Christian practices

What is worship

• a way in which Christian’s show their deep love and respect for God

• It can be done alone, or with another, in a special building or at home. It could involve prayer, meditation, hymns readings from the Bible, religious art, etc

Why do Christian’s worship

• Allows Christian’s time to praise and thank God for his blessings, or to ask for forgiveness or help

• Deepens their relationship with god

What’s liturgical worship

• Follows same pattern each time

• Very traditional

• Priest leads the congregation with formal prayers that have set responses the audience knows how to say

• Bible pages read

• An example is the Eucharist / holy communion

• Very structured, with routines and responses

What’s non liturgical worship

• no set order or ritual

• May choose to base service on a theme like forgiveness

• The basic structure remains the same, but number of prayers/ hymns/ readings change each week

• Different each time but always has certain aspects

What’s informal worship

• involves spontaneous prayer and people sharing their thoughts

• They may be silent (quakers) and only move when they feel God within them, inspiring the to say/ read certain things

• May meet and eat together

• Some may involve dancing and clapping, calling out and speaking in tongues

• May feel this is the way we experience the Holy Spirit within us

What is private worship

• individuals spending time with God alone, or with very close family

• May include silent prayer and meditation, studying the bible and some may use rosary beads to help them focus

What are benefits of liturgical worship

• family oar so know what to expect

• Can join with ease - if visiting different church to normal

• Very dignified and respectful

• Still variety and choice within the set structure

What’s the benefits of non liturgical worship

• Can be tailored to more of a personal style and in own words

• Less bible based and more personal to individuals

• Still an element of structure and familiarity

• Themes link to what’s going on in the world

Informal

• very relaxed feeling to it

• Comes from the heart

• More of a connection with the Holy Spirit

What are benefits of private worship

• can take place any time, any anywhere

• Tailor it to when you need to feel closer to god

• Allows you to be alone with god and you thoughts

What is prayer

• communicating with god in silence, or out loud, or in private, or with others .

• You can use set prayers everyone knows or your own words that are personal to God

• Christmas may pray for:

  • petition

  • Adoration

  • Confession

  • Thanksgiving

  • Intercession

What’s a set prayer v.s a normal prayer

• informal prayers use your own words → makes the prayer more personal to you and connects to God on a deeper level. It also means you can make your prayers relevant to current life

• Set prayers is a common prayer that is the same words everyone knows → provides a sense of community

What’s an arrow prayer

A type of informal prayer. They tend to be very short and spontaneous, said to God at a time of urgent need

What is the Lord’s Prayer

This was the prayer Jesus gave his disciples when they asked him how they should pray

• “ forgive our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us”

Why is the Lord’s Prayer important

• This prayer is said in nearly all Holy communions, baptisms, marriages and funerals

• It bring s a sense of unity to society and reminds people they must forgive in order to be forgiven

• It reminds Christian’s that god is the father of the whole community

  → “our father in heaven”

What is a sacraments

A sacrament is a holy ritual that expresses inner faith in a way people can see

• catholics accept 7 sacraments, CoFE only accept 2, and Quaker’s accept none

  → baptism, confirmation, holy communion, marriage, holy orders, reconciliation and anointing of the sick

How do sacraments help Christian’s

They are a way for them to get closer to god and some see it as essential to their spiritual lives

They all help to confirm a Christian’s devotion to their religion and to god.

