Glossary of Technical Words

• altar - table on which bread and wine are consecrated to God
• altar servers - boys and girls who help during Mass
• anoint - to pour oil
• apostolic - relating to the first twelve disciples of Jesus (Apostles), or their teachings and practice
• Articles of War - document signed by someone on becoming a Salvation Army soldier at an enrolment, or swearing in, ceremony also called a soldier's covenant
• atonement - reconciliation between God and people
• Award scheme - part of the Junior Soldier programme which includes teaching about Salvation Army History, worship and service
• baptism - immersion or sprinkling to show that a person has been forgiven and joined the church
• Baptistry - pool for baptism by immersion
• Bible - the key collection of religious writings for Christians, including the 'Old' and 'New' Testaments
• Bishop - senior clergyman in charge of a diocese
• bless - to set apart, consecrate, by a religious ceremony
• 'Blood and Fire' - the motto of The Salvation Army; 'Blood' refers to the work of the cross and the 'Fire' refers to the work of the Holy Spirit
• Booth, Catherine and William - the founders of The Salvation Army
• born again - having a personal faith in Jesus Christ; a phrase used by Jesus
• cadet - soldier training to be an officer in the Salvation Army
• celibacy - choosing to remain single and not have sexual relationships
• chalice - cup for communion wine
• Children's Liturgy - group for children
• christening - baptism, usually of infants
• citadel - name for a Salvation Army hall
• Clergy - those ordained for religious service
• Clerk - keeper of the records
• commanding officer - the leader in charge of a Salvation Army corps
• communion - sharing of bread and wine to remember Jesus' death
• community programme - work to relieve need and help in the community
• confession - admitting one's sins for forgiveness
• confirmation - when a baptised person confirms their Christian faith and is admitted to full participation in the Church
• congregation - group of people gathered for worship
• consecration - when the bread and wine are ritually offered to God in Catholic Mass
• corps - group of Salvationists in one area
• corps council - group of Salvationists and friends which help to organise the Salvation Army corps
• covenant - agreement/contract between God and people
• creed - summary of Christian belief
• Deacons - church leaders with practical responsibilities
• Deacons' Courts - group of Deacons giving leadership within a church (Free Church of Scotland)
• dedication - ceremony in which God's blessing is asked for a child
• denomination - group with its own distinctive interpretation of the Christian faith
• diocese - district under the Pastoral care of a Bishop
• disciple - follower; for Christians, a follower of Jesus
• doctrines - set of beliefs
• Elders - group of leaders of a church community
• established - to give (a church) the status of a national institution
• established church - to give (a church) the status of a national institution
• Eucharist - thanksgiving, Holy Communion - sharing of bread and wine to remember Jesus' death
• evangelical - Christians who believe in the authority of the Bible and the need of forgiveness through Jesus Christ
• evangelism - spreading the Christian message
• faith - secure belief in God
• fast - to keep from eating food, or certain foods
• Gaelic - celtic language spoken in Scotland
• General - the international leader of the Salvation Army
• General Assembly - Governing body (in the Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland)
• genuflect - to kneel on one knee
• gospel - the good news of Jesus Christ
• holiness - purity, Godliness
• holiness table - table at the front of a citadel where people may pray for power to be more holy
• Holy Communion - sharing of bread and wine to remember Jesus' death
• Holy Table - altar, communion table
• Holy Water - water set apart for a religious purpose
• homily - talk explaining the passage from the Bible that is set for the day
• host - bread consecrtaed in the Eucharist
• icon - representation of Christ or a saint
• immersion - plunged under water
• independent - run by it's own members
• Junior soldiers - members of the SalvationArmy between seven and fourteen years of age
• Kirk Session - Minister and Elders leading the church (Presbyterian churches)
• laity - people who are not clergy
• lay - involving people who are not clergy
• Lay Readers - involving people who are not clergy
• Leadership team - group of leaders of a church community
• leadings - sense of direction from God
• Lectionary - set themes following the festivals and special days of the Christian year
• liturgy - fixed forms of public worship used in churches
• local officer - person with a certain responsibility in a Salvation Army corps
• Lord High Commissioner - the Queen's appointed representative at the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
• Lord's Supper - another phrase for Holy Communion
• Mass - ritual of chants, readings, prayers and other ceremonies used in the celebration of the Eucharist in the Catholic church
• "Meetings for Sufferings" - Quaker meeting to direct the use of money
