Christianity: practices · GCSE Religious Studies

Worship and prayer

Liturgical worship follows a set order with set prayers, such as the Catholic Mass or an Anglican Holy Communion service. Non-liturgical worship is more flexible, as in many evangelical churches. Informal worship includes charismatic worship and Quaker meetings, which are largely silent.
Prayer can use set words, such as the Lord's Prayer, which Jesus taught his disciples, or be informal and personal.

A sacrament is an outward sign of an inward grace. Catholic and Orthodox Christians recognise seven; most Protestants recognise two: baptism and Holy Communion.
Infant baptism welcomes a baby into the Church and, for many Christians, cleanses original sin. Believers' baptism, by full immersion, is for people old enough to choose, as in Baptist churches.
Holy Communion (the Eucharist or Mass) remembers the Last Supper. Catholics believe the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation); many Protestants see it as a symbolic act of remembrance.

A pilgrimage is a journey to a holy place, such as Lourdes (where Mary is believed to have appeared to Bernadette in 1858, and many pray for healing), Iona (a place of peace and prayer linked with St Columba), Jerusalem or Walsingham.
Christmas celebrates the incarnation, Jesus' birth. Easter celebrates the resurrection, after Lent and Holy Week (Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday).

Local churches run food banks, street pastors and youth groups. Mission and evangelism spread the Christian message, following the Great Commission (Matthew 28).
The worldwide Church works for reconciliation (such as the Corrymeela Community in Northern Ireland), supports persecuted Christians, and helps the poor through charities such as Christian Aid, CAFOD and Tearfund.

Liturgical worship: Worship that follows a set order and set prayers.
Sacrament: An outward sign of an inward grace, such as baptism.
Baptism: The sacrament that welcomes a person into the Church.
Eucharist: Holy Communion, which remembers the Last Supper.
Transubstantiation: The Catholic belief that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ.
Pilgrimage: A religious journey to a holy place.
Evangelism: Spreading the Christian message.
Lent: The 40 days before Easter, a time of prayer and self-discipline.
Reconciliation: Restoring broken relationships.