July 2011: How Lutherans Worship, Part III

I am continuing our exploration of the worship service. Previously we explored the "Service of the Word" where we received grace through the written/spoken Word of God. We will now continue with the third part of the worship service called "The Service of Holy Communion." In the Service of Holy Communion we are confronted by the real presence of Christ. It is here that we receive grace from God in the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.


The Service of Holy Communion

• Offering/Offertory: The Offering of the people is gathered as the altar table is made ready for the Lord's Supper. Offerings of money are given as an expression of love and gratitude for God's blessings. Along with these gifts, bread and wine for Holy Communion are presented to the altar (by uncovering). An Offertory canticle is sung.
• The Great Thanksgiving: Just as Jesus, at the table with His disciples, offered thanks in accordance with Jewish practice, so we embody in our celebration a prayer of thanksgiving. The Preface, in which the minister bids us to lift our hearts to God and give thanks, begins with the words "The Lord be with you..." The Preface Proper states the particular reason for thanksgiving: "It is truly good, right and salutary..." It climaxes in the canticle "Holy, holy, holy" where we unite with the heavenly hosts (Isaiah 6:3) and with the church on earth (Matthew 21:9) in singing "Hosanna," to adore God and to welcome the Savior who died for our salvation and now comes to us in the Sacrament. The Eucharistic Prayer, recounting the history of God's salvation, is prayed and terminated with the Lord's Prayer.
• Words of Institution: The scriptural words which tell us of Jesus' institution of the Sacrament are recited, in order to consecrate the bread and the wine. We pray for the coming of the Holy Spirit that we might be prepared rightly to receive the Body and Blood of Christ which, according to His promise, are now truly present in Holy Communion. We are to confess: our need for a savior, Jesus' real presence, that forgiveness comes through Jesus' death on the cross, and that we receive that forgiveness when we receive His body and blood "in, with and under" the bread and wine.
• Sharing of the Peace: As we begin the communion rite, the minister shares a word of peace. This is not only a recognition that we have peace with God, but a proclamation that we have peace with each other.
• The Communion: As the consecrated elements are distributed to the communicants, we sing the Agnus Dei ("Lamb of God", John 1:29) as a confession that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. We are reminded of that forgiveness of sins at the communion rail in the words - "the Body of Christ, given for you..."; "the Blood of Christ, shed for you..."
• The Post-Communion Canticle: After we have received Christ's body and blood we sing "Thank the Lord... ," a song of rejoicing. During Lent we sing "Lord, now you let your servant go in peace" (Luke 2:29-32), the words which Simeon spoke as he rejoiced that he had seen Christ, a joy we share because we have received Christ in the Sacrament.
• Benediction--a blessing: The pastor pronounced a blessing using the Aaronic benediction from the Old Testament (Numbers 6:24-26): "the Lord bless you and keep you..."

The legacy of our Liturgical Worship Service is indeed a gift from our forefathers. When we worship, it is like worshiping with all the saints over all time and space, together at the feet of the Father.

May 2011: How Lutherans Worship, Part 1

"He is Risen!" Christ is Risen! Alleluia! Amen!

For centuries the church has greeted one another with the words celebrating the resurrection of our savior Jesus Christ. This is not the only thing which has been passed down the centuries. Our worship is also a legacy, a gift, from our brothers and sisters who have gone before us.

The Lutheran church has done much to preserve that connection. There are two important characteristics of Lutheran worship. First, it is biblical. It is centered around the Word of God. Second, it is Christo-centric. The service points us consistently to the saving work and resurrection presence of Jesus Christ. In it God speaks and gives to us; we respond with thanks and praise.

(Parts of this article come from Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbus, Ohio. Their website is located at: www.oldtrinity.com)

The Preparation
In most churches, an organ prelude begins the worship. This is not just to establish a "mood," but is itself an offering--a creation of artistic talent for God's glory. The music is often related to the liturgical theme of the day or season, such as a chorale prelude on one of the hymns to be sung. During this time, worshipers may listen, often personal prayers in silence, or meditate on appropriate literature, including the psalms and lessons for the day.

Invocation
We remember our Baptism by invoking the Name of the Triune God. (It is appropriate to make the sign of the cross which was first given us in the baptismal rite.)

Confession and Absolution
We wish to enter God's Holy Place with "clean hands and a pure heart (Psalm 24). In response to a scriptural invitation, we confess our sin and ask for forgiveness. The pastor reminds us of God's love and mercy and declares us forgiven in the name of God, who made us His at our baptism.

The Entrance Rite
We begin the Service Proper with a Hymn.

In the Kyrie (pronounced KEER-ee-ay), we greet our Lord as people of old greeted a king when he came to their city. In a series of petitions, a minister asks for peace and salvation for ourselves and for the world, the people joining in the response "Lord, have mercy" (in Greek, Kyrie eleison).

The Hymn of Praise which follows expresses our joy for the gifts which our Lord brings. "Glory to God in the highest" is an ancient song which begins with the angels' Christmas carol (Luke 2:14) and swells into a profound adoration of the Holy Trinity. An alternative is "This is the feast", a modern song based on phrases from the book of Revelation.

I will continue our exploration of Lutheran worship in the Pastor's Pages for the next two months. Next month, in "How Lutherans Worship, Part 2" we'll hear about "The Service of the Word", the part of the service in which we hear the Scripture verses read and interpreted in the sermon. Part 3 will cover the third part of our service, "The Service of the Lord's Supper", where we receive God's grace in the sacraments.

March 2011: What is an Elder?

Strictly Speaking, the word "elder" in the Bible, episcopos, means overseer. The present day equivalent of the episcopos is the pastor. What we commonly call "elders" today are members who have been appointed to serve the congregation in its temporal affairs and to assist the pastor in ministry. According to the Constitution of Immanuel First Lutheran, the Elders, together with the Pastor, shall be concerned with the spiritual welfare of the congregation.

What do the Elders do?

The Elders do more than just read scriptures during