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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTAMP:20260506T062705Z
UID:5-626520@orthodoxredeemer.org
DTSTART:20261018T170000Z
DTEND:20261018T180000Z
CLASS:PUBLIC
CREATED:20260505T210158
DESCRIPTION:The word “Liturgy” is a combination of two Greek words (le
 ïtos and ergon—meaning “concerning the people” and “work\,” res
 pectively). It denotes a familiar task in which all the people take part. 
 Thus\, in Liturgy there is no audience\; everyone is a participant. Liturg
 y is certainly not something that goes on just between the priest and the 
 choir\; the function of the latter is to lead all the people into a full p
 articipation.\nCongregational participation is not new. It is\, rather\, t
 he Tradition of the Church which had been largely and regrettably lost in 
 North America until recently. The Martyr Ignatius himself\, the God-bearer
  and second bishop of Antioch (after the founding Apostles Peter and Paul)
 \, is credited with introducing antiphonal singing in the church. Indeed\,
  to this day\, most of our hymnography is intended to be rendered antiphon
 ally. Right from the first century\, St. Ignatius wanted his flock to be a
 n active part of the service by singing Psalm verses\, refrains and respon
 ses.\nWith the exception of a small number of brief prayers—wherein the 
 priest asks forgiveness for his own sins and prays for strength to perform
  his ministry—everything in the Liturgy is in the language of “we” a
 nd “us.” The Orthodox understand Liturgy as being a family gathering. 
 We consider ourselves as children in our Father’s house. Every member of
  the family\, therefore\, has chores and responsibilities\, according to t
 he ability of each in the variety of God-given gifts and ministries in the
  Body of Christ\, the Church. Thus we understand that all the baptized fai
 thful share in Christ’s Priesthood\, and that the Body is healthy only w
 hen each member (or organ) thereof is contributing its unique and vital fu
 nction. In the Orthodox Church no Liturgy may be served without the presen
 ce and participation of the laity.\nOur Liturgy is characterized not by a 
 priest who has power to change bread and wine but by a common prayer—a p
 rayer led by the priest and to which all must assent—a prayer addressed 
 to the Father\, in the Name of His only-begotten Son\, that the Father wil
 l send upon us and upon the Gifts that are offered His Holy Spirit and wil
 l unite all to one another in a Holy Communion. In the work of our Liturgy
 \, we become the manifestation of the Body of Christ onto which we were gr
 afted at baptism. It is vital that we all take part in this work. When we 
 partake\, we take part in and become part of the Body of Christ. His Body 
 is alive and life-giving. By our incorporation into it\, we become partake
 rs of the Fountain of immortality and of the divine nature itself.\nLet us
 \, therefore\, involve ourselves fully into the service. Let us make the L
 iturgy our prayer—the prayer of the whole people of God—singing\, bles
 sing and worshiping Him Who could not endure to behold mankind oppressed a
 nd subject to death\, Who did come and did save us. Blessed be the Name of
  the Lord\, henceforth and forevermore!\nfrom "On Participation in the Lit
 urgy" by Nabil L. Hanna
LAST-MODIFIED:20260505T210158
LOCATION:
SUMMARY:Divine Liturgy
URL;VALUE=URI:https://www.orthodoxredeemer.org/events/divine-liturgy/2026-1
 0-18
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