What is a typical Methodist service like?

[MParedon]

I've never been to one and since one of my friends converted to Methodist when she got married I might be going to one or two of her services in the future.

I know there are different types of Methodists, so I would like to learn about if there are different types of services.

Thanx in advance

 

[HeatherJay]

A UMC service is generally pretty structure (but not too stuffy). There's an order to things. Certain recitations in places. Some singing. A well timed sermon. My Gram always admired the fact that the services there never ran too long. It's fairly meek and mild and you most likely won't have anyone shouting Hallelujah or anything (though, I guess you might ). Relax, my dear, there's nothing to fear.

I'm Nazarene now, but I was Methodist (UMC) for quite a number of years.

 

[Dark_Lite]

Since we're a spinoff from the Anglican church (Which is basically Protestant Catholicism), it's kind of mystical, but not as mystical as a Catholic Mass or Anglican Mass.

The preachers wear robes. Communion is believed to be a spiritual presence of Jesus in the bread (I think). Anyhow, you NEED the little leaflet thing to follow the service, Methodist services are very odered and.... methodical. Just grab one of the leaflet things and you'll know what's going on. It's similar to a missalette, but things change so you'll need it to go through the service.

 

[Kripost]

The impression I get is that the service is 'semi-liturgucal', in a sense that there is an orderly sequence in the service, which is more or less the same every week. Yet there seems to be some sort of leeway given for difference (e.g. for special occasions?)

Of course, I guess it may vary from parish to parish, and I have only been to a few Methodist services, so I my comments are based on why I have experienced.

 

[elanor]

Think Liturgy-Lite. Here's how our service generally goes:

About 15 minutes before the service actually begins, we have a praise time, singing hymns and choruses. Once service starts, we begin with welcoming visitors and announcements. Then the acolytes (children) light the candles on the altar, symbolic of God's light with us. Pastor then reads a short reflection that relates to what will be the overall theme of the service. This helps us focus our minds. We have a hymn, then the liturgist reads a call to worship. It's in call/response format, so for that you need the bulletin. Then we greet each other, there's a children's moment before they are dismissed for Sunday School, and then we have prayer. We always start with reading a corporate prayer of confession, then have silent prayer, then we read words of assurance of God's forgiveness and presence in our lives. Then we have corporate prayer. That varies a bit. Sometimes people share praises and prayer requests. Pastor says either, "In your mercy," or "We give you thanks." We respond with "Lord, hear our prayers." Sometimes pastor prays a lead prayer and pauses so we can chime in. For example, she may pray for those who suffer from pain and disease, and during the pause people from all around the room speak the name of someone they know who is ill. More singing, sharing of our tithes and offerings, the sermon, and (once a month) celebration of the Lord's Supper. In our church we go forward to the altar, breaking off a piece of bread and dipping it in the cup as we receive it. More singing, then we all join hands for a benediction.

It's not at all intimidating. It's actually very warm and friendly, and I love the moments of quiet scattered throughout that give me a chance to commune with the Lord.

That's probably more than you wanted to know, but there you go.

Edit: I'm in the United Methodist Church, by the way.

 

[CryptoKnight]

I've never been to one and since one of my friends converted to Methodist when she got married I might be going to one or two of her services in the future.

Our UMC church has three distinctly different services. The 2nd service is similar to what has been described above, with robes, choirs and bell choirs, call to worship, and a vaguely Anglican feel. FWIW, because of our demographics, it also has the smallest attendance.

Our first service sings blended praise (i.e. praise songs typically from the 70's and newer, like "Come, Now is the TIme to Worship" and "Awesome God" being led my our music director from the Piano. No robes, but a very similar structure otherwise to the Traditional (second) service.

Our third service is a modern praise service. We don't hand out flyers or anything, because we want people's hands empty to clap and praise. We don't want them reading anything that's not up on the projection screen. We have a live praise band (lead, rhythm and bass guitars, drums, keyboards, and 6 vocalists) and sing *some* of the "Awesome God" type songs, but most of it is much newer Newsboys/Michael W Smith/Vineyard type music.

In our District (Rocky Mountain/Denver) there seems to be a general tendency to add contemporary worship to complement the traditional services.

 

[ChristianTeen]

Well, since I am pretty sure I am the only Free Methodist here, I guess I should post.

Our services have a prelude, then announcements, offering, some songs then comes the sermon. Then we sing another song at the end after the sermon, or message as it is sometimes called. After that is the Pastoral Prayer, the Benediction, and the Doxology. Then we can leave. Usually lasts about an hour. Not much longer at least.

