Dear Restoration,
I have some simple, liturgical updates for you today that I hope will bless you. Many of our local customs here at Restoration were shaped by the fact that we were a portable church. Our practices and equipment needed to be nimble and basic. Now being settled in a permanent home, we are able to incorporate some more of our vibrant, sacramental heritage into our regular worship. May these subtle changes help stir your heart into greater awareness of the goodness and beauty of God.
New Pulpit Bible
We are a Bible church. As a reminder of the vitality, strength, and endurance of the living Word, we now have a hefty pulpit Bible from which we’ll read the Sunday lessons. Each week, may the ancient Word of God bolster and bless you.
Offertory Changes
During the offering, greeters will bring the communion elements from the back of the sanctuary up to the chancel. (Greeters, we'll give you more instruction the next time you serve.) Bread and wine are both the fruits of our labor and the goodness of God’s creation. “We offer you these gifts,” says our liturgy. Through Christ, all of creation, our gifts and our very lives, are gathered up to be transformed and presented to God the Father.
Return of the Common Cup
We will be bringing back the common cup of wine. Most of you joined Restoration after the pandemic, and so this will be a new practice for you. The trays of juice will always remain an option; the common cup serves as a reminder of the unity we have with Christ and each other. For those of you who want to partake of the cup of wine: receive the cup, take a sip, and then hand it back to the server. The server will wipe the lip of the cup and hand it to the next person.
New Communion Vessels
Each week, our soul is fed by the presence of Christ. He gives us his body and blood as spiritual food, nourishing us for the journey. A new way we'll be honoring the Lord's presence among us is by using gold for chalice, cup, and paten. May the beauty and warmth of these new vessels recall for you the riches of his grace, and the transforming power of Christ in you and the hope of glory.
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We Anglicans worship God through Word, Table, and Spirit. The living God speaks to us and feeds us miraculously, graciously, and abundantly. May these simple changes —along with all the other aspects of our common worship— draw you more into the love and grace of God.
Yours in Christ,
Father Rick
Simple Liturgical Changes
