Basic 7 · Religious and Moral Education · Worship
Places and Times of Worship
In this topic you will identify the places and special times of worship in Christianity, Islam and African Traditional Religion, and explain why they are important to believers.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Identify places and times of Christian worship
- Identify places and times of Islamic worship
- Identify places and times of worship in African Traditional Religion
What you already know
- Types and elements of worship
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- Religious Practices
- Sub-strand
- Worship
- Indicator
- B7.2.1.1.1 – Identify the types of worship in the three major religions
Introduction
From small village chapels to large cathedrals in Accra and Kumasi, Christians gather in many kinds of buildings to worship God. They also mark special days and seasons in the Christian year.
1. Places of Christian Worship
| Place | Description |
|---|---|
| church | a building where Christians gather for worship |
| cathedral | the main church of a bishop, such as the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Accra |
| chapel | a small church, often in a school, hospital or village |
| prayer camp or retreat centre | a quiet place for prayer and fasting |
| homes | family devotions and house fellowships |
2. Features of a Church
Many churches have an altar or communion table at the front, a pulpit from which the sermon is preached, a baptismal font or pool, pews or benches for the congregation, and a cross as a symbol of Christ's death and resurrection. Some have stained-glass windows showing Bible stories and a bell tower to call people to worship.
3. Times of Christian Worship
| Time | What is remembered or done |
|---|---|
| Sunday | the main day of worship, remembering Jesus' resurrection |
| Saturday (for some churches) | Seventh-day Adventists worship on the Sabbath |
| Advent | four weeks of preparing for Christmas |
| Christmas (25th December) | the birth of Jesus |
| Lent | forty days of prayer and fasting before Easter |
| Good Friday | the death of Jesus on the cross |
| Easter Sunday | the resurrection of Jesus |
| Pentecost | the coming of the Holy Spirit |
4. Why Places and Times Matter
Special places help believers to concentrate on God, away from the noise of daily life. Special times remind them of important events in the life of Jesus and help them grow in faith together. Gathering regularly also builds fellowship, as believers encourage one another (Hebrews 10:25).
5. Respect for Places of Worship
Visitors and members should show respect in a church: dress decently, keep quiet during prayer, avoid eating or playing inside, and handle Bibles and hymn books carefully. Respecting other people's places of worship is also part of religious tolerance.
New words
- cathedral
- The main church of a bishop.
- altar
- A table at the front of a church used for Holy Communion and offerings.
- pulpit
- A raised stand from which the sermon is preached.
- Lent
- Forty days of prayer and fasting before Easter.
Summary
- Christians worship in churches, cathedrals, chapels, prayer camps and homes.
- Sunday is the main day of worship; Christmas, Lent, Good Friday, Easter and Pentecost are special times.
- Places and times help believers focus on God, remember key events and build fellowship.
Class activity: Christian Calendar
- Make a calendar showing Christian festivals and seasons.
- Write one sentence explaining each.
- Display the calendar in the classroom.
You need: Bible, Qur'an, Printed photograph of a Ghanaian traditional shrine
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. The main day of worship for most Christians is…
- A. Sunday
- B. Friday
- C. Monday
- D. Wednesday
Show answer
Answer: SundayResurrection day.2. Easter celebrates…
- A. the resurrection of Jesus
- B. the birth of Jesus
- C. the coming of the Holy Spirit
- D. the creation
Show answer
Answer: the resurrection of JesusEaster Sunday.3. A pulpit is used for preaching.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueRaised stand.4. The forty days of fasting before Easter are called ______.
Show answer
Answer: LentPreparation.5. Name three special times in the Christian calendar and what they remember.
Show answer
Answer: Christmas: birth of Jesus; Good Friday: His death; Easter: His resurrection.Any three.6. Why do Christians gather regularly for worship?
