Sample Liturgies

These liturgies are under development.

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.

Advent

• First Sunday of Advent
• Second Sunday of Advent
• Third Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday)
• Fourth Sunday of Advent

Christmas

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

Epiphany

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

Lent & Holy Week

• Ash Wednesday
• First Sunday in Lent
• Second Sunday in Lent
• Third Sunday in Lent
• Fourth Sunday in Lent (Laetare Sunday)
• Fifth Sunday in Lent
• Palm/Passion Sunday
• Maundy Thursday — coming soon
• Good Friday

Easter

• The Great Vigil of Easter
• Resurrection of the Lord (“Easter Sunday”)
• Second Sunday of Easter
• Third Sunday of Easter
• Fourth Sunday of Easter
• Fifth Sunday of Easter
• Sixth Sunday of Easter (Sunday Before the Ascension)
• Ascension of the Lord (“Ascension Day”)
• Seventh Sunday of Easter (Sunday After the Ascension)
• Day of Pentecost (“Pentecost Sunday”)

After Pentecost

• Trinity Sunday
• All Saints’ Day — coming soon
• Thanksgiving Service
• Reign of Christ (“Christ the King Sunday”) — coming soon
• 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).

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 Collect for Purity is used on several Sundays, but other opening prayers are also used (especially prayers that serve a similar purpose).
• The Summary of the Law, Kyrie, and Trisagion are said during Advent and Lent, and on other select Sundays.
• 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.