Weekly Service

Contents

Background

Weekly Services within the Religion of The Towns take place in the Church and are presided over by the Cleric. These take place in all of The Towns across the Known World and are attended by all of the Townsfolks.
The religion is monotheistic and is based around a god known as The Protector who is in constant battle with The Forces, evil spirits which overcome women and use them to corrupt men. It is the duty of every person within the Towns to side with The Protector in this battle, and the Weekly Services are part of that.

History

Connections

Related Ethnicities

Townsfolk

Related Organisations

The Towns, Religion of The Towns

Related People

Cleric, The Protector's Cleric, Harald of The Protectors

The first Weekly Service was held in 2328 by Harald of The Protectors and was attended by the first two followers.
It was held in secret as Harald feared being caught and exiled by the Nomads he lived with. They worshipped their own gods (Gods of The Nomads) which were clearly The Forces in disguise and was a form of support for the evil which The Protector was fighting against.
This secrecy was kept up for the first few years, but eventually, the gatherings grew too big to hide. The Nomads were surprisingly accepting of the Weekly Services. However, when Harald and his followers started preaching and trying to convert them, The Forces inside these people reared up and the Townsfolk were forced to leave.
The Weekly Services which are held today hold the same format as the original Service all those centuries ago.

The Service

The Weekly Service follows a four-part structure. It is held by the Cleric for the Church and is held weekly on the first day of the week, to ensure the week is begun in the right way.

1. The Vow

The entire congregation repeats a vow, led by the Cleric, in which they swear their allegiance to The Protector, the Church and everyone who serves there. They promise to fight the good fight and defy The Forces at every turn.

2. The Lesson

The lesson is delivered by the Cleric and is based on whatever is affecting the people of the Town most. It always includes sections read from the Word of The Protector. This is the longest part of the Weekly Service.

3. The Opening

The Opening is an opportunity for the people of the congregation to speak up and raise any issues or highlight any signs of The Forces that they have witnessed.

4. The Battle Cry

The final section of the Weekly Service is the Battle Cry, in which everyone screams and shouts for a full 3 minutes. This is to prepare them for the battle of the week to come.