Our Third Book.

[PLEASE NOTE: If you have no idea why we’re on “our third book,” simply back up to the two previous days and catch up. You’ll be glad you did.]

The United Methodist Book of Worship is a companion volume to The United Methodist Hymnal. (Yes, we do have a clever way with titles!)

It opens like this —

“From John Wesley’s Sunday Service of the Methodists of North America in 1784, through the hymnals, rituals, and books of worship of our antecedent denominations, our official worship resources have defined our Church.”

— Our current one, published in 1992, is the most thorough example of such an effort I’ve had the chance to examine and use.

In the best sense of the word, it is also the most catholic-with-a-small-c book of worship resources I’ve seen.

Like our Hymnal, it draws from a healthy diversity of people and places and eras. It reflects and helps shape who and how we are.

I promised you yesterday that I’d be much briefer today. You can explore, enjoy, and benefit from The United Methodist Book of Worship by going here:

https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/worship/book-of-worship