Instruction II (follows the collect of the Day)

      A major part of the liturgy is that which focuses on Scripture and the proclamation of the good news of God's love and the things that God has done to reconcile the world to God's self. It is referred to as the Ministry of the Word, and actually began with the Collect of the Day.

      There are usually two or three lessons from Scripture. The first reading is from the Old Testament, sometimes referred to as the Hebrew Scriptures because they were written in Hebrew and are about the formation of the people of Israel and their life as the people of God. The Hebrew Scriptures tell of the mighty acts of God. It is not a different God from the God of the New Testament. It is the same God bringing to us new life. There is a special effort made to relate the themes of the Old Testament reading to the reading from the gospel.

      The Psalm is a response in poetry to the Old Testament reading. We join together either in spoken voice or in song, to respond to the message of God's activity in the world and in our life. This year we are alternating the psalm by whole verse as just another alternative to help us hear the words in a different manner.

      The second lesson usually comes from the second half of the New Testament. Many of the lessons are taken from Paul's letters to various churches and the second lesson is often called "The Epistle," epistle being a word that means letter. The epistle is often theological in nature. Rather than telling the story of Christ, it explores the implications of what Jesus has done. In an attempt to keep our service this morning to an acceptable length of time, we have omitted the psalm and the 2nd reading.

      The word gospel means good news and the Gospel reading always comes from one of the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. Those are the books of the New Testament that tell the story of Jesus' ministry on earth. They tell the story of God's mighty act of salvation in Jesus.

      The reading of the gospel is meant to be the center of the Ministry of the Word and so is highlighted with special acts of ritual. Usually before the Gospel reading there is a hymn known as the "Sequence Hymn" which simply means that it sequences from the first or second lesson to the gospel. There is a procession with the gospel book held high to symbolize the good news going into the midst of the people. This is our story that calls us together and shapes who we are, so it is read from the middle of the congregation.

      Sometimes you may notice the reader of the gospel as well as others in the congregation, make a small cross on the forehead, lips, and heart. It is a way of saying with our bodies in an outward and visible way, "Let the good news of Jesus Christ be in my head, on my lips, and in my heart."

      It is most appropriate during the reading of the gospel to face the book. That is center of the proclamation. You will need to turn toward the Gospel book as it moves to the center of the aisle. It is also most appropriate to stand and listen rather than read along. It is meant to be a proclamation and our culture doesn't listen very well anyway. The Bible leaflet in your bulletin is something you can read before hand in preparation and is something you can take home for continued reflection.

      The sermon follows the reading of the gospel and is really a part of the same fabric. It is meant to open our hearts so that we may hear the good news and experience the changing power of God's love in our life. The purpose of the sermon isn't to educate or to entertain, though there is nothing wrong if we learn something or if we enjoy it. But the purpose is to open us to the good news so that the story of God's mighty acts can become our story. Here at Christ Church we also include a "children's sermon". It is just that, a sermon for the children. And although an adult may take something away from that piece of the liturgy, I and the others that sometimes do that work, take care to remember who our audience is for those moments.

      Today, this instruction takes the place of the sermon.