Liturgy is the prescribed form of public worship in a church. The word comes from the Greek leitourgia, meaning public service. It is the work of the people. It is the service of God. It is the worship of the church. It is the order of service. It is the pattern of prayer. It is the structure of worship. It is the ritual of the faith. It is the tradition of the church. It is the liturgy.

Liturgy is central to many Christian traditions. It is central to Catholicism. It is central to Orthodoxy. It is central to Anglicanism. It is central to Lutheranism. It is less central to evangelicalism. But all churches have a liturgy. Even the most informal church has an order. It has a pattern. It has a structure. It has a form. It has a liturgy. The question is not whether there is a liturgy. The question is whether it is written or unwritten. Whether it is ancient or modern. Whether it is formal or informal. Whether it is high or low. Whether it is liturgical or non-liturgical. Every church has a liturgy. Every church has a worship. Every church has a service. Every church has a liturgy.

Elements of liturgy

• Call to worship: God calls his people to worship.
• Confession: the people confess their sins.
• Absolution: God forgives their sins.
• Word: the reading and preaching of scripture.
• Sacrament: baptism and the Lord's Supper.
• Prayer: intercession and thanksgiving.
• Offering: giving to God and the church.
• Blessing: God sends his people out.

Liturgy is not a burden. It is a gift. It is a framework. It is a guide. It is a teacher. It is a comfort. It is a community. It is a tradition. It is a heritage. It is a treasure. It is a mystery. It is a joy. It is a worship. It is a service. It is a work. It is the work of the people. It is the work of God. It is the liturgy. It is the worship. It is the church. It is the faith. It is the liturgy. Lex orandi, lex credendi. The law of prayer is the law of belief. What we pray is what we believe. What we believe is what we pray. The liturgy shapes our faith. Our faith shapes the liturgy. It is a circle. It is a dance. It is a life. It is a liturgy. It is the liturgy.