Worship Planning

The liturgies below appeared in the now out of print Service Book for Use in Church Courts (1993). The task was to bring a diverse group of works into one collection. The forms of worship provided below are patterned after the series produced between 1984 and 1990 entitled A Sunday Liturgy.

The people join in those responses that appear in boldface type. These services were designed for use by ordained, diaconal, and lay ministries in regular pastoral charges and in special ministries such as hospital chaplaincies and social service ministries. The term "pastoral charge" has been used throughout, but where appropriate, another term such as "name of hospital, university, or outreach ministry" can be substituted.

Other liturgies provide support for the work of the different levels of church courts in The United Church of Canada, such as congregational dedications and the installation of presbytery and Conference officials.

The format of An Act of Covenanting for Ordained and Commissioned Ministers follows what has been approved by the General Council, while sensitive to local, national, ecumenical, and historical needs witnessed in the assembly of the people of God.

• Celebration of a New Ministry: An Act of Covenanting of a Lay Pastoral Minister [RTF: 7 pp/99 KB]
• Covenanting for the Honourary Role of Minister Emeritus [RTF: 6 pp/85 KB]
• Celebration of a New Ministry: An Act of Covenanting for Ordained and Commissioned Ministers [now known as Diaconal] [RTF: 7 pp/101 KB]
• Constituting a Congregation [RTF: 6 pp/73 KB]
• Dedication of a Church Building [RTF: 5 pp/56 KB]
• Installation of the Chairperson of Presbytery [RTF: 6 pp/94 KB]
• Installation of a President of Conference [RTF: 6 pp/100 KB]
• Laying of a Cornerstone of a Church Building [RTF: 3 pp/57 KB]
• Reception of a Candidate for the Ordained/Diaconal Ministry [RTF: 5 pp/69 KB]
• Union of Congregations [RTF: 6 pp/103 KB]

Useful Links

Visit the Liturgical Resources page for useful links to help build your liturgies.