The Invocation distinguishes the gathering of God's people from all other human gatherings. To be gathered "in the name'' of the triune God is to be identified as one of His own. Indeed, the very words are a reminder of our baptism, where we were baptized into this triune name. As Christ's holy people gather "in the name," it is no mere gathering of like-minded individuals or special-interest group. Rather, all our differences, our individualities, and even our separations, while not ignored or denied, are nevertheless superceded by our identity in Christ.

Adaptations of the Invocation require careful deliberation. This is especially the case concerning the triune name-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. With the increasing push in ecumenical circles to avoid the use of the patriarchal/masculine names Father and Son, it is incumbent upon the church to remember that the triune name is not of our own choosing but is God's self-revelation. Substitutions such as creator, redeemer, and sanctifier are simply not adequate.

Another frequent adaptation of the Invocation is the practice of introducing it with words like "We begin in the name of. . ." or "We make our beginning in the name of. . ." While such introductions are not inherently wrong, the Invocation is much stronger when God's name is allowed to stand on its own and "we" are not made the subject of the sentence: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."