Worship in the Church (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

Church as the centre of worship

• The main function of the church building is as a centre for people to go to worship

  • This includes people attending church services, such as Eucharist or Mass, on a Sunday or during religious festivals

  • It also includes people visiting for private individual prayer

• The church building is also important as it is where many other religious activities take place

  • Examples include rites of passage ceremonies, such as baptisms, marriages and funerals

  • Many religious groups and activities may take place in churches, such as Sunday school and Bible study groups for children and prayer groups or Bible study for adults

Reasons why the church is the centre of worship

• Christians have been gathering together for worship since the earliest days of the faith

  • Historically, it has been where key messages were communicated and information was shared

• The earliest Christians were following Jesus’ teachings by gathering for prayer and worship

• Jesus taught his followers that when they gathered together as believers, he would be there with them:

• Worshipping in public helps some Christians feel part of a larger community

• Many Christians feel closer to Jesus in church as they believe he is there with them

• Worshipping together, receiving the sacraments and following church traditions also help Christians to feel connected to other Christians now and throughout history

• Christians can learn more about God, the Bible and their faith from religious leaders at the church

• They can get advice and guidance for life from people with authority

• They get a sense of identity

• The church is also a centre for private worship because:

  • It is the house of God, and Christians feel closer to God there

  • It is a way to put the world aside and devote themselves fully to God

  • The features of the building — for example, the cross, statues or the altar — can help believers to focus better on God

  • It can make them feel comforted

  • There may be fellow believers praying, so they feel united and part of the greater community of Christians

Church as community

• A church is not just the building where religious events occur

• Many non-religious community events also take place within a church building including:

  • Charity events

  • Educational activities, such as adult education classes and reading groups

  • Youth groups

  • Crèche and children’s activity sessions

  • Leisure activities, such as yoga and keep-fit classes

  • Community events, such as coffee mornings and fêtes

  • Concerts and recitals

  • Birthday parties and family celebrations

Reasons why the church is a centre of the community

• The Christian Church is not just the building where Christians worship; it is also God’s community on earth and relates to the people the church serves

• The role of the Church can be recognised through different concepts, including body, community and assembly

The Church as the Body of Christ

• The Church is called the Body of Christ, as it is a living entity, just as a body is

• It is the Body of Christ, as Christ is the head and founder of the Church:

The Church as a community

• Viewing the Church as a community highlights the collective responsibility of all Christians to help others:

The Church as an assembly

• The word church comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which is defined as an assembly, or a gathering of Christian people

• The root meaning of the word church is not the building but the people

• The early church did not even have a building — they would just meet in homes or outside

The Church and the local community

• The role of the Church is to put Christian faith into action by helping others

• There are many ways in which churches put this into practice, including:

  • Offering help and support to those in need, for example, feeding the homeless

  • Providing rites of passage for people, such as weddings, funerals and baptisms

  • Running youth groups to help young people in the community

  • Running regular services and allowing the church to be used for quiet reflection

  • Raising money for local charities

  • Having church members become street pastors, who go out into the community and help those in need

  • Using the church as a food bank to help those who are struggling

The Church and food banks

• Food banks provide food for individuals who cannot afford to buy food

• Some churches act as food banks

  • There are also food bank organisations that are inspired by Christianity

• Christians are inspired by the words of the Bible, when Jesus says that those who help anyone in need are showing their love for God

• Jesus said, “Love your neighbour”, and by providing food, people show practical love through their care for the vulnerable

• The parable of the Sheep and Goats makes it clear that those in need should be helped

• In the Bible, Jesus fed 5,000 hungry people, and Christians are following his actions

• The Trussell Trust is a Christian organisation that helps to provide food for people in need

  • The Trust supports a network of over 1,200 food bank centres to provide emergency food and compassionate, practical support to people in crisis

  • The network of food banks provides a minimum of three days’ emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis in the UK

The reasons why Christian communities help

• The teachings of Jesus were clear about spreading love and helping others. For example, the Golden Rule and the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Sheep and Goats

• The second-most important commandment from Jesus was to “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31). In this example, “your neighbour” refers to everyone

• The leaders of Christian churches are expected to set an example for their congregations with their actions