Hi Richard,
Services in my (Baptist) church are not too different to that which you describe and also date back to the mists of time (well, about 1968, actually <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />). They are usually constituted thus:-
1. Call to worship (Short reading)
2. Hymn of Praise
3. Prayer of invocation
4. Collection (Definitely part of worship!)
5. OT Reading
6. Hymn (or metrical Psalm)
7. Long Prayer (inc. Confession)
8. NT reading
9. Hymn/Psalm
10.Sermon (Preceded by prayer unless already covered in Long Prayer)
11. Hymn/Psalm
If the Lord's Supper is being celebrated (twice a month)then we have
12. Fencing of table
13. Prayer of access
14. Brief Communion Address
15. Prayer of thanks for the bread
16. Distribution of bread
17. Prayer of thanks for the wine
18. Distribution of wine
19. Closing Hymn
20. Benediction This is No 12 if there's no Lord's Supper
The Hymns may be old or new, but they are checked for theological content. Our hymnbook does contain a number of Psalm settings, but I would not care to be an exclusive Psalmist.
You'll notice that we try to follow the order
1. Word
2. Response by congregation (ie. Hymn)
3. Prayer
Blessings,
Steve
