Church on the Cape - United Methodist
A community church in Cape Porpoise, Maine
Worship
Our Sunday worship service begins at 9:45 am with an old-fashioned Hymn Sing with the congregation calling out their favorite hymns. We currently have two hymnals, the United Methodist Hymnal (UMH) and a supplemental hymnal, The Faith We Sing (TFWS).
Traditional worship begins at 10:00 am with the Passing of the Peace, Invocation, and the Call to Worship.
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The Parlor of Peace is an overflow room served by a video feed from the sanctuary.
In addition to Sunday morning worship, we include the John Wesley Covenant Service annually, on either the last Sunday of the year or the first Sunday of the year.
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Recent sermons are available on video. Large print hymnals and bulletins are available from the ushers.
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Our facility is fully wheelchair accessible with a ramp entrance, elevator, and restrooms to accommodate visitors.
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Stay tuned! We are re-building our children and youth programs. There will be announcements as the programs grow.
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Immediately after worship service, please join us for fellowship in Bartlett Hall.
Background/History of the John Wesley Covenant Service
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In 1663 Richard Alleine, a Puritan, published Vindiciae Pietatis: or, A Vindication of Godliness in the Greater Strictness and Spirituality of It.
In 1753, it was again published in John Wesley’s A Christian Library. Wesley used one chapter, “The Application of the Whole,” on Monday, August 11, 1755, in what probably was the first real celebration of the Covenant Service in the Methodist movement.
Wesley found the service rich and meaningful, as expressed in his Journal: “Many mourned before God, and many were comforted” (April 1756); “It was, as usual, a time of remarkable blessing” (October 1765); “It was an occasion for a variety of spiritual experiences ... I do not know that ever we had a greater blessing. Afterwards many desired to return thanks, either for a sense of pardon, for full salvation, or for a fresh manifestation of His graces, healing all their backslidings” (January 1, 1775). In London these services were usually held on New Year’s Day. Around the country
the Covenant Service was conducted whenever John Wesley visited the Methodist Societies.
After the time of Wesley several versions of the Covenant Service were developed, gradually giving Wesley’s material less place in the total service. The present service follows our Basic Pattern of worship, enables the congregation to participate more fully, and updates language. Most significant, the liturgy beginning with the Invitation is taken directly from Wesley’s service of 1780.
The heart of the service, focused in the Covenant Prayer, requires persons to commit themselves to God. The Covenant Service is most commonly held on New Year Eve or Day and therefore is sometimes called a Watch Night Service.
Historically, a Watch Night Service would be three hours or longer, including readings from Scripture and hymn singing.
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