Worship Services in the Liturgical Year


For everything its season and for every activity under heaven its time.

-Ecclesiastes 3:1


A calendar reminds us of important dates: anniversaries, birthdays, appointments, and necessary tasks. On it we record what matters to us. The Christian calendar is, therefore, incalculably valuable to us as a worshiping community. On that calendar, Christians throughout history have marked the significant events of the life of Christ, of the Church, and of God's people. Pullen's worship seeks to follow the tradition of the Christian liturgical calendar. Our church year begins with Advent followed by Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time. Within each of those seasons, there are special worship services that help us name and celebrate our participation in the Christian story today. What follows is a description of the liturgical seasons and the worship services that help us live into that particular season. For information about our traditions in Sunday worship see Worship Traditions.


Advent

Originally begun as a time of preparation for the coming of Christ, Advent is a time of expectancy and anticipation in which we "prepare the way of the Lord." In the ninth century, Advent was established as being the four Sundays before Christmas. Our worship services throughout advent focus on the four themes of Advent: hope, peace, joy, and love.

 

Christmas

Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Christ, has drawn many pagan and Christian events into one joyous holy day. Santa Claus came from the festival of St. Nicholas on December sixth. The Journey of the Magi, though it occurred years after the birth of Christ, has become part of the Christmas celebration. In fact, Christmas became so full of different customs and joyful revelry that the Puritans banned it. When Charles II restored the monarchy, he also reinstated Christmas.

The early Christians met and broke bread together to signify their union, fellowship, and love. In 1727 the Moravian Church revived this practice and established the custom of celebrating the great church festivals by partaking of a simple meal known as a "lovefeast."  Pullen celebrates Christmas in a Lovefeast on a Wednesday evening each December. In Moravian tradition, the Pullen Orchestra and church instrumentalists lead the congregation in singing carols of the season as scripture is heard, the meal is shared, and candles are lit.

Pullen has two Christmas Eve services that celebrate Christ's birth in our world. Our first service is at 7:00 PM. While the structure of this service may look different from year-to-year, the traditions of reading and/or telling the story of Jesus' birth and singing carols makes it a worship service enjoyed by all ages. Our second Christmas Eve service begins at 11:00 PM and is led by our youth. Each service concludes with candle light and the singing of a familiar Christmas carol.

 

Epiphany

The Christmas season concludes with Epiphany, a word meaning "manifestation" or "showing forth." The festival commemorates the visit of the Wise ones to the Christ child. The Magi understood that this Jesus was "God with us"; it is the mystery and the miracle of Epiphany that these wise ones, these scholars and intellectuals, knew enough to fall down and worship Jesus. Epiphany Sunday is observed on the Sunday closest to Epiphany, January 6. Sundays after Epiphany point to other "manifestations of the Word made flesh" in the Baptism of Jesus and his early ministry. The final Sunday after Epiphany recounts the Transfiguration of Christ.

 

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday begins the Season of Lent. Pullen's Ash Wednesday service is a reflective service including the imposition of ashes on the forehead (taken from the burning of the previous year's Palm Sunday palm fronds).

 

Lent

Lent is part of the Easter cycle beginning forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays). Lent is a time to rest, to meditate, to pray, and to gather spiritual strength. Even though Sundays are not included in the days of Lent (each Sunday being considered a "Little Easter"), Pullen observes the Church tradition of putting "Alleluias" to rest, as services offer a more introspective focus. During this season we emphasize our connection to the American Baptist Churches USA and take up the ABC Mission Offerings.

 

Palm Sunday

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, the celebration of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Worship on this day enacts this event and foretells the coming week in the life of Christ.

 

Maundy Thursday

"Maundy" is derived from the Latin word meaning "mandate" and recalls Jesus' new mandate from his teaching in the upper room: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." Pullen's Maundy Thursday service relives Jesus' last evening through meditative scripture and song, and invites congregants to participate in stations of footwashing, communion, and/or prayer.

 

Good Friday

On Good Friday, the most solemn date on the Christian calendar, we remember the Crucifixion of Christ. On this day, Pullen offers opportunity for private, reflective prayer through the walking of the labyrinth in the chapel.

