Norma de Waal Malefyt
Authors
Howard Vanderwell
Published on
December 10, 2012
First worship service in a collection of building blocks for a series of worship services based on key themes from the Belhar Confession

Belhar Confession Service #1

Our declaration of faith begins with our belief in the Triune nature of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This triune God has been engaged since the beginning of time in gathering, protecting and caring for his church.  This he does through His Word and Spirit.

Belhar References: (excerpts from sections 1 and 2)

We believe in the triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who gathers, protects and cares for the church through Word and Spirit. This, God has done since the beginning of the world and will do to the end. We believe in one holy, universal Christian church, the communion of saints called from the entire human family…that true faith in Jesus Christ is the only condition for membership of this church.

Suggested Scriptures

Genesis 12:1-3
Psalm 115
Matthew 16:16-20
II Corinthians 13:11-14
Ephesians 2:11-22
Revelation 7:9-17

References in Other Confessional Documents

Our Song of Hope, III.4, VI.15
Our World Belongs to God, 2, 23
The Belgic Confession of Faith, 1, 8, 9
The Westminster Confession, 25.1
Worship Statement from the World Communion of Reformed Churches

Possible Songs

All those notated with an asterisk will be found in “Lift Up Your Hearts” (LUYH), to be published in 2013 by Faith Alive Christian Resources.

*Church of God, Elect and Glorious, PsH 533
     [paired with ABBOTS LEIGH in LUYH]
*El Señor es mi pastor/My Shepherd Is the Lord PsH 162
     [Psalm 23: paired with PASTOR]
*In Christ Alone, LUYH 2.4.1
     [paired with IN CHRIST ALONE]
*In Christ There Is No East or West, PsH 540
     [paired with MC KEE]
*Not unto Us, O Lord of Heaven, PFAS 115B
    [Psalm 115: paired with VATER UNSER/alternate MELITA]
*O God, You Are My God Alone, PFAS 63B
     [Psalm 63: paired with GRATUS/alternate RESIGNATION]
*Salvation Belongs to Our God, GSW 5
This, we believe, James Hart Brumm
     [paired with CRUCIFER, text permission at Permissions@BrummhartPublishing.com]

Liturgy Resources

Prayers

We praise and worship you, O God, because you are with your people:
powerfully and miraculously you defend your church and your Word
against all fanatic spirits, against the gates of hell,
and against the assault of flesh and sin.
All glory and praise to you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forevermore. Amen.
Taken from Psalms for All Seasons, © 2011 Faith Alive Christian Resources, Psalm 46, p. 281

Triune God,
you have called us to live in unity with each other
and with our brothers and sisters around the world.
Help us to sense that our love for Jesus binds us together.
May our worship today be a witness
to the kind of unity that comes only
through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Taken from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004 Faith Alive Christian Resource, S.1.1.1

Loving God,
we have heard your call to live as one body.
We thank you for your Son, the head of the body.
We praise you for your Spirit, who works to make us one.
Now as we leave to worship you
in our work, fellowship, and leisure,
we pray for the grace to live together in harmony.
We pray for imagination
to find ways to strengthen our unity in Christ.
We also pray for courage
to carry out these commitments in a spirit of joy,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
Taken from The Worship Sourcebook, © 2004 Faith Alive Christian Resources, S.9.1.5

Lord God, you are a redeeming God.
It is not your desire that any of your children should suffer.
You hear their cries and you come from heaven to save.
As we gather to remember your saving purposes for all who are oppressed, 
give us minds, hearts and wills to hear your word to us, and then live it.             
We pray this in the name of Christ the Savior. Amen.
Taken from African American Church Worship Resources, © 2002 GIA Publications, Inc

Affirmation

We believe in the triune God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
who gathers, protects and cares for the church through Word and Spirit.
This, God has done since the beginning of the world
and will do to the end. Amen.                    
Belhar Confession, Article 1

Glossary

Confessions and Testimonies:

(Note: When we use the term “Other Confessional Documents” we are using the term “confessional” broadly to include those which have been formally adopted as a Confession of Faith by a denomination, but also those which more loosely are considered a Testimony or Declaration of Faith by a denomination.)

Belhar – the Belhar Confession
BC – The Belgic Confession of Faith
HC – The Heidelberg Catechism
OWBTG – A Contemporary Testimony: Our World Belongs to God
OSOH – Our Song of Hope
WC – Westminster Confession
WCRC – The Worship Statement of the World Communion of Reformed Churches
WLC – Westminster Larger Catechism
WSC – Westminster Shorter Catechism

Hymnals/Resources:

ELW – Evangelical Lutheran Worship
CSW – Contemporary Songs for Worship
GSW – Global Songs for Worship
LUYH – Lift Up Your Hearts
PFAS – Psalms For All Seasons
PsH – The Psalter Hymnal
SNC – Sing! A New Creation
SNT – Singing the New Testament
TWS – The Worship Sourcebook

General Hymns:

*Abana in Heaven, GSW 44
*All Are Welcome, LUYH [paired with TWO OAKS]
*Be Thou My Vision, LUYH [paired with SLANE]
*Canto de esperanza/Song of Hope, LUYH [paired with ARGENTINA]
*Faith Begins By Letting Go, SNC 172 [paired with LUX PRIMA]
*God of Grace and God of Glory, LUYH [paired with CEM RHONDDA]
Let Streams of Living Justice, ELW 710 [paired with THAXTED]
Lord, You Call Us, [JOYOUS LIGHT Morningstar MSM-50-7800 SATB and Congregation]                                            
*Perdón, Señor/Forgive Us, Lord, LUYH 2.2.1 [paired with CONFESSION]
*Psalm 51, SNC 50
The Church of Christ, in Every Age, ELW 729 [paired with WAREHAM]
*The Church’s One Foundation, PsH 502 [paired with AURELIA]
Belhar Hymn, David Alexander  [sung to O WALY WALY, Unity, Reconciliation and Justice: Apppendix C, p.87]