worship

We meet 4 PM every Sunday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 2001 Cloyd Blvd, Florence, AL 35630. You are welcome to join us.


We follow a liturgy (worship format - the word means "work of the people") with historical roots in both the ancient catholic (universal, undivided) church and the English Reformation.


Three key words describe our worship style: simple, Biblical, and participatory.


Simple:  You can expect to find peace and sanctuary here.  For one hour of your week you can be relieved of the constant bombardment of media and technology.  Instead of bright lights, loud music, and emotional appeals, you will hear God's word in simplicity, kneel or stand in humble prayer, and partake of bread and wine, all in preparation to return to the outside world to love and serve Christ.


Biblical:  Our service is saturated with the Bible.  We read four passages of Scripture in every service: one each from the Old Testament, the Psalms, the New Testament Epistles, and the Gospel. We also sing hymns (old and new) that are full of Biblical allusion and theology.  A biblical message is given, we pray prayers that are adapted from Scripture, and we repeat our Lord's words in the celebration of communion. You can be assured that you will be immersed in the Words of God!


Participatory:  We call our worship "common prayer".  That is, worship is shared in common, we worship the Lord together.  This is expressed in our shared prayers, reciting the creeds (statements of faith), and participatory actions (discretionary kneeling for prayer, standing for praise, etc.).  Most powerfully, the communal aspect of worship is expressed and enacted in the sharing of Holy Communion, in which we receive by faith the benefits of Christ's death on the cross and resurrection from the dead in God's appointed elements of bread and wine. All baptized Christians are welcome to share in God's Holy Table.


For those unaccustomed to this way of worship, we invite you to come and experience the formative power of this ancient and Biblical way of worship. Questions are always welcome!