We follow a public reading of Scripture format every service. They are designed to keep us mindful of the story.

The church needs constantly to learn, and constantly to be working on, the practice of telling and retelling the great stories of the world and Israel, especially the creation and the Exodus; the great promises that emerged from those stories; and the ways in which those promises came to their fruition in Jesus Christ. The reading of scripture— the written account of those stories— has therefore always been central to the church’s worship. (N T Wright, After You Believe)