To Lutherans, worship is more than a public service in a church building on Sunday mornings and on other days. In a broad sense, worship is all we believe and do as we reflect God’s love and glorify his name.
Public worship is the regular avenue for receiving renewed power and grace from God to serve and honor him .Such corporate and congregational worship is the hub for all aspects of Christian life, witness and service.
Worship in a Lutheran church is predominantly liturgical .The traditional liturgies of the church include prayers, bible readings, and other forms that have been used in the mainstream of Christian worship since earliest times.
However, Lutherans also have the flexibility to use free forms of worship and 20th century liturgies and music as well.
The Lutheran liturgy is God-centered, not man-centered. It is an encounter between God and His people, centered in the living Christ. At the center of the service are the channels of grace the Word of God and the Sacraments – offering God’s answer to the people’s needs.
The focal point of a Lutheran Church is the altar – a reminder of God’s presence with His people. The crucifix of cross, candles and vestments are used, not as objects of worship, but as aids to worship and devotion.
The Lutheran Church is a singing church. Since the first Protestant hymnal appeared in 1524, men like J.S.Bach and Paul Gerhardt have given Lutherans a great musical heritage which they happily share with other Christians –even as they, in turn, use hymns from other Christian traditions which glorify Christ.
