liturgy | holycovenant

Liturgy

Liturgy means "the work of the people". Every church has a liturgy, it just looks different. Sometimes work is fun, sometimes it is hard but it is always good when centered in Christ. The work we do is founded in our identity as Gods children. It is a manifestation of who we are. Our work, as Christs body holds true to the form the early Christians used when they gathered to worship God and to partake of the Body of Christ. You will find, icons, incense, scriptures, prayers, saints, sacraments, vestments, music and singing to be part of this work. You will also find ministry and mission work as essential characteristics of liturgy. Liturgy is much like a dance in the form of a procession getting closer and closer to God. It is laughter and crying, giving and receiving, personal and communal.

Sacraments

We believe the sacraments to be the moments in time when eternal realities are made manifest. The grace, love and peace of God is present in a holistic (holy) way. Revealed by Christ, through the grace and power of the Holy Spirit, the sacrament(s) are the symbol(s) of what is a good, one and holy reality. They are the symbols that heal and mend divided and broken creation. They are unfallen creation,

Baptism (water) is the dying and re-birth in Christ.

Chrismation (oil) the sign and fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Confession (word) the reconciliation with God.

Marriage (rings) the covenant with God.

Holy Unction (oil) the healing of God.

Ordination (vestments) the order of God

Eucharist (bread & wine) the presence of God.

The sacraments covers and fulfills all aspects of human enterprise (birth, washing, eating, talking, family, sickness, dying) because our whole life is indeed sacramental, meant to be holy so that we once again can be in communion with God.

We celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday and the other Sacraments as appropriate.

Prayer

We believe prayer to be at the foundation of our existence because prayer is communion with God. Prayer is being with God and doing His will. It is walking with God but also falling on our knees before His glory. Prayer fills humanity with the presence of divinity. Prayer is talking to God and listening to Him more. Prayer is done in secret, but also in public with others, testifying of Gods presence everywhere. Prayer is the breath of life in the body of Christ, the Church. Prayer is guided and sustained by the Holy Spirit, Who guides our ears and our words. Prayer brings heaven and earth together. Prayer is liturgical and holy, it is the work of Gods people and the smell that is pleasing to the Lord.

During the week we pray both as a corporate body and in our individual lives. Our prayer joins the prayers of the worldwide Church in the Sunday liturgy. Why don't you join us?

Scriptures

We believe the Scriptures to be the word of God. They give a mysterious, written account to the story of the Word of God and how this Word (Christ) became incarnate. We believe Scriptures to be written for us but not directly to us. Scriptures is the story of God's people for God's people, and therefore needs to be read and interpreted by God's people, the Church. We encourage the individual reading of Scriptures but when it comes to interpretation, the Church past and present needs to be involved. Scripture itself refers to the Church as the "pillar and bulwark of the truth". Only the Holy Spirit knows the depths of God and the Holy Spirit is present when two or three are gathered in His name. The books that were appointed to be part of Holy Scriptures were finalized by the Holy Spirit made manifest at the Council of Carthage, 397 AD, when the Church was visible one. This means Scripture is essential in the discernment of where holy tradition is found. Scripture is a fixed account revealing eternal truths, and as such, also a part of God's ongoing tradition sustained by the power of the Holy Spirit Who is the Life and Breath of that very tradition.