 

[Plan 9]

I have attended all three of these in my lifetime, and I like them all, but I'm a member of a church now, which may constitute a fourth, although with perhaps some features of each, but I'm afraid my powers of description may be inadequate, so if anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

I belong to a UM church which a congregation which is approximately eighty percent black. We have two choirs, a professional one which pays for a lot of the church's maintenance, and a pathetically amateur one (and by that I mean incredibly bad; we had so few tenors that I sang tenor, like in the Johnny Cash song, so trust me on this one), because everyone with a really good voice is pulled for the professional one.
We have a printed order of service and everything, but the cool choir enters after the congregation is seated, and their small orchestra (pretty much a Gospel and Jazz band which can really wail) is already tuned up and strikes up the same the opening hymn each week, which is Black Gospel, and to which rhey choir mwmbers also clap, walking in a procession up each side aisle (there is no center one) to the front in a stylized, coordinated fashion to fit with the music, a little like a school graduations.
(The *ahem* below average choir is already seated, and when they perform their one number later (piano only), the cool choir can be counted on to enthusiastically applaud their effort with total sincerity).

Then the fun starts. LOL

The sermon style depends on what sort of part time pastor we can afford; the closest UM seminary is too far away to provide us with a supply of UM pastors-in-training, but even when we have a pastor who is rather high church, individual members of the congregation will quietly, but audibly and emphatically encourage him or her in a manner which is sincere, and not in the least distracting: "Amen, Brother!", "You're right, Sister!", "Preach it, Brother!", and sometimes repeating a short version of the pastor's statement : "Um um! No followin' the world!", and no one ever speaks up at the same time.
Some of the announcements will be in the nature of personal congratulations:
"Brother so-and-so has been accepted to Drury University (It's an excellent private school, and expensive). Let's congratulate him!" Then the embarrassed young man must stead to applause, while his parents sit there, beaming with pleasure and pride.
In the Narthex, our free copies of The Upper Room are cheek and jowl with the monthy newsletters from the local African ME and Christian ME churches.
In a city in which you can find UM churches within three blocks of each other, half with cornerstones showing that they used to be Southern ME churches, I'm couldn't be prouder to be a member of a Black ME church which never split away. My father's church is their "sister" church, and he's equally proud.
This is an old, and historically important church, and better yet, today's congregation is warm and welcoming to all. I can't tell you how very much I miss being able to attend; it was always the high point of my week.

 

[Plan 9]

Well, since I am pretty sure I am the only Free Methodist here, I guess I should post.

Our services have a prelude, then announcements, offering, some songs then comes the sermon. Then we sing another song at the end after the sermon, or message as it is sometimes called. After that is the Pastoral Prayer, the Benediction, and the Doxology. Then we can leave. Usually lasts about an hour. Not much longer at least.

I wish we had a way to find everyone who's a member of this forum and personally invite them; surely you aren't the only Free Methodist here at CF!
I sure am pleased that you post here, though! Thank you!

 

[MParedon]

Thanx you guys...so much. From the descriptions, it sounds like a cross between Baptist and Catholic. Like somewhere in the middle. I only make that description because I've only ever been to Catholic Mass and Fund.SouthernBaptist services.

I love your detailed descriptions, I think I'll probably be very comfortable at one of these services...I even got the "Lord hear our prayers" part down pat!

And now I finally know why there was a projection screen at my friend's wedding. They showed photos of the bride and groom growing up and together. Too sweet. I just thought that this was some sort of new trend that she started. I kept on thinking, "Boy, I wonder how she convinced the pastor to let her bring a projection screen?"

 

[Plan 9]

Thanx you guys...so much. From the descriptions, it sounds like a cross between Baptist and Catholic. Like somewhere in the middle. I only make that description because I've only ever been to Catholic Mass and Fund.SouthernBaptist services.

That's a very good description! They very much run the gamut beteen Catholic and Southern Baptist. My church is every bit as conservative as a Southern Baptist church, in most respects. I see no reason why you wouldn't feel comfortable, and I think it's way cool that you came here to ask us. I had a lot of fun writing my post for you.

Not all of our ministers are the most magnetic of preachers, but as HeatherJay pointed out, the average service doesn't tend to be very long, and a big reason for that is that the minister had better have something pretty riveting to say if her or she is going to preach for longer than about 20 minutes. Our seminaries try to teach them to be concise speakers, because a lot of good stuff can be packed into 20 minutes of the speaker is organized.

I love your detailed descriptions, I think I'll probably be very comfortable at one of these services...I even got the "Lord hear our prayers" part down pat!