 

Easter

In ancient tradition of the Church, Easter morning begins with baptism. A service of Easter Baptism is held in Finlator Hall, which houses Pullen's baptistery. The first proclamations and hymns of Easter morning are offered in this early service as the church congregation celebrates with those who are baptized. A service of Easter worship in the sanctuary follows. This festive service is marked with joy and festive expressions in the exclamation of Christ's resurrection. The Easter service of worship at Pullen includes resurrecting the use of "Alleluias" (put to rest during Lent).  Children are invited to ring alleluia bells with each alleluia sung or spoken. The Easter service concludes with worshipers invited to the chancel to sing "Hallelujah" from Handel's Messiah.

 

Pentecost

Fifty days after Easter, Pentecost celebrates the birth of the church and empowering of the Holy Spirit. A vibrant service of worship celebrates Pullen's welcome for all and the recognition that all are gifted through God's Spirit.

 

Creation Season

In the month of June, following Pentecost, Pullen celebrates a liturgical season highlighting creation and our role as co-partners in caring for everything God has made. Each Sunday, aspects of the service remind us of the many gifts nature gives unselfishly to us and challenge us to care for our fragile planet.



Ordinary Time and Other Observances

The Sundays after Pentecost comprise the liturgical year's longest period and include a variety of emphases in the life of the church. While the other liturgical seasons relive the life of Christ, this season focuses on the ongoing work of the church. Sundays during this season include:

 

          Youth Sunday

This Sunday service in May is planned by and is a celebration of the youth of our church. Individual youth speak scriptures and proclamations, the Youth Choir and Pullen Orchestra offer music, and the service concludes with the recognition and blessing of graduating seniors.


 

          Rite-13 Sunday

Rite-13 Sunday is another of our worship services focusing on our youth. On this Sunday, our worship includes a Rite-13 ritual that blesses those who are 13 or will soon be turning 13 as they journey toward adulthood. Some years Rite-13 Sunday is scheduled in the fall and other years we celebrate it in the spring.


 

            Peace Sunday

The first Sunday in February is Peace Sunday at Pullen. With a focus on world peace, following communion each congregant is given an origami dove, an international symbol of peace.


 

           Alliance of Baptists Sunday

This Sunday celebrates the partnership of Pullen as a founding member of The Alliance of Baptists, an association of Baptists upholding historic Baptist principles, freedoms, and traditions as it engages churches in mission and ministry. 


 

           World Communion Sunday

Pullen connects with the larger Church in commemorating World Communion    Sunday. This day brings the awareness that our faith community is part of a worldwide body of faith. Worship on this day at Pullen is accented with music, languages, and sometimes communion bread from various places around the globe.


 

          Children's Sabbath

This Sunday service in October expresses gratitude to God for the children of our congregation. Children offer worship leadership in a variety of ways. The Children's Choir sings, and worship proclamations focus on our care for children and the gifts they bring to our church and world.


 

           Reformation Sunday

Marking the historical movement known as the Reformation of the Church, Reformation Sunday celebrates the Priesthood of All Believers and connects our heritage as Baptists with others in the reformed and free-church traditions. 


 

           All Saints' Day

The first Sunday in November remembers saints who have "gone before."  With an awareness of the "great cloud of witnesses" among us, worship on All Saints' Day at Pullen includes the reading of the names of our loved ones and saints as communion is taken. 


 

           Service of Remembrance

There are many different kinds of loss that hit us hard during the holidays. The loss of a family member or close friend through death takes us into the long journey of grieving. We can also experience a sense of loss when we are cut off from home and family because of who we are or whom we love. Still others carry the pain of lost health or careers. Each year, in November or December, a Service of Remembrance is held. This is a time to gather with the faith community to remember, to grieve, and to give thanks. An important part of the service is to name the people and places remembered and to share a few words about them.


           

          Thanksgiving

Pullen participates with four other West Raleigh congregations in a Community Thanksgiving service held each year on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving at one of the five churches. Choirs, ministers, and laity   from each of the churches combine to lead the service.

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