Sample Liturgies - Holy Joys

The sample liturgies below are adapted from the Service of the Word and Lord’s Supper in The Whole Counsel of God catechism book, which is adapted from the Book of Common Prayer and other Protestant liturgies. For more information, see “On the Liturgies” below.

Any Time

Advent

Christmas

Christmas Eve
First Sunday after Christmas
Second Sunday after Christmas — coming soon

Epiphany

The Epiphany
Baptism of the Lord (First Sunday after the Epiphany)
Second Sunday after the Epiphany — coming soon
Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Transfiguration Sunday (Last Sunday after the Epiphany)

Lent & Holy Week

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, culminating with the Easter Vigil, are called the Paschal Triduum (the Great Three Days) and are traditionally treated as if one long service with breaks in-between.

Easter

After Pentecost

Trinity Sunday
Service of the Word and Lord’s Supper (Simplified for Lectio Continua in Ordinary Time) — depending on the date of Easter, there are 23–28 Sundays in Ordinary Time After Pentecost (nearly as many as in all the seasons prior). Some churches use this as an opportunity to preach series on books of the Bible, while others continue to follow the Lectionary (which contains many continuous readings through large portions of books).
All Saints’ Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christ the King Sunday (Reign of Christ) — coming soon

On the Liturgies

The liturgies may be freely used and adapted for each church’s unique context. The purpose is not to prescribe an exact liturgy but to illustrate how to worship in a way that is biblically faithful, historically rooted, and deeply formative yet flexible and fresh (“ancient-future blended worship”).
Not all elements in the Service of the Word and Lord’s Supper are used in every sample liturgy.
The Gloria in Excelsis is used on several Sundays, but other hymns of praise are often used, except in penitential times.
The Apostles’ Creed is used during Advent and Lent.
The Nicene Creed is used during Christmas, Epiphany, and Easter.
The Athanasian Creed is used on Trinity Sunday.
The Sursum Corda and the Sanctus is sometimes abridged (e.g., the Minister simply encouraging the people lift up their hearts and give thanks to God, then singing a hymn such as “Holy, Holy, Holy” which contains the words of the Sanctus). On major holy days, the full Sursum Corda and Sanctus is always used with a Proper Preface.
The Prayer of Humble Access is used on several Sundays, especially in Lent.
The Doxology (Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow) is omitted during Lent, but it is fitting at any time.
When adapting the liturgies for Advent, see our Guide to Advent, Collects and Readings for Advent, Advent Hymns, Songs, and Metrical Psalms, and other Advent resources.
When adapting the liturgies for Christmas, see our Guide to Christmas, Collects and Readings for Christmas, Christmas Hymns, Songs, and Metrical Psalms, and other Christmas resources.
When adapting the liturgies for Epiphany, see our Guide to Epiphany, Collects and Readings for Epiphany, Epiphany Hymns, Songs, and Metrical Psalms, and other Epiphany resources.
When adapting the liturgies for Lent and Holy Week, see our Guide to Lent and Holy Week, Collects and Readings for Lent and Holy Week, Lent and Holy Week Hymns, Songs, and Metrical Psalms, and other Lenten resources.
When adapting the liturgies for Easter, see our Guide to Easter, Collects and Readings for Easter, Easter Hymns, Songs, and Metrical Psalms, and other Easter resources.