World Religion CPT
Average Day-
Sunday Service
Every church is different and the customs and practices can differ widely, even within the same denomination. A typical length of time for a church service is anywhere from one to two hours. Many churches have multiple church services, including Saturday evening, Sunday morning and Sunday evening worship services. Most Christian services begin with a time of praise and worship or open with a song or two. There is also most likely an organ or piano of some kind, and a choir arrangement. The music is an artistic and symbolic way to lift God up in praise, to express our love, gratitude and thankfulness to him for all he has done for us. During the service, there is a time of greeting when worshippers are invited to meet and greet one another. This time differs between churched. It can be a brief "peace be with you" to a period of time where members of the church can walk around and chat with one another. This time unites a member of the church under a common faith and set of beliefs. The receiving of gifts, tithes and offerings is also a common practice in Christian mass. Some churches will pass around an "offering plate" or "offering basket", while others ask you to bring your offering forward to the altar as an act of worship. This practice allows members of the church to support the church so it can afford to be an active part of the community.
Some churches observe communion every Sunday, while others only at determined times throughout the year. Communion, or the Lord's Table, is most often practiced just before, just after, or during the message. However, some churches have communion during worship. Churches that don’t follow a structured liturgy will often vary the time for Communion. Another portion of the service is dedicated to the pronouncement of the word of God. Some churches call it the "sermon", the "teaching", or the "homily". Some pastors teach from scriptures, while others preach. Some ministers follow very structured outline, while others feel more comfortable speaking from a free-flowing outline. The purpose of this time is for instruction in the Word of God with the goal of making it applicable to out daily lives. Many Christian churches offer an opportunity for people to receive prayer for their specific needs. This allows members of the church to come together to support each other within the church through prayer. This time is typically at the end of a service, or even after the service has closed. And lastly, most church services end with a closing song or prayer.