What is baptism

• the initiation into the Christian church. The child/ adult will be acknowledged as a child of god and receive his grace/ salvation. Sins are forgiven as they enter their new life Jesus

What’s an infant baptism

Everyone is a descendent from Adam and Eve and therefore has the original sin within them. Baptising a baby can cleanse them of this and allows them to start their spiritual journey as soon as possible

What’s believers baptism

Some believe you should wait until you can make a mature decision to enter the faith. It involves full immersion in a pool of water, symbolising sin being cleansed

What’s a quote for infant baptism

“ baptism for the forgiveness “

What’s a quote for believer baptism

“ go and make disciples of all nations “

What are the pros of infant baptism

• cleanses original sin

• On the right path from the beginning

• Allows the infant to gain the gifts of the Holy Spirit earlier

What are cons about infant baptism

• not mature enough to understand the commitment

• No choice

• Many do it without understanding the significance

What are pros about believers baptism

• can make an informed decision

• Potentially more meaningful

• Jesus was baptised as an adult

What are cons of believers baptism

• living with sin for so long

• Less people will join Christian church if the decision is not made for them early on

What is the holy communion

• religious ceremony performed in church when a child becomes 7-8

• Celebrates the first time they accept bead and wine which symbolise the body and blood of Christ. It consists of prayers, hymns, readings, bidding prayers and the actual communion

• After the communion mass, the child is more deeply initiated into the church. A child needs to have been baptised prior to their first holy communion

The last supper quotes / holy communion

• “This is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me”

• This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it. In remembrance of me.”

What impact does the holy communion have on Christian’s

• it is a shared meal where everyone is equal, reminding everyone to ‘break bread’ together

• However it also helps to remind us of those who are starving -: many churches chose to collect money after for the poor

What do Roman Catholics believe about the a holy communion

Believe the bread and wine actually become the body of Jesus (transubstatiation)

What do CoFE believe about the Holy communion

Believe the bread and wine are a symbolic of Jesus’ sacrifice for us

What is a pilgrimage

• a journey made for religious reasons, done alone or with another, to a sacred place

• Not just a physical journey but s spiritual one

• Provides specific opportunities for prayer, reflection and worship, but is also a way of worshiping God also

Why are pilgrimages important to Christian’s

• strengthen faith

• Be forgiven for sins

• Grow clothes to God

• Thank God

• Ask for cures

• Experience a holy place

What is advent

• preparing for the celebration of Jesus birth

  → trees decorated with lights to represent Jesus as light of the world

  → nativity plays performed to remind Jesus was born in poverty

  → midnight mass on Christmas Eve with carol services and Bible readings

What is Christmas

• commemorating the birth of Jesus

  → exchanging gifts to recall the wisemen’s gifts that were brought to Jesus

What is epiphany

• celebrated on the 6th of Jan, commemorating the 3 kings that visited Jesus

  → celebrated with an feast

  → many also give charity during the time as it is a time of ‘peace and goodwill’

What is lent

• preparation for the celebration of Jesus’ death and resurrection

  → fasting or giving something up is usually done in the 6 weeks before Easter to prepare people’s hearts/ minds

  → people often spend more time in prayer, Bible study or trying to be a good Christian in acts of kindness

What is Easter

• commemorating the resurrection of Jesus

  → church filled with flowers and eggs eaten to symbolise new life

  → orthodox churches will do a procession at midnight where they enter the darkened church with lamps to represent entering the empty tomb

  → others light the paschal candle to sympathise his rise

What is Pentecost

• celebrating on the 7th Sunday after Easter to remember the Holy Spirit visiting the disciples after Jesus’ ascension

  → priest wear red robes to represent the flames that the Holy Spirit came down from

  → church services and hymns will focus around the Holy Spirit

What is the Easter time line

• day 1: Palm Sunday → when Jesus enters Jerusalem he is welcomed by waving palm branches

• Day 2: Holy Monday → Jesus clears out the corrupted money changes

• Day 3: Holy Tuesday → Jesus evades ambush and gives Olivet a discourse

• Day 4: Spy Wednesday → Judas agrees to betray Jesus

• Day 5: Maundy Thursday → Jesus is betrayed by Judas and is arrested

• Day 6: Good Friday → Jesus is trialed and crucified and placed in tomb

• Day 7: Black Saturday → Jesus body is treated for burial, decouples mourn openly

• Day 8: resurrection day → multiple eyewitness accounts of Jesus having resurrected and the discovery of an empty tomb