ONE GOD: MANY FORMS OF WORSHIP

In Tucson, there are dozens, perhaps hundreds, of different ways and styles for worshiping God.  All of these are pleasing to God.  Nevertheless, Dove of Peace cherishes our own forms of worship.  We reluctantly accept the label "traditional," but that label says far too little about us.  Our worship is:   

ECUMENICAL. Our worship expresses oneness and continuity with the whole Christian family on earth, and with Christians throughout all the ages.
LITURGICAL.  Our worship is not a passive spectacle, but the praise and prayer of everyone.  Worshipers are involved with their voices, their senses, their minds, and their bodies.
BIBLICAL. No one considers Dove of Peace "fundamentalist," but the images for God, the wording of our prayers, and virtually every moment of worship are Bible-saturated.  Like our ecumenical partners who also use the Revised Common Lectionary, we devote several minutes of our Sunday worship to thoughtful, contextual readings from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.
SACRAMENTAL.  We are centered upon the Eucharist (the Lord's Supper) and Baptism.  These earthly signs of God remind us that he became real flesh and blood, and that his physical creation-- far from being evil-- is intended for good purposes and good will.

A sample service of worship folder --  8:45 a.m. -- May 25, 2008 -- download PDF file (3.5 Mbytes)

A sample service of worship folder -- 11:00 a.m. -- May 25, 2008 -- download PDF file (3 Mbytes)

SUNDAY WORSHIP AT DOVE: PRACTICAL CONCERNS

Every church on earth should be a place of hospitality and love. The Lord Jesus said that we are to welcome the stranger. Below are a few notes about what to expect if you decide to visit Dove of Peace for Sunday worship.

We have two worship servcies on Sunday mornings; the first is at 8:45 a.m., and the later is at 11:00 a.m. The first service is more "traditional," at least in terms of music. The later service is a mosaic of different musical styles. The later service has a much smaller attendance, so it is freer, and has become our "greenhouse" for trying new things.

Both services include the Eucharist. We practice eucharistic hospitality, which means that everyone is able to partake of the bread and wine, but no one is obligated to do so.

We have a staffed nursery for the youngest children. Children of all ages are welcome in worship. If your child becomes too fidgety or begins to cry, we encourage you to step out of the sanctuary until you can calm them down. But at Dove of Peace, children are always VIPs.

Worship lasts about an hour, and only on the busiest holy days does it last more than 70 minutes.

When you come to Dove, you are our guest. And the Lord's. You should expect to be treated informally, and to shake hands with a few people who will greet you. Hospitality at Dove means that we want you to feel welcome, but we do not want you to feel like you are standing in the spotlight. Hospitality means that we won't apologize for being who we are, and we don't ask you to apologize for being who you are. We are going to be authentic, even if we are not perfect or polished. And we want you to be true to yourself, your journey, and your convictions.