the order of worship

(soon there might be an abbreviated version of this on the HOM website)

As a long-term volunteer for HOM I thought I would write something about the worship services that I’ve attended in Haiti. I hope this will give you some insight as to the format of the service. You still won’t be able to understand the words (it will be in Creole and I don’t have time or the knowledge to teach you that) but to know a little more of what is going on and some of the thought behind it. It is by no means a definitive work as I’m sure that I will miss things. I definitely don’t have all the worship answers but I have asked some questions to the pastsoral staff and gotten some good answers that I’ll try to share here.

The beginning-Praise & Prayer
The services begin with about an hour of songs and prayer. The songs are lead by a church leader and often can be found in the hymn book though most of the congregation will already know the songs and will follow the leader as they lead with key phrases. The songs often lead straight into prayers which are loud and chaotic with each individual speaking to God. Sometimes the leader will continue a song at a hum and when the congregation picks that up they will begin to pray. The congregation then continues to hum or breaks into prayer as they feel led. Other prayers begin after the song ends and the leader picks a Bible verse (often from Psalms) that leads into everyone praying. The energy that flows through the church at this time is awe-inspiring. People are waving their arms inviting the Holy Spirit, calling out to God, on their knees with their heads on the pews. Each is free to pray to our Loving God who hears each one even when we can’t even hear ourselves. In this time is the call to confession and the assurance of forgiveness. Choirs sing praises and then it moves to the next part of worship.

Announcements & Welcome
A pastor or lay pastor then takes the service. He makes announcements and welcomes visitors. Meetings happening at the church, changes in a regular schedule, upcoming weddings, baptisms, or funerals are a few examples. Then the first time visitors stand and are recognized (sometimes with a ribbon, sometimes with a song). Haitian visitors are ushered to the front so they may feel more involved in the service with a closer seat. (HOM teams are not ushered to the front as we often leave in the middle of a service to attend a service at another HOM site.)
The song that is often sung goes like this:

Mwen renmen ou nan nom Segnè a                       I love you in the name of the Lord
Mwen renmen ou nan nom Segnè a                       I love you in the name of the Lord
Paske mwen wè nan ou lanmou Bondye a             Because I see in you the love of God
Mwen renmen ou nan nom Segne a                       I love you in the name of the Lord

What an awesome reminder of God’s love being in everyone, from friends to strangers.

Communion & Offering
A meditation on communion comes next. Communion happens in the middle of the service. This is different from at home when the communion often comes after the sermon toward the end of the service. Communion is seen as the center of the worship experience. It is the reminder that we are saved through grace and the sacrifice of Jesus-the center of our beliefs and therefore the center of worship. The meditation is often taken from one of the Gospels, 1 Corinthians 15, or Isaiah 53 but it is up to the discretion of the leader as they remind us of Christ’s death, burial, resurrection and promised return. Communion is open to all believers that have made the decision and declaration of Jesus as Lord and Savior. The plates are passed and the elements (bread and juice) are held to be eaten together as part of the one body of the church. As the cups are returned, it is also the time of the offering. As we have freely received communion and the grace of God so we may respond with our offering.

Sermon
The sermon is next. This is the last element of the service. There is no lectionary that is followed, but often the pastors have decided on themes for a series of sermons. When I asked why the sermon is at the end of the service, I was told that the hope is that the congregation listens and may be moved to make a deeper commitment to God. At the end of the sermon there is an invitation for anyone who feels moved to dedicate their life to Jesus or for those who already have accepted Jesus to make a stronger commitment to being a more active servant in the church. This is also a time for those who have prayer requests to come forward as there are leaders at the front who help and pray with them.

Often Sunday School classes follow the service (though on some Sundays it comes first). Here at Terre Noire (and I imagine at the other sites) the church is used as well as the school classrooms. In the church a class will take up about 4 pews with the teacher standing in the front and the next class will be about 3 pews behind them. It reminds me of the praying with all of the teaching going on at once in the same space. God’s work is definitely moving here!