Time of Silence

The “time of silence” in our church occurs prior to the call to worship. This is the time for private meditation. We encourage each worshipper quietly to prepare for worship prior to the announcements. Once the call to worship occurs, each element of the service is congregational in nature. What we do, we do collectively, not privately.

The exercises of public worship services are public and congregational. There is a tendency to add to public worship moments for silent and personal prayer, moments for personal confession, and moments for personal intercession which we see as being entirely unnecessary, even contrary to the nature of the service as a public service. If it is necessary to add such activities in order to encourage "personal participation," what are we to make of the rest of the service? Is the congregation not participating during the minister's prayers and preaching or during congregational responses such as songs and creeds?

Nothing we do should say or imply that worship only becomes authentic when participants withdraw into individual worship. Leaders should not be encouraged to close their eyes up front, ostentatiously, as though it were necessary to escape to solitude, one's own little world as it were, to experience true worship. Any act or gesture which tends to isolate oneself from others is contrary to the nature of public, collective worship.

All congregational responses should be collective and in unison. Idiosyncratic gestures and postures should be discouraged, as they tend to separate and/or draw attention. This one should not be raising his hands, or that one kneeling, or this other one standing, or that one with eyes open, or another with eyes closed. All of the movements, gestures, and postures of public worship should be understood as public and congregational in worship.

- Serving with Calvin, pp 62-63