Show answer
Answer: To worship God together, remember Jesus' resurrection, learn His word and encourage one another.Fellowship.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- Religious Practices
- Sub-strand
- Worship
- Indicator
- B7.2.1.1.1 – Identify the types of worship in the three major religions
Introduction
The minaret of a mosque, a sacred grove at the edge of a village, a family stool room: each is a place where believers meet the divine.
1. Places of Islamic Worship
The main place of worship in Islam is the mosque (masjid). Large mosques, such as the National Mosque at Kawukudi in Accra, host thousands on Fridays. Muslims may pray anywhere clean, however, including homes, offices and fields, using a prayer mat. The Ka'bah in Makkah is the holiest place in Islam, and all Muslims face it when praying.
| Feature | Use |
|---|---|
| minaret | a tower from which the call to prayer (adhan) is made |
| mihrab | a niche showing the direction of the qibla |
| minbar | the pulpit from which the Imam gives the Friday sermon |
| ablution area | taps or water for wudu |
| prayer hall | a large open space with carpets for praying in rows |
2. Times of Islamic Worship
| Time | Description |
|---|---|
| five daily prayers | Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha |
| Friday (Jumu'ah) | congregational prayer and sermon at midday |
| Ramadan | the month of fasting from dawn to sunset |
| Eid al-Fitr | festival at the end of Ramadan |
| Eid al-Adha | festival of sacrifice during the Hajj season |
3. Places of Traditional Worship
Traditional worship takes place at shrines (houses or spaces for a deity), sacred groves (protected forests), rivers, lakes and rocks believed to be the homes of spirits, and the stool room where the blackened stools of departed chiefs are kept. Lake Bosomtwe and the Tano River are examples of natural places regarded as sacred by many Akan people.
4. Times of Traditional Worship
Traditional worship follows a calendar of sacred days. Among the Akan, Akwasidae is celebrated every forty-two days on a Sunday, when the chief honours the ancestors in the stool room. Annual festivals such as Odwira (Akuapem), Homowo (Ga), Hogbetsotso (Anlo Ewe), Aboakyer (Effutu) and Damba (Dagomba) are times of thanksgiving and purification. Some days are sacred to the earth, so no farming is done.
5. Respect for Sacred Places
Respect sacred places of all religions: remove footwear where required, do not enter restricted areas without permission, avoid noise, and do not destroy sacred groves or shrines.
New words
- mosque
- A Muslim place of worship.
- minaret
- A tower of a mosque for the call to prayer.
- shrine
- A sacred place where a deity is worshipped.
- Akwasidae
- An Akan sacred day held every forty-two days.
Summary
- Muslims worship in mosques and anywhere clean, facing the Ka'bah, at five daily times, on Fridays and during Ramadan and the Eids.
- Traditional believers worship at shrines, sacred groves, rivers and stool rooms.
- Traditional sacred days and festivals include Akwasidae, Odwira, Homowo and Hogbetsotso.
Class activity: Sacred Places Map
- Make a map of your community showing places of worship of the three religions.
- Mark the main days of worship for each.
- Present the map and explain one rule of respect for each place.
You need: Bible, Qur'an, Printed photograph of a Ghanaian traditional shrine
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. A Muslim place of worship is a…
- A. mosque
- B. church
- C. shrine
- D. cathedral
Show answer
Answer: mosqueMasjid.2. The tower from which the call to prayer is made is the…
- A. minaret
- B. mihrab
- C. minbar
- D. altar
Show answer
Answer: minaretAdhan.3. Akwasidae is celebrated every forty-two days.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueAkan calendar.4. A sacred place where a deity is worshipped is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: shrineTraditional.5. Name two places of traditional worship and two traditional festivals.
Show answer
Answer: Shrines, sacred groves; Odwira, Homowo (or stool rooms, rivers; Hogbetsotso, Damba).Any correct.6. Why do sacred groves help protect the environment?
Show answer
Answer: Taboos forbid cutting trees or hunting there, so forests and animals are preserved.Conservation.
Homework
- Visit or find out about one place of worship in your community and describe its main features.