The implications of the non-traditional worship style to the liturgical flow of worship as practiced by the United Church of Christ in the Philippines

Abstract

This descriptive study was conducted to describe the traditional liturgical flow of the UCCP and the non-traditional worship style that has been adopted by some UCCP local churches using content analysis as a tool. Results of the study revealed that the rise and development of the non-traditional or contemporary worship style is indicative of the worshipers’ desire to make their encounter with God meaningful. The appeal to emotions in contemporary worship style is a realization that worship is a total response to God’s initiative and is expressed through all the senses. Worship cannot and must not be categorized: traditional, Contemporary/non-traditional, blended, etc. Worship is a collective act of the people that unifies the congregation. The non-traditional style of worship is not a menace in the traditional worship life of the UCCP, if only church members are well-informed and educated of its worship style, because some parts of the non-traditional worship actually enhanced the traditional worship style. Hence, there’s nothing wrong if it influences the youth in finding their true meaning of worship, which connotes much effort of the church through her leaders in leading them right, yet, it would not hamper and degrade the church worship tradition. The rift or conflict in some UCCP churches over worship styles, are caused by preferences of features and is not a theological issue on worship. Particularly, its evidences are shown in the transformed and wholesome atmosphere now of the worship life in one of the UCCP churches in the Western Mindanao area. Thereby, educating or re-educating church members to respect each others’ preferences in their way of worship through an enhanced worship flow.