Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
Worship Walk Script
January 1997

The "Worship Walk" was developed at Gloria Dei as a way to celebrate the completion of our new worship facility and to educate people of all ages about worship. Tour guides were trained to take small groups of church school children, their parents, and other members through the walk. It was very well received and the children asked lots of good questions and showed a great interest in the physical and spiritual aspects of the worship space. If you have questions regarding this event please call our church at (605)371-3737.

"To a Christian, worship of God never really ends. We go to church to worship together and we carry our worship with us throughout the week."

Introduction
Welcome to the Worship Walk! Together we are going to walk through our church and learn more about the special places in God's house. Each place has a different purpose and a different feeling. Are you ready to walk?

Station 1
The Balcony--Gloria Dei is a Joyful Place
Welcome to our new balcony. This is a place for music to be made. Music is an important part of our worship. It helps us to actively participate in the service. It is also a way to thank and praise God. There are many different ways we can make music besides singing with our voices. The organ, handbells, and other instruments you see here are all ways to make praises through music.

We want everyone to hear the service wherever they are seated. Our new system of microphones and speakers helps to do that. This is the soundboard that controls the volume and balance. Dave Ellison, our music director, will be training some of our members to use the soundboard.

You will notice there is an elevator to get to the second floor. We ask that this elevator only be used by those who are unable to use the stairs.

We'll walk down the bell tower steps to the chapel now. 'Mere isn't a bell in the tower, but there is the shape of the cross. You can see it from a long ways away! It tells people that this is a church and that they are welcome here.

Station 2
The Chapel--Gloria Dei is a Quiet Place
The Chapel is a quiet place where people can go to think or pray. It is also a place where worship services can be held for smaller groups. It may also be a place for weddings. The
Chapel can seat 50 people. The wooden chancel furniture that is in the sanctuary now will be moved in here when we get the new granite furnishings. When you want a quiet place to be, come here. The chapel is here for you anytime the church building is open.

Station 3
The Narthex--Gloria Dei is a Welcoming Place
The narthex is the entryway into the nave. It is a place where we meet and greet others, those we know and those we haven't met yet. It is a place where we begin to get ready for worship. We don't eat or drink here. We also use our indoor (quiet voices) and walk—not run, Next to the narthex is a place to hang our coats and a set of bathrooms.

Whenever you are in the narthex, try to greet someone you haven't met yet. Let's try it. Turn and shake hands and say, "Hi, I'm name."

Station 4
The Nave/Sanctuary --Gloria Dei is a Safe Place.
Welcome to our new sanctuary. This area where the pews are is called the nave. The word "nave" means "ship" in Latin. When you are in the nave think of yourself inside a ship where you are safe from the rough waters outside. When you come and sit in church you are in a safe place that will help carry you over the rough spots in your life. Look around and up. Do you see how it might feel like being inside a ship? Maybe Noah's ark? Do you know how many people can sit in our ship? 540 on the main floor and 100 in the balcony.

The sanctuary is the main room in God's house here at Gloria Dei. This is the quieter part of the house. We should enter this room quietly and be respectful to God and to this house. An example of being respectful is that we don't put our feet on the pews or the hymn rack or wear our caps in the sanctuary.

The sanctuary is a very special place to be with God. In this place we have all the time we need. So we don't need to hurry. We can walk more slowly. And we can talk more softly, because someone might be talking with God, and we don't want to disturb them. This is a special place to be with God, to talk with God, to listen to God and to hear the stories of God. It's helpful to get ready to worship God. We can sit quietly, listen to the music, and ask God to open our ears and eyes to worship. We come here to worship so that we may praise God together as one big family. Worship is a time to recharge our spiritual batteries so we can go out from here and do God's work.

Station 5 
The Chancel and Reredos--Gloria Del is a Prayerful Place 
This is the chancel. The chancel is the raised part of the front of the church where the pulpit and altar are located. On the back wall of the chancel is the reredos. There will be 16 wood panels each telling a different story. The artist, Bob Aldem, calls them visual prayers. By looking at these panels during worship we are reminded of many things that we can praise God for: our baptism, holy communion, the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the God's word which lives in the gospels, (Can you name the gospel writers? Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.) The panels will also form a cross.

Sometimes you will see the pastors speaking to the cross. They are talking to God. Sometimes they will face the congregation. They are talking to you, God's people.

You'll notice the ramp leading up to the chancel. This is for people who might have difficulty using the steps.

Station 6
The Altar--Gloria Dei is a Forgiving Place
The altar is the central point of our worship. It looks like a large table. The bread and wine for Holy Communion are placed on the altar. We gather around the altar as family of believers, just as we gather around the table at home for a family meal. (View the bread and the wine)

Altar clothes or paraments are changed from one church season to the next, there is a message in the colors. There is white on the altar now. What do you think tile message is with this white cloth? (The purity of our Lord--it will be white again on Easter) You notice that the altar is the highest point of the sanctuary. This helps remind us that the altar is the "high place" of worship, standing between heaven and earth.

Station 7
The Pulpit--Gloria Del is a Telling Place
What is this piece of furniture called? (Pulpit) What happens here? (Sermon is preached/pastor talks, gospel is read, lessons will be read.)
The pulpit is the place where God's word is read and the story of God's love is told.
When someone speaks from the pulpit, our job is to listen to what is said, so that we might hear what God is telling us. We will hear stories from the Bible and one of the pastors, or sometimes someone else, will tell us what this means for us today.

We will hear up to three readings from the Bible. One reading may be from the Old Testament--how God spoke to the Hebrew people, our relatives in faith. The second reading is one written to the first Christians. It may be from a letter, written by Paul or another first Christian teacher, which teaches us about living together as a Church in everyday life. We then will hear a reading from one of the Gospels--the stories of Jesus' life.

We then hear one the pastors preach. The sermon tells us how the Good News of Jesus is also for us and our lives.

Station 8
The Baptismal Font--Gloria Dei is a Family Place
What is this called? (Baptismal Font)
What happens here? (Baptisms)
At baptism, people are adopted into the family of God. When the water is poured over their heads in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, their sins are washed away and they are reborn children of God. They receive the promise that they will be a part of God's fan-lily forever.

In the service, when we hear the words, "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," we remember that we are baptized, the people of God. We usually hear this phrase when we have a confession, the time when we tell God we are sorry for the things we have done wrong. We are reminded that because of our baptism we are forgiven and our sins are washed away.

If you would like, dip your fingers in the water and make the sign of the cross on your forehead while saying the words, "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

Station 9
The Sacristy and Offices--The Preparing Place

The Information Place

This room is called the sacristy. It is a room for preparations. Here is where people get everything ready for worship--the bread and wine for communion, the banners and altar clothes, the lighting of candles by the acolytes. This is also where the pastors get ready for worship.

The offices are the places where the staff work each week. If you need information, come to the window and Bernice, Pat, or Julie will help you. The pastors have the offices right across from the secretaries. There is a conference or meeting room--the youth room--and Susan's office. Susan is the youth and parish life director. Dave, the music director, has his office in the music room near the coatroom.

Station 10
The Fellowship Hall--Gloria Dei is an Everyday Place
What is this place called? (It used to be the sanctuary, now it is the Fellowship Hall)
This is the everyday place. A place to play, eats, drink, and visit. This is where coffee fellowship is held. Food and drink will be sold by the youth group as a fundraiser.

To show that you have been on the worship walk and to show that we all walk with Christ, you are invited to trace your footprints on this poster.

(Proceed to Station 1, etc. if you are not finished with the tour.)