Introduction
At our recent Head of Household meeting, we noted that several liturgical changes are either underway or being implemented. Given that reality, it seems fitting to briefly explain both the why and the what behind these adjustments.
Before doing so, it is worth noting that during our first years as a congregation, we retained the inherited liturgy from Christ Church. We remain grateful for that liturgy and believe it served the saints of HCC well. At the same time, as a congregation matures, it naturally develops its own habits and patterns of worship. Such growth often involves thoughtful and deliberate change.
With that in mind, we turn first to the reasoning behind these adjustments.
Why?
One of the core convictions of the elders at HCC is that all of life—and therefore all of worship—must be shaped around Christ: who He is and what He has accomplished.
This conviction is grounded in the way God Himself forms His people. On the eve of Israel’s redemption and throughout her life as a covenant nation, God established a calendar for His people (cf. Leviticus 23). This calendar did more than organize time; it shaped identity. Through recurring feasts, festivals, and seasons, Israel was continually reminded of who God is and what He had done on her behalf.
We believe this principle remains instructive for the church today. Our liturgy functions in a similar way. Week after week, it teaches, forms, and shapes our imaginations around the person and work of Jesus Christ.
For that reason, these changes are intended to reinforce the reality of Christ’s person and work—not only through words, but also through embodied practices that engage the senses, particularly sight and taste.
What?
These adjustments are intentionally sensory, reinforcing the rhythms of the church calendar in ways that are both visible and tangible.
1. Seasonal Wine
First, as many have already experienced, the elders have adjusted the communion wine to correspond with the seasons of the church calendar. In this way, even without consulting a calendar, the congregation can begin to recognize the liturgical season through taste itself.
Seasons marked by celebration and triumph—such as Christmas and Easter—are paired with sweeter wines. Seasons emphasizing repentance, suffering, or Christ’s passion—such as Lent and Holy Week—are paired with drier, more robust wines. The goal is not to make rigid associations but to allow the Supper to reinforce the themes of the church year in a small yet memorable way.
2. Liturgical Colors
We are also incorporating seasonal colors throughout the church space. These visual cues help reinforce the rhythm of the church year and catechize the congregation through sight as well as speech.
Colors have long served as visual reminders of theological themes: purple for preparation and repentance, white for celebration and purity, red for sacrifice and the Spirit’s power, and green for growth and faithfulness. Used thoughtfully, they help make the church calendar visible to the congregation.
3. Spoken Liturgy Adjustments
Finally, there have been modest adjustments to certain spoken elements of the liturgy, such as the incorporation of the Sanctus following the confession of sin. These changes are intended to better reflect the theological shape and historic rhythm of Christian worship while maintaining the overall structure familiar to our congregation.
A snapshot of the seasonal structure, including color and wine associations, is provided below.
Seasonal Liturgical Overview
| Season | Liturgical Focus | Color | Communion Wine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advent | Expectation and Waiting for Christ | Purple | Malbec |
| Christmas | Incarnation and Joy | White / Gold | Port |
| Epiphany | Christ Revealed to the Nations | Green | Port |
| Lent | Repentance and Preparation | Purple | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Holy Week / Good Friday | Christ’s Passion and Sacrifice | Red | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Easter | Resurrection Joy | White / Gold | Sweet Red |
| Eastertide | Resurrection Life and Renewal | White | Sweet Red |
| Pentecost | The Holy Spirit and Mission | Red | Sweet Red |
| Ordinary Time | Faithfulness in Everyday Life | Green | Malbec |
Conclusion
Liturgy makes a terrible master but a faithful servant—provided it remains ordered toward Christ.
That is our aim in these changes. We desire that our worship more fully teaches, forms, and directs us to Jesus Christ and His finished work. These practices are not ends in themselves; they are tools intended to help us remember, proclaim, and delight in the gospel.
As elders, we hold this conviction deeply and encourage the congregation to receive these rhythms in the same way: not as masters to be served, but as servants that continually point us to Christ Himself.