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© 2026 Calvin Institute of Christian Worship
Closing Communion Worship on Acts 1:1-11: The Ascension at the 2018 Worship Symposium.
Acts 1:1–11: In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Prelude: Improvisation on WEN TI, a Chinese tune
Sung Call to Worship: “Lift Your Eyes unto the Hills”
God’s Greeting and Call to Worship: 2 Corinthians 13:14 and Colossians 3:1–3
Hymn of Praise: “Jesus Shall Reign”
Prayer of the Day
Prayer of Confession
Sung Assurance of Pardon and Doxology: “God Is Gracious to Forgive”
Quiet Reflection
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:15–23
Psalm Reading: Psalm 47
Scripture Reading: Acts 1:1–11
Profession of Faith: Nicene Creed
Prayers of the People
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right for us to give thanks and praise. . .
The Lord’s Prayer
The Invitation
The Lord has prepared his table for all who love him and trust in him alone for their salvation. All who are truly sorry for their sins, who sincerely believe in the Lord Jesus as their Savior, and who desire to live in obedience to him as Lord are now invited to come with gladness to the table of the Lord.
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Communion Songs:
“Christus Paradox” (choir)
Congregational singing as directed
Acclamation: Psalm 103:1–4
Prayer
Hymn of Praise: “A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing”
Blessing: “To the One Who’s Shown Us Love”
Postlude: “Processional with Fanfares” from Suite for Organ, Op. 50 (Robert Below)
We are grateful to Woodlawn Christian Reformed Church for hosting this service. The service was led by the Conference Choir, directed by Kai Ton Chau, accompanied by Jan Kraybill and Linda Hoisington; Bob Batastini; Michael Joncas; and Urban Doxology. The preacher was Lisa M. Weaver. The Lord’s Supper liturgy is from Eucharistic Prayers by Samuel Wells and Abigall Kocher, published in 2016 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
While Christian baptism is predominantly a transcultural practice, distinct faith communities worldwide experience this initiation rite through unique contextualizing elements. Join us in a fascinating conversation with Christian leaders from five continents about the rich cultural diversity reflected in baptismal liturgies, imagery, and practices, and how they shape Christian life in their contexts.
This panel will explore the intersectionality between culture and disability. What can we learn from the experiences of people across varying cultures and contexts? What do experiences of racism and ableism in the church have in common? How do they overlap? How does belonging for people with disabilities look different in a variety of cultural contexts?
Teenagers’ desire to encounter God has been realized throughout history as youth ministry has grown and evolved. Indeed, teenagers have expressed needs and desires to practice and grow their faith at church, school, and home as well as at camps and conferences or on short- and long-term mission trips. On the one hand, these worship efforts have been deeply formative. On the other hand, these worship efforts have focused on attracting and keeping teenagers as much as, if not more than, on spiritual formation. This session will identify key historical patterns in adolescent worship and examine how we might engage their wisdom for faithful worship practices with teenagers today.
While Christian baptism is predominantly a transcultural practice, distinct faith communities worldwide experience this initiation rite through unique contextualizing elements. Join us in a fascinating conversation with Christian leaders from five continents about the rich cultural diversity reflected in baptismal liturgies, imagery, and practices, and how they shape Christian life in their contexts.
This panel will explore the intersectionality between culture and disability. What can we learn from the experiences of people across varying cultures and contexts? What do experiences of racism and ableism in the church have in common? How do they overlap? How does belonging for people with disabilities look different in a variety of cultural contexts?
Teenagers’ desire to encounter God has been realized throughout history as youth ministry has grown and evolved. Indeed, teenagers have expressed needs and desires to practice and grow their faith at church, school, and home as well as at camps and conferences or on short- and long-term mission trips. On the one hand, these worship efforts have been deeply formative. On the other hand, these worship efforts have focused on attracting and keeping teenagers as much as, if not more than, on spiritual formation. This session will identify key historical patterns in adolescent worship and examine how we might engage their wisdom for faithful worship practices with teenagers today.
Songs from the people of Korea can deeply enrich your liturgy whether you have Korean-speaking members in your congregation or not. This workshop will introduce a variety of bilingual Korean-English songs that have been newly translated in the past few years as well as strategies to lead them effectively in your own worshiping context.
