C practices

• Worship

  The act of religious praise, honour or devotion. A way for Christians to show their deep love and honour to God
• Forms of worship

  • Liturgical
  • Non-liturgical
  • Informal
• Private worship

  When believers praise or honour God in their own home
• Reasons why Christians worship

  • To praise and thank God
  • To ask for forgiveness
  • To seek God's help for themselves or others
  • To deepen their relationship with God and strengthen their faith
• Liturgical worship

  • Church service that follows a set structure or ritual
  • Priest leads the congregation and may perform symbolic actions
  • Formal prayers with set responses
  • Bible passages are read out, there may be a sermon
  • Music and hymns
• Non-liturgical worship

  • Service that does not follow a set text or ritual
  • Often focused on Bible readings followed by a sermon
  • May also have prayers and hymns but there is no set order, the number and type can change from week to week
• Informal worship

  • Type of non-liturgical worship that is 'spontaneous' or 'charismatic' in nature
  • Community or house churches meet in private homes and share food
  • Quaker worship is mainly silent, people speak when moved by God to offer their thoughts or read from the Bible
  • 'Charismatic' worship may involve dancing, clapping, calling out and speaking in tongues
• Prayer

  Communicating with God, either silently or through words of praise, thanksgiving or confession, or requests for God's help or guidance
• Importance of prayer

  • Encourages reflection in the middle of a busy life
  • Enables Christians to talk and listen to God
  • Gives strength in times of trouble
  • Gives a sense of peace
  • Helps Christians to keep a close relationship with God
  • Helps Christians to accept God's will even if it means suffering
• Set prayers

  Prayers that have been written down and said more than once by more than one person
• Informal prayers

  Prayers made up by an individual using his or her own words
• The Lord's Prayer

  The prayer Jesus taught to his disciples
• When Jesus' disciples asked him to teach them how to pray, he answered with the Lord's Prayer
• Sacraments

  Holy rituals through which believers receive a special gift of grace (free gift of God's love)
• Sacraments recognised by Catholic and Orthodox Christians

  • Baptism
  • Confirmation
  • Holy Communion
  • Marriage
  • Holy Orders
  • Reconciliation
  • Anointing of the sick
• Sacraments recognised by many Protestant churches

  • Baptism
  • Holy Communion
• Some churches that practise believers' baptism consider it to be important but not a 'sacrament'
• Some churches, like the Quakers or Salvation Army, do not see any ritual or ceremony as being a 'sacrament'
• Reasons for infant baptism

  • Removes original sin (Catholic and Orthodox belief)
  • Allows the child to be welcomed into the Church as soon as possible
  • The parents can thank God for their new baby and celebrate with family and friends
• Reasons for believers' baptism

  • People should be old enough to consciously make a mature decision about their faith
  • The decision to live a life dedicated to Jesus is what saves a person, rather than the baptism itself
• Believers' baptism

  • The person is fully immersed in a pool which symbolises cleansing from sin and rising to new life in Christ
  • When asked whether they are willing to change their lives, the person gives a brief testimony of their faith in Jesus
  • The person is baptised in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit
• Holy Communion (Eucharist)

  The sacrament that uses bread and wine to celebrate the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and his resurrection
• Protestant view of Holy Communion

  • Celebrate Holy Communion as a reminder of the Last Supper. They do not believe the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. Instead, the bread and wine remain symbols of Jesus' sacrifice, which helps believers to reflect on its meaning today
• Impact of Holy Communion on individuals

  • Christians receive God's grace by joining in the sacrifice of Jesus. This helps to strengthen their faith
  • They become closer to God
• Impact of Holy Communion on communities

  • Holy Communion brings the community of believers together in unity by sharing the bread and wine
  • This can provide support and encouragement for those going through a difficult time
• Impact of Holy Communion on wider society

  • Holy Communion acts as a call to love others in practical ways
  • It encourages Christians to work for equality and justice for all
  • Many churches collect money during the service to help support those in need, such as the poor or homeless
• Orthodox Divine Liturgy

  • Liturgy of the Word: Hymns, prayers and a Bible reading. The priest comes through the Royal Doors to chant the Gospel. There may be a sermon.
  • Liturgy of the Faithful: The priest receives wine and bread baked by church members. Prayers are offered for the church, the local community and the world. Behind the iconostasis, the priest says the words of Jesus at the Last Supper. Most of the bread is consecrated as the body and blood of Christ. The priest distributes holy bread and wine on a spoon. Prayers of thanksgiving are said. Unconsecrated pieces of bread are given to people to take home, as a sign of belonging to the Christian community
• Holy Communion in the United Reformed Church

  • The service begins with a hymn and prayer of praise and thanksgiving. Bible readings and a sermon are given. Prayers for the world and the needs of particular people are said. The minister repeats the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper. There is an 'open table' so anyone who wishes may receive Holy Communion. Sometimes the bread is cut beforehand, other times it is broken and passed around by the congregation. Wine is sometimes non-alcoholic and is usually distributed in small cups
• Liturgy of the Eucharist in Anglican Holy Communion

  • People give a sign of peace to each other
  • Offerings of bread and wine are brought to the altar
  • The priest repeats the words of Jesus at the Last Supper over the bread and the wine
  • People say the Lord's Prayer
  • People receive the bread and wine
  • The priest blesses people and sends them out to live the gospel
• Liturgy of the Eucharist in Catholic Mass

  • The sign of peace is given
  • People receive the bread and wine
• Holy Communion in the United Reformed Church

  • The service begins with a hymn and prayer of praise and thanksgiving
  • Bible readings and a sermon are given
  • Prayers for the world and the needs of particular people are said
  • The minister repeats the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper
  • There is an 'open table' so anyone who wishes may receive Holy Communion
  • The bread is sometimes cut beforehand, other times it is broken and passed around by the congregation
  • Wine is sometimes non-alcoholic and is usually distributed in small cups
  • The service ends with a prayer of thanksgiving, a blessing, and an encouragement to go out and serve God
• Holy Communion is celebrated in contrasting ways in Christianity
• A pilgrimage is a journey made by a believer to a holy site for religious reasons
• Pilgrimage

  • It is a physical journey to a sacred place and a spiritual journey towards God
  • It gives opportunities for prayer and worship, and is itself an act of worship and devotion
• Impact of pilgrimage on a Christian's life

  • Give them a better understanding of their faith
  • Renew their enthusiasm for living a Christian life
  • Help them to see problems in a new light
  • Help them to feel cleansed from sin
• Places of Christian pilgrimage

  • Lourdes (a town in France)
  • Iona (an island off the coast of Scotland)
• Lourdes

  Where Mary is said to have appeared in visions to Bernadette, and a spring of water with healing properties appeared
• Iona

  Where St Columba established a monastic community in the 6th century AD, now an ecumenical centre for pilgrims
• Activities at Lourdes

  • Pilgrims bathe in the waters of the spring, or help other pilgrims who are ill or disabled to bathe
  • Pilgrims pray for healing or forgiveness
  • They may recite the rosary together
• Activities at Iona

  • Pilgrims can spend time praying, reading the Bible, and reflecting or meditating
  • Pilgrims can attend services in the abbey church, take part in workshops, and visit the island's holy or historic sites