|
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipper will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. John 4.23 |
The nature of our worship, its words and actions, remains definitive in how we proclaim afresh in our own generation the mystery of creation and of our re-creation in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The worship of God in our liturgy is how we rehearse that faith and deepen its mystery in our lives. The primary purpose of worship is to give glory to God. In so doing, it is also the performance and strengthening of faith in shared witness with other Christians who are part of our household, the Church… In missional terms, worship is also ‘witness’ to those we invite to join us in worship, and those who are prompted by the Holy Spirit to find out who we are and what it is like to believe and practise the Christian faith.
The APW is appointed by the bishop in consultation with the Bishop’s Council. It is chaired by the bishop or the bishop’s nominee (currently the Archdeacon of Hastings) as an expression of the ministry of “the chief pastor of all within the diocese” (Canons of the Church of England, C18.1).
The APW has been established to work with the Bishop and the Department for Apostolic Life, offering resources and guidance throughout the diocese. It seeks not only to help clergy and lay leaders offer worship of the highest possible standard, but also to assist them in teaching about the nature of worship and preparing people to participate in it fully.