The call to worship is the first words spoken in worship, highlighting that it is God who is gathering us. As such it is God who has the first word—usually taken from scripture—that indicates that we are coming to worship at God’s invitation. The Holy Spirit has been at work in our hearts and lives even before we came together.
In some communities there is a votum rather than a call to worship. The word votum comes from the Latin word for “vow” or “desire,” and in the context of worship it is used to indicate our reliance on God. Psalm 124:8 is often used as a votum, “Our help is in the name of the LORD the Maker of heaven and earth.” This functions as a declarative statement of allegiance as worship begins.
This article is the second in a series introducing “Worshiping the Triune God,” a working document published following the inaugural meeting of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) in June 2010 (see Part 1 in RW 100).
The following teaching service was originally used on a Reformation Sunday, but it could be used in many other contexts. Your service may not include all the elements referenced here, or it may use different names for the elements or include them in a different order. We encourage you to adapt this service to fit your own context. If you do not want to do an entire teaching service, consider adding one of these “teachings” in each service throughout a month-long period or including them in your bulletin or church newsletter.
Robert Nordling (see his article on p. 32) tells a story about taking his five-year-old son, Jackson, to a young friend’s birthday party: All dressed up, brimming with enthusiasm, Jackson rushes into his friend’s house to join the festivities. But when his father arrives to pick him up after the party, Jackson looks dejected. “What’s the matter, Jackson?” asks his father. “Didn’t you enjoy the party?” The answer is a terse no. “But you were looking forward to this party so much!
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