Gospel understanding is communicated in the worship patterns of the church. The structure of a church's worship is called its liturgy. CPC's liturgy includes the following:
Call to Worship
Our service begins with a call to worship. It is God himself speaking through his Word. He invites his people to come into his presence. The call to worship exhorts us to turn from worldly distractions and to focus hearts, minds, and actions on worshiping God with reverence and awe. He calls us and we in turn respond by praising him for his greatness and goodness.
Affirmation of Faith
Affirmation of Faith provides for the expression of CPC's deeply held beliefs. By affirming what we believe, we renew our convictions, humble ourselves before the truth of Scripture, provide testimony of our faith to our children and the watching world, declare our loyalty to our God, and renew in heart and mind the truths on which we will base our daily lives.
Confession of Sin / Assurance of Pardon
We, as followers of Christ, are totally forgiven for all of our sins (Romans 8:31-39). While sin's power over us has ended, we remain at war with our flesh and evil in the world. In confession, we are training ourselves to recognize the areas of our lives that have not been conformed to the lordship of Jesus Christ. The Assurance of Pardon announces God's forgiveness. Shame and guilt are gone, and divine mercy is ours.
Prayers
The prayer in our service is offered by one of our elders as a demonstration of our need for God, but it is also a demonstration of God's care for us. One of the great comforts of Scripture is that Christ intercedes on our behalf, meaning he prays for us. The prayer in our service is a way for Christ to offer care and comfort to those who are suffering, both within our church and in the world outside our doors.
Scripture Readings
By reading Scripture publicly, we are stating that God's Word shapes and strengthens us. The passages remind us that God has spoken to his people so that we might know him, know ourselves, know his will, and know his plan for salvation.
Sermon
The Sermon or preaching of the Word is considered the highest point of the service. When the Word of God is preached faithfully, Jesus speaks by his Spirit in the hearts of his people. As the Spirit works by and with the Word in our hearts, God teaches us all that is needed for our spiritual lives.
Communion
The Communion or the Lord’s Supper is a family meal for Christians. It is a time when we delight in Christ and in the good news that his work alone has made us right with God. All baptized Christians who trust in Christ alone as their Savior are invited to partake at the Lord's table. Read More on why we take communion every week.
Offering
Offering provides us a chance to respond tangibly to the good things God has done for us. As God’s grace is freely given to us, so our gifts are freely returned, and in no way add to but are only a response to the supremely adequate work of Christ’s atonement.
Benediction
Our worship service closes with a Benediction or blessing. God’s people are reminded of the promises they have heard in worship so that they go into the world to do God’s will with confidence that he will provide for all their needs.