Anabaptist Worship

Churches in the Anabaptist traditions are characterized by great variety in worship. Some have adopted habits from mainstream Protestant churches, while others have maintained a long-held communal ethos and some distinctive worship practices. Among the challenges to the churches that are eager to find life in the Anabaptist tradition are these questions: Does public worship shape the character of individuals and the community by Jesus' way-by the marks of mercy, love, humility, and peace? Do worship and ethics reflect each other? Does worship build up a loving, disciplined, participatory, accountable congregation? Does worship engage us in God's mission of reconciliation and justice in the world? If so, the churches will realize the best in the Anabaptist tradition. Hymn singing traditionally sung in parts without accompaniment serves the congregation on several levels. Besides conveying the texts (praise, dogma, confession, commitment), the hymns are a focus of realizing unity in th…