Filed under: Lesson 25 - Glossary
Advent: That season of the Christian year which includes the four Sundays preceding Christmas Day. This is a time of preparation when the emphasis in worship services is on the events leading up to the birth of Christ.
Ascension Day: A day in the Christian year designated to celebrate the ascension of Christ into heaven. Ascension Day is celebrated forty days after Easter and falls on a Thursday.
Board of Trustees: In a Presbyterian congregation this is a group of men and women elected by the Congregation to oversee the implementation of the congregation’s budget, to work with the Treasurer in maintaining the congregation’s financial records, and to care for the buildings owned by the congregation.
Burning Bush: The symbol of the burning bush is often used in Presbyterian congregations. It represents the call of God and is taken from the Old Testament story of God calling Moses. The symbol is often accompanied with the latin inscription “nec tamen consumebatur”. The phrase comes from the biblical story and when translated literally means “but never consumed” (Exodus 3:2).
call, or “calling a minister”: In general the term is used to describe how an individual is called by God to service in the church. More specifically the term is often used in Presbyterian Churches to describe the process by which a congregation invites someone to serve as its minister.
call to worship: The words of invitation with which a worship service begins (often a verse or two of scripture).
Catholic Church: Unfortunately, in casual conversation this term is used to refer to the Roman Catholic Church. However the term “catholic” simply means “everywhere” or “universal.” The Apostles’ Creed, for instance, refers to the “holy catholic church” meaning the whole Christian Church (rather than any single denomination of it). The term Roman Catholic Church refers to those congregations everywhere who submit themselves to the oversight of the Pope in Rome. Presbyterians do not believe that one must belong to the Presbyterian Church to be part of the true church.
chancel: The elevated area at the front of the sanctuary where the lectern and pulpit and sometimes the choir loft are located.
Christian Year: The designation Christian Year refers to that annual repetition of worship celebrations in the Christian Church that mark selected events in the life of Christ and the Christian Church. It begins with Advent and ends with Christ the King Sunday.
clergy: A commonly used designation within Christendom to denote those who have been ordained as priests or ministers. Laity refers to church members other than clergy.
Clerk: The secretary of a church court who records the minutes of each meeting and handles the correspondence. From this basis come titles such as; clerk of session, clerk of presbytery, clerk of synod and clerk of General Assembly.
Debts and Debtors: In Lord’s Prayer refers o sins or trespasses. Comes from Matthew’s gospel.
denomination: A word used to indicate a single branch of the Christian Church. For example, the Presbyterian Church USA is a Christian denomination.
Easter: The Sunday in the Christian year designated for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This is not a fixed date but is based on the lunar calendar. Easter falls on the Sunday after the first full moon on or after March 21st. The earliest possible date for Easter is March 22nd. and the latest is April 25th.
ecumenical: A word used to describe worship services or programs of action or service that are supported co-operatively by various churches or denominations within the Christian Church.
Election: theological term means God makes first moe in acting to redeem sinners. People within covenant of faith are called “the elect.” We are incapable of saving ourselves from our sins, and God “elects” or “chooses” to save us.
Emeritus: An honourary title sometimes given to one who has retired from office. In the Presbyterian Church it is sometimes used in the terms Minister Emeritus.
Epiphany: The designation in the Christian year for the twelfth day after Christmas (January 6th.). This date is used to commemorate the visit of the Magi to the Christ child and celebrates the fact that the coming of Christ was not for Israel only but for the people of all nations (represented by the Magi). As the Magi followed the light of the star in their quest to find Jesus so one of the themes of Epiphany (lit. the revealing) is that of the light of Christ coming into the midst of darkness.
inter-faith: This term is used to identify organizations or programs in which representatives from a number of different faith groups participate. This term is different from the term ecumenical which is generally used to refer to the participation together of representatives from various churches or denominations within the Christian community.
kirk: A Scottish term for church. A wee kirk is a small church.
Knox, John — Scottish preacher who studied in Geneva under Calvin and took teachings back to Scotland. Famous for struggles with Roman Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots.
lectern: A desk or stand for holding a Bible in a church sanctuary.
lent: In the cycle of the Christian year the season of lent begins 40 days before Easter. It is a season of devotion and preparation prior to Easter.
litany: A form of prayer in which the petitions to God spoken by the person leading worship are separated by a designated response by the worshipping congregation.
Manse: house in which minister lives, sometimes called parsonage. Means “dwelling.”
Minister: A Minister of Word and Sacrament is a person who has been set aside by ordination to serve the church. Ministers are sometimes referred to as teaching elders.
Moderator: A person who presides at a meeting of a church court to direct the business and keep order. The Minister of a local congregation is the Moderator of the Session. At the Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly level the Moderator is elected.
narthex: The entry or gathering area of a church building through which people pass before entering the sanctuary. Also sometimes called the “welcoming hall.”
ordain: To set apart for special duties in the church as a minister, elder or deacon.
Pentecost: A designation for the second Sunday after Ascension Day in the Christian year. This day commemorates the events recorded in Acts 2: in the New Testament and marks the giving of the Holy Spirit to the Church. It is sometimes referred to as the birthday of the church.
Presbyterian: A generic name given to churches in various parts of the world who trace their roots to the protestant Reformation of the 16th. century and who accept a form of church government in which crucial decisions are made by elders. The word Presbyterian is derived from the Greek word that appears in the New Testament and which is translated “elder” (as in Acts 15:2 and 20:17, etc.).
Presbytery: The second level of church government which includes a number of congregations in a geographical area. We are in North Central Iowa Presbytery.
pulpit: A desk or stand in a church sanctuary behind which a minister may stand in delivering a sermon to the congregation.
Responsive Reading: A reading from scripture in which the congregation takes part by reading alternate parts or verses of the lesson.
sanctuary: The term used to refer to that area of a church building which is used for the holding of public worship services.