Did anyone give you the lyrics to the Doxology and the Gloria Patri yet? LOL

And now I finally know why there was a projection screen at my friend's wedding. They showed photos of the bride and groom growing up and together. Too sweet. I just thought that this was some sort of new trend that she started. I kept on thinking, "Boy, I wonder how she convinced the pastor to let her bring a projection screen?"

awww...That is sweet!

 

[MParedon]

Gloria Patri:
Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit; (or do you say Holy Ghost, instead?)
As it was in the beginning,
Is now,
And ever shall be,
World without end


Is there a set doxology, or do you do different ones on different days?

 

[HeatherJay]

The Doxology we always sang was :

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

Are there different doxologies? I didn't know that. I always LOVED that one...it's so beautiful. I really miss it, I'm not sure if the Church of the Nazarene sings it at all. I wish they did, though.

And during the Gloria Patri we sing 'Holy Ghost' instead of 'Holy Spirit'. Also, add a couple of Amens at the end there, lol, like this :

Glory be to the Father
And to the Son
And to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning,
Is now and ever shall be;
World without end, amen, amen.

It's really pretty, too. We don't sing that one, either. Maybe I'll pay my friendly, neighborhood UMC a visit one of these Sundays.

 

[elanor]

Yes, there are various doxologies. Our hymnal has several. This is the one we sing as the offering is brought forward and placed on the altar:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.​

Praise God all creatures here below.​

Alleluia, Alleluia!​

Praise God the source of all our gifts,​

Praise Jesus Christ whose power uplifts,​

Praise the Spirit, Holy Spirit,​

ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA.​

The Gloria Patri isn't part of our service. I wish it was! We do say the Lord's Prayer every week.​

​

Oh, by the way, there are a few of us who do lift our hands during worship and prayer. And the practice is spreading. ​

 

[Plan 9]

Gloria Patri:
Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son,
And to the Holy Spirit; (or do you say Holy Ghost, instead?)
As it was in the beginning,
Is now,
And ever shall be,
World without end


Is there a set doxology, or do you do different ones on different days?

HeatherJay has given the lyrics to the only set doxology I'm familiar with as a United Methodist.

Your Gloria Patri must be sung to a different tune? Ours wouldn't scan properly if we we sang "Holy Spirit", rather than "Holy Ghost".


Btw, When I was a small child I found the term "Holy Ghost" disconcerting. I knew that he had to be a really good Ghost, but I didn't see how he could be much like Caspar the Friendly Ghost, either. I finally concluded that this obviously had to be one of those grownup things.

 

[Filia Mariae]

Btw, When I was a small child I found the term "Holy Ghost" disconcerting. I knew that he had to be a really good Ghost, but I didn't see how he could be much like Caspar the Friendly Ghost, either. I finally concluded that this obviously had to be one of those grownup things.

Me too! I used to be Episcopalian and we said "Holy Ghost" too and I always thought about that.

 

[Plan 9]

Me too! I used to be Episcopalian and we said "Holy Ghost" too and I always thought about that.

Really, Carly? Weren't we the Tiny Trinitarians!

I love reading those books about what children think of God, but the Holy Ghost has never come up in any I've read, so I thought I might be the only one.

Did you ask your parents, or did you keep trying to puzzle out this weighty theological concept all by yourself?

 

[bigsierra]

I was going over the Angelus with the kids tonight and they freaked over the term Holy Ghost. They asked if they had to say Ghost, because they liked spirit better. I know I've said Holy Ghost around them before.

 

[Plan 9]

I was going over the Angelus with the kids tonight and they freaked over the term Holy Ghost. They asked if they had to say Ghost, because they liked spirit better. I know I've said Holy Ghost around them before.

I'm afraid that "Holy Ghost" has become an oxymoron for children over time, and the meaning of a unfamiliar oxymoron isn't always easy for adults to immediately grasp.

 

[HeatherJay]

My pastor was discussing this a while back in passing. He said that one of the reasons that pastors today commonly refer to being saved (at least in mixed company) as "recieving Jesus into your heart/life" instead of "receiving the Holy Spirit" is because it's so disconcerting for children. As adults we know it's the Holy Spirit that dwells within us, not Jesus.** But, Jesus, they get ("that friendly looking guy holding the lamb...yeah, He can come into my life")...the Holy Ghost ("huh??? There's WHAT living inside me???"), well, that's a difficult concept for little ones to wrap their brains around.

That may or may not be a common reason, but it makes sense to me.


** Note, that I'm not trying to promote any sort of anti-Trinitarian philosophy. If it strikes you that way then just omit this sentence and re-read the post in the light hearted manner in which I intended it.