• mercy seat - bench in a Salvation Army hall where people kneel to pray
• Methodist circuit - group of Methodist churches linked together in a local area
• ministry - (1) teaching from the Bible; (2) receiving personal prayer and counselling (3) a personal gift or ability from God
• minutes - written record of what was agreed
• Mission Statement - summary of aims
• missionary - Christian worker sent to do religious and social work
• Moderator - Presbyterian Minister, presiding over (chairman of) General Assembly, Kirk Session or Presbytery
• non-conformist - church that is not Church of England (they were founded by people who would not conform to the 1662 Act of Uniformity)
• offering - something given to God, often money
• ordained - set apart to be a Priest, Pastor or Minister, Bishop or Deacon
• paedo-baptism - baptising infants
• parish - area a Vicar looks after
• parish church - a church that exists to look after the spiritual needs of everyone living in a particular area
• parochial - relating to a parish
• passover - Jewish festival remembering the Jews' escape from slavery, written about in the Old Testament of the Bible
• Pastor - leader of the church, cares for the people
• Pastoral Care Council - group of local officers
• pew - fixed wooden seats in older churches
• preaching - a talk or presentation exploring God's hopes for all people, often explaining a passage from the Bible
• precentor - one who leads the singing
• Presbytery - a council made up of ministers and Elders from churches in a particular geographical area, having oversight of all ministers, Kirk Sessions and congregations within its bounds
• Presbyterianism - the form of church government in which Elders and Ministers govern through 'courts' (as opposed to government involving Bishops - 'episcopacy')
• Priest - ordained Minister of Roman Catholic, Anglican or Orthodox church
• promise - (Salvation Army) is made when a junior soldier is enrolled as a member
• prostration - to kneel with the forehead touching the ground as a sign of repentance
• protestant - Christian who is not a member of the Roman Catholic or Orthodox churches
• Psalter - book of Psalms set to music
• pulpit - platform for preaching
• purity - clean, free (from sin and guilt)
• Rector - Vicar of what was once an important parish
• Reformation - movement for reform in the Christian church in the sixteenth century
• remission - God's pardon or forgiveness of sins
• repentance - turning back to God, redirecting one's life towards God
• resurrection - rising from the dead
• revival - a re-awakening of faith, a period of renewed religious interest
• Rosary of the Virgin Mary - string of beads used to say Our Father's, Hail Mary's and Glory Be's, whilst meditating on the main events of Jesus' life, death and resurrection
• sacrament - a ceremony that Christians believe brings God's blessing to those who share in it. Specifically, these are baptism and communion, and for Roman Catholic and Eastern churches also penance, confirmation, holy orders (being a Bishop, Priest or Deacon), marriage and the Sacrament of the Sick (for those with serious illness).
• sacrifice - giving up something of value
• salvation - rescued by God from the guilt and power of sin (wrongdoing)
• salvation meeting - religious service which emphasises the Bible teaching about Christ's sacrifice on the cross
• Salvationist - committed member of The Salvation Army and a Salvation Army; newspaper for Salvationists
• sanctity - holiness, set apart for God
• save - rescue (by God) from the guilt and power of sin (wrongdoing)
• sergeant major - local officer who helps to organize the Salvation Army corps
• sermon - talk explaining a Bible passage
• service of dedication - service giving a child's life into God's care
• sidesman - person who welcomes people when they arrive, and clears up after a service
• sin - disobeying the will of God; wrongdoing
• sins - wrong things people do, that break the laws of God
• singing company - choir of junior soldiers in the Salvation Army
• sinless - free from wrongdoing
• songster brigade - Salvation Army choir
• speaking in tongues - a God-given language
• stoup - bowl containing holy water
• symbol - something that represents or stands for something else
• testimony - a talk telling of a person's own Christian life
• The Christian Mission - the group of Christians which became The Salvation Army
• The William Booth College - centre for training Salvation Army officers
• Theophany - festival celebrating baptism of Christ
• timbrel - a tambourine
• tongues - a God-given language
• transubstantiation - the belief that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ, with only the appearances of bread and wine remaining
• Trinity - the union of three persons in one God - Father, Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit
• uniform - worn by Salvationists as a Christian witness
• usher - person who welcomes people at the door
• vestments - clothes worn for official acts
• Vicar - leader of an Anglican Church
• witnessing - identifying as Christians
• worship - giving reverent attention to God
• young people's band - brass band composed of junior soldiers of the Salvation Army