Sunday Worship in Africa

What’s your Sunday morning like?  Here in Africa, I leave home at 8:00 am in my red pickup truck.  At the roadside, two neighbor families clamber in, and we arrive at church in time for Jeremias (on guitar) and I (playing the keyboard) to practice the congregational hymns before the service begins at 9:00.  Members and visitors trickle in while we rehearse.  While our congregation raises funds to build a sanctuary, our current worship site is the largest ward of our organization’s not-yet-open hospital.

The man slated for liturgy on any given Sunday begins the service by soliciting announcements and prayer requests from any who wish to share.  When they have finished, he reads a Biblical text as a call to worship, and we sing a hymn.  He gives an opening prayer, followed by another Scripture and hymn leading into the opportunity for members to share testimonies of answered prayer and God’s providential care in their lives (as pictured here).  A designated man then offers an extended prayer, remembering the needs and praise reports mentioned as well as other concerns in the church body, and everyone responds by singing, “Our God, hear our petitions.”

With another Bible passage and hymn, the liturgist introduces the man who will share a ten-minute exhortation.  Sometimes we’re also blessed with choral music or a vocal solo during this free participation time.  After another Scripture reading, the congregation sings while depositing their offerings in a box near the pulpit, and the children leave for Sunday School.  The main sermon, from one of our gifted preachers, lasts for 45 minutes, with a volunteer periodically holding up cards to show him how much time remains.