Why is an occasion of worship
often referred to as a Service? To worship (from "worthship") God is to
acknowledge the Creator's supreme worth; it is to "ascribe to the Lord the
glory due his Name" (Psalm 2, v. 2). In the Bible prayer (and sacrifice) is
understood as the foremost service rendered to God as king. "...worship
is the only adequate preparation of the Church for its work and witness in the
world as the Body of Christ. ... [Worship] is an end in itself; in it man
achieves his chief end of glorifying God. There is no greater human activity
than that of giving unto the Lord the glory due unto His name. Hence, for
Christians the obligation of worship is absolute... It is the act not of
isolated individuals but of the whole Church. ...private worship is based on
corporate worship, the worship of the Church, ... a family activity." [from
Raymond Abba, Principles of Christian Worship (1957), Ch. 1]
Accordingly, Services of
corporate worship are the most significant and fundamental activities through
which human beings can serve God. (See also "Prayer and Worship" in the
Prayer Book's Catechism, pp. 856 f.)