Church Music In The Russian Orthodox Church While small segments of the Russian Orthodox Church have continued to use only traditional Byzantine chant in their worship, the larger portions of the church have allowed music that is a hybrid between traditional liturgical chants and the popular art music of a given historical period. First, spirit (“pneuma” in the Greek) points to our spiritual lives and God’s call to worship him. The psalmist declared, “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” We are exhorted, “Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do” (Hebrews 10:25 NLT).There was a physical and corporate dimension to such worship in the New.

A service of morning prayer designed with musicians, composers and worship leaders in mind.

Theme of the Service

Welcome and Call to Worship

O Lord, open our lips,
and our mouth will proclaim your praise.

It is good to praise the Lord
and make music to your name, O Most High,
to proclaim your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night.

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
- Psalm 92:1-2; 95:1-2

*Hymn of Praise: 'For the Music of Creation' (SNC 37)

*Prayer

Creator God,
because you make all that draws forth our praise
and the forms in which to express it,
we praise you.

Because you make artists of us all,
awakening courage to look again at what is taken for granted,
grace to share these insights with others,
vision to reveal the future already in being,
we praise you.

Because you form your Word among us,
and in your great work embrace all human experience,
even death itself, inspiring our resurrection song,
we praise you. Yours is the glory. Amen.

*Psalm 148

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Prayer of Confession

Lord, you have called us to worship you. We gladly gather!
As we praise you, though, our own inadequacy reminds us
of how we have broken our relationship with you.
Because we have sinned against you,
even our worship fails to be what it could.
We often treat it as a show. We simply go through motions,
failing to recognize that you want to engage us deeply.
Renew us, we pray, according to your steadfast love.
Remind us of your covenant faithfulness
and have mercy on us in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

Receive the good news of the Gospel:
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Alleluia!

Sung Prayer of Dedication:
Have We Any Gift Worth Giving (SNC 214)

Scripture

Old Testament:
1 Chronicles 23:1-6; and from 25:1-8
2 Chronicles 5:11-14

New Testament: 1 Peter 2:4-6, 9

The Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

A time for meditation in silence.

Prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession,

Beginning with: 'Take, O Take Me as I Am' (SNC 215)

Concluding with
Creator God,
you have made us in your image to reflect your goodness.
You have called us to use our gifts to build your kingdom.
As we begin this day, we seek to reflect your image.
Help us not only to focus on how to develop our creativity,
but also to seek the wisdom to use our skills to your glory,
and for the building up of the people we serve.
In the name of Christ and through the Holy Spirit we pray, Amen.

*Hymn of Praise (text by Brian Wren)

*Closing Prayer

God of majesty,
whom saints and angels delight to worship in heaven:
Be with your servants who make art and music for your people,
that with joy we on earth may glimpse your beauty;
and bring us to the fulfillment of that hope of perfection
which will be ours as we stand before your unveiled glory.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

*Blessing

May the blessing of God,
the giver of every good and perfect gift;
and of Christ, who summons us to service;
and of the Holy Spirit, who inspires generosity and love,
be with us all.
Amen.

Bless the Lord.
The Lord's name be praised.

SNC refers to Sing! A New Creation (CRC Publications, 2001)

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Stonebriar Community Church Service Music

Throughout its history, the Christian church has used music to proclaim the gospel and to return thanks and praise to God. The history of this musical expression teaches us a great deal not only about the culture and everyday life of earlier Christians, but also about their unique experience of and insights into the Christian faith. These lessons can, in turn, enlighten, emend, and inspire our own worship of God. The history of the church's song teaches us, for example, how embedded in...

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Music In The Worship Of The New Testament

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Music In The Worship Of The Early Church

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Church Music In The Greek Orthodox Church

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Church Music In The Russian Orthodox Church

While small segments of the Russian Orthodox Church have continued to use only traditional Byzantine chant in their worship, the larger portions of the church have allowed music that is a hybrid between traditional liturgical chants and the popular art music of a given historical period. This music has remained distinctively liturgical and Russian, but has led many to lament the loss of traditional forms.

Church Music In The Coptic And Ethiopian Churches

Worship Music For Church Services

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Church Music In Missionary And Independent African Churches

Missionaries from Europe and North America brought to Africa many Western forms of music and worship. In the last several years, especially after Vatican II, Africans have developed more indigenous approaches to music in worship. The fascinating diversity of current musical practices is documented in this survey of independent African churches.

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From Gregorian Chant To Polyphony

Music in early Christian worship consisted of melody only. Toward the end of the Middle Ages, more complex music, featuring the simultaneous singing of more than one melodic line, was composed for use in worship. For several centuries, this complex-or polyphonic-music was composed by many of Europe's most famous and skilled composers.

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Music In Traditional Churches During The Modern Era

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Music In Twentieth-century Worship

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