Theme 1: What is Worship?

In this theme…

1. What is the definition of worship?

2. What do other words related to worship mean, like liturgy and ritual?

3. Why do we worship? What are we doing? Trying to impress God?

4. What is the purpose of the Prayer Book? What does it do?

5. What is contained in A Prayer Book for Australia?

6. What is the purpose of Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer? And the Ordinal?

1. In what ways has private worship been important to you, or someone you know?

2. How would you define worship, if someone asked you?

3. Describe a time when you ‘gave worth to God’ outside of a church environment, in you own quiet moments or when struck by extraordinary beauty. Perhaps you have heard someone else talk about such a moment. What was it like, how did it make you/them feel? What were the circumstances around that moment?

4. Penny described worship as ‘an outpouring of our love towards God, giving worth to God’. Find a way to keep that idea in the front of your mind this week to become more aware of the ways we worship in everyday life. Here are some ideas for that: write the definition on a business card and keep it visible in your wallet, or near the steering wheel of your car, or on the fridge door. Set the definition as a screen saver on your computer or phone. Discuss it with a friend and set a time for a ‘check-in’ cuppa (even over Zoom or via a phone call!)

1. The word ‘liturgy’ relates to the work of the people of God. How have you participated in or contributed to liturgy in the past? What kind of liturgy do you enjoy?

2. Describe a ritual that you have that is not related to being in Church. List the elements of that ritual and identify the purpose of each action/part.

3. Anglican churches across the world use common rites. What are the benefits and limitations of this?

1. In your experience, how important is it to think about our attitude to worship?

2. Why do you worship?

3. Explore the idea that worship is about ‘reminding ourselves’ of how great God is.

4. Take this idea with you into your week: ‘When people say they didn’t find God in worship it’s often not about an absence of God, but an absence of themselves.’ What ideas come up as you dwell on this idea. Perhaps keep a journal about your ideas.

1. Can you imagine attending a Church service conducted in another language? Have you done that? What was it like? What caught your attention, and occupied your thoughts during that experience?

2. What do you like about APBA?

3. The idea that all Anglicans across the world experience similar disciplines and structures and prayer is very powerful. How would you explain that to a friend who has no experience of the church? Do you find it an important idea?

4. In what ways have you experienced the impact of Common Prayer? What impact did it have on you/does it have on you? What is valuable about this central Anglican premise?

1. Find a copy of A Prayer Book for Australia and identify the sections that Jonathan describes here.

2. What sections are you familiar with?

3. What surprises you about the Prayer Book?

4. Do you have favourite bits?

1. Many Anglicans have experienced the Eucharist/Holy Communion service. Have you experienced the short prayerful liturgies of Morning and Evening Prayer? If you have, what struck you about those short liturgies?

2. When have you experienced the value of regular quiet times in your life? What made them valuable?

3. Sometime this week, dedicate 15 minutes to either Morning or Evening Prayer. If you don’t have time to get a copy from church, check out the Australian Daily Prayer site which has these offices ready to go!

4. If you’d like to join others in Morning or Evening Prayer, visit the website of your local parish to find out when and where they happen near you. You may prefer to join online: the St Francis College community routinely broadcasts Facebook live Morning and Evening Prayer.