biblical event… usually with no altar… sometimes preceeded by the not-found-inScripture “Sinner’s Prayer” , with the acceptance of the “doctrine” that if it ain’t in the bible, it aint.

at least that is what I have often witnessed

 

[Kendy]

Jabronie:

Something funny… I’ve never actually asked anyone what an Altar Call is. Details? Thanks!

People are asked to come to the front of the church to give their life to Christ, which usually means saying the sinner’s prayer…and accepting Jesus Christ as savior. Some churches baptize people on the spot. Others within a few weeks.

Kendy

 

[Singinbeauty]

Kendy:

People are asked to come to the front of the church to give their life to Christ, which usually means saying the sinner’s prayer…and accepting Jesus Christ as savior. Some churches baptize people on the spot. Others within a few weeks.

Kendy

Sometimes it’s not even a walk up to the front… At my church, at the end of the service, the pastor will ask everyone to bow their heads for prayer and ask those who are in the congregation who want to know Jesus to raise their hands and pray with him. It’s not a ‘sinners prayer’ as MrS so sarcastically mentioned. He just leads them in a direction to acknowledge that they need Jesus and to open their lives to Him. It’s wonderful to hear this happen. I keep my eyes closed because I acknowledge that this is a very intimate meeting between the newcomer and God but it’s really cool and inspiring to hear the pastor as he acknowledges those who have raised their hands.

MrS:

It is a non-biblical event… usually with no altar… sometimes preceeded by the not-found-inScripture “Sinner’s Prayer” , with the acceptance of the “doctrine” that if it ain’t in the bible, it aint.

You know, I wish catholics would just stop with the sarcasm and just come out with it. You don’t like how we do things. Obviously. Some protestant denoms have a set ‘sinners prayer’ but not all and I get a little bristled when someone tries to lump all protestants into the same doctrine boat. Who says an ‘altar call’ is not biblical? How did God add to their numbers by the thousands DAILY? Do you think that those thousands met with a church leader personally before joining the Church? More than likely, no. I would think that a man standing up and talking to the masses probably asked the congregation ‘do you believe’ and they all said ‘yes!’. Who knows. But please, phrase your answers in charity and not dripping with sarcasm… I know I would appreciate it. Thank you.

 

[Archbishop]

It would be interesting to hear from Catholics (probably on another thread) just how they would invite someone to come to Christ and acknowledge him as Lord and Savior. There seems to be a reluctance out of a fear of appearing to be Protestant, to lead a sinner to Christ.

There are certainly abuses in the “invitation” and “altar call” system. I know, I was a pastor in that system for many years. But there is also something good to be said for calling sinners to repentance and giving them the opportunity to pray for forgiveness and to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. In all of the masses I have attended, I have never once heard the call put forth for anyone present who was not a Christian to repent and believe the gospel. The first pope did not seem to have a problem doing this.

Now to get back to the original thread, our Anglican service follows the Book of Common prayer but we have some time for praise music after the first collect and after communion we have time for anointing and healing prayer. I also open it up for people to share words of praise and thanksgiving.

 

[Kitty_Chan]

ok Ms S et el this will freak you out.

How about a alter call at a hockey arena, stated by a singer of a christian rock band?

I suppose this would not be “Holy” enough for one to decide to follow Christ? ?

 

[blessedtoo]

Unity Church Once with a Friend (all I could take)

Jubilant rock song
Dancing in Aisles
Everyone shakes hands, kisses, moves about the church
Whirling Dervish
Buddhist Prayer Bell and silent meditation
One hour sermon on various books (not biblical)
Visiting Choir, Rock Band, Pianist, etc…
Collection
Closing Statements
Closing song “This Little Light of Mine” with hand holding.

 

[MrS]

Kitty Chan:

ok Ms S et el this will freak you out.

How about a alter call at a hockey arena, stated by a singer of a christian rock band?

I suppose this would not be “Holy” enough for one to decide to follow Christ? ?

I hear you… but my comment perhaps should have been a question…
“Where is the altar” or
“Why is altar mentioned?” or,
“Why, if the bible is the source of your way to Christ, are these actions choosen… which are not in the bible?”

I have “choosen” to not make use of the smileys in some situations, because I am not being sarcastic - I have a grandson who often asks his dad… is so-and-so saved… or did he/she say the sinner’s prayer… or… is he/she born again.

The mentality is (IMHO) : has the individual started the process of becoming personal with the Lord by using a public declaration. … strange. It is not a question of liking or disliking this procedure… I just believe we can only come to Christ, fully, under His terms…