What to Expect at Worship
For New Hope Lutheran, worship stands at the center of our life of faith. Through God’s word, water, bread and prayer we are nurtured in faith and sent out into the world.
For New Hope Lutheran, worship is central to everything we do, unites us in celebration, engages us in thoughtful dialogue and helps us grow in faith. It grounds us in our Christian roots while demonstrating practical relevance for today’s world.
For New Hope Lutheran, in worship we give thanks in prayer and song. We raise our voices together as we confess our human failings, pray for God’s creation and sing traditional and praise hymns. We worship through our Liturgy, connecting with our Triune God, each other and the world.
For New Hope Lutheran, central to our worship life is the presence of God through word and sacrament. The word proclaimed and the sacraments —both Holy Baptism and Holy Communion — are called the means of grace. We believe that Jesus Christ is present in these means through the power of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we describe worship as a “gathering around the means of grace.”
For New Hope Lutheran, there is a basic pattern for our worship. We gather. We encounter God’s word. We share a meal at the Lord’s table. We are sent into the world. But we do not think about worship in terms of what we do, for it should not be about what we are doing for God. Worship is fundamentally about what God is doing for us. In worship, we respond to God’s action. Worship is an encounter with God, who saves us through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.