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The Lay Academy 2008 Worship II – Sacraments and Occasional Services November 21-22, 2008 Rev. Dr. Richard Shaffer, Presenter
Course Description This course will introduce students to the history, theology, and practice of worship in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), with special emphasis on the Sacraments (Baptism and The Lord’s Supper) and occasional services, such as weddings and funerals.
Course Objectives By participating fully in this class, students will:
Required Texts
Peter C. Bower, ed. The Companion to the Book of Common Worship. Louisville: Geneva Press, 2003. Later referred to as “Companion.”
P.C. (U.S.A.) The Book of Common Worship. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993.
P.C. (U.S.A.) The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Part I, The Book of Confessions [current edition with index]. Later referred to as “Confessions.”
P.C. (U.S.A.) The Constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Part II, The Book of Order [2007-09 edition]. Pay particular attention to the second major section of the book, The Directory for Worship (sections beginning with “W”). Later referred to as “Directory.”
P.C. (U.S.A.) The Presbyterian Hymnal. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1990.
Pre-Course Assignments
Reading General: The Directory for Worship (sections W-1.000 through W-7.7001 of the Book of Order). The Book of Common Worship, pp. 1-14, 33-45, 46-85. The Companion to the Book of Common Worship, pp. 1-81, 266-278.
Baptism: Directory , W-2.3000 and W-3.3000. The Book of Common Worship, pp. 402-471. Companion, pp. 155-172. Confessions - follow the index for “Baptism.” Hymnal – identify ten hymns appropriate for Baptism.
The Lord’s Supper: Directory, W-2.4000 and W-3.3000. The Book of Common Worship, examine the liturgies for celebration of “The Lord’s Supper,” especially pp. 67-77. Companion, pp. 33-43, 255-260 Confessions – follow the index for “The Lord’s Supper” Hymnal – identify ten hymns appropriate for Communion.
Weddings: Directory, W-4.9000 The Book of Common Worship, pp. 840-902. Companion, pp. 212-233. Confessions – follow the index for “marriage” Hymnal – find several hymns appropriate for a Christian wedding.
Funerals: Directory, W-4.10000. The Book of Common Worship, pp. 905-946. Companion, pp. 234-245. Confessions – follow the index for “death,” “dead,” “funerals” and “resurrection.” Hymnal – find several hymns appropriate for a Christian funeral.
Writing
1. Observe the congregation where you most frequently worship and reflect on any patterns that emerge. Please include the following (no more than one page for each):
a. Describe your average worship service, including the number in attendance. Is worship at your church leader-focused or participatory?
b. Whether or not they occur weekly, are the sacraments treated like a regular part of worship or an addition?
c. Describe communion in your church. How often is it celebrated, who serves, and what form does it take? Do you come forward or stay seated? Are children invited to partake?
d. How often do baptisms occur in your church? Is there a baptismal font in your sanctuary? Where is it during services when the sacrament is not being celebrated? Is the renewal of baptism ever mentioned? How?
e. Collect several bulletins from services where either The Lord’s Supper or Baptism is celebrated. What do they tell you about your congregation’s approach to the sacraments?
2. Reflect on several weddings that you have attended, perhaps even your own. What practices seem to be common to most weddings? What practices vary from church to church? Does your congregation have any expectations regarding these services? (Please limit your response to one or two pages.)
3. What is the purpose (or purposes) of a funeral service? Are there any differences between secular and Christian services? What are the main liturgical practices found in a common funeral service? Why do we Presbyterians call funerals a “Service to the Witness of the Resurrection? Does it make any difference? (Please limit your response to one or two pages.)
4. Memorize the Words of Institution, found on page 74 (A) of the Book of Common Worship.
5. Memorize the Baptismal Formula, found at the top of page 413 of the Book of Common Worship.
Course Content
1. Worship and the Sacraments 2. Baptism 3. The Lord’s Supper 4. Service of Christian Marriage 5. Service of Witness to the Resurrection 6. Other Occasional Services 7. Leading the Service – Putting Word and Act Together
Post-course Assignments
1. Design an order of worship for a Lord’s Day service that includes at least one sacrament. Include a 2-3 page commentary that explains why you placed the sacrament where you did and what the various elements of the sacramental liturgy mean to you and the other worshippers.
2. Discuss the significance of the funeral service as part of the public worship of the church. The answer should demonstrate your knowledge of the Directory for Worship and may utilize the other class resources. Please limit your response to two pages.
3. In two or three pages, respond to the following situation: You are a CLP in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Your nephew Chris, an inactive member of your congregation, calls to ask you to officiate at his marriage to Michelle, with whom he has been living for two years. He explains that they want to write their own service and be married on the beach where they got engaged. He says, "This will be great! You'll get a vacation at the beach and you won't have to worry about a thing. We'll give you a copy of the service at the rehearsal." How you would respond to Chris and Michelle? Explain why you would or would not officiate at this marriage service, using the Book of Order and citing at least three (3) specific issues involved. 4. Write a Great Prayer of Thanksgiving for use in the celebration of The Lord’s Supper as part of a Lord’s Day service. Use the outline on page 156 of the Book of Common Worship as your guide. 5. Write a prayer of Thanksgiving Over the Water for use in a service of Baptism in your church. Use the outline on page 412 of the Book of Common Worship as your guide. The Presenter Rev. Dr. Richard Shaffer is a native Iowan and a member of Prospect Hill Presbytery. He attended Drake University and the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary and was ordained a Minister of the Word and Sacrament in 1988. He served congregations in Vail, Iowa and Worthington, Minnesota before accepting a call to be the Assistant Dean at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in 2005. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, he teaches several courses, including Foundations of Christian Worship, Worship in the Reformed Tradition, and Evangelism and Mission in Context. He also teaches as part of the Seminary’s new Distance Education program.
Before attending seminary, Skip worked as a radio announcer and as an advertising copywriter. He met his wife at Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Storm Lake, where they were both members. Skip and Jaimie have two children, Tyler, a biology major at the University of Dubuque, and Hannah a tenth grader at Hempstead High School in Dubuque.
Our Setting
The room needs to be set up so that participants can face forward for presentations, but can also easily break into small groups. I would like a projector than can be connected to my laptop computer and a screen for viewing PowerPoint. We need access to a baptismal font and a communion table, as well as a pitcher and chalice or cup. It would be nice if we could have permission to celebrate The Lord’s Supper as a part of this experience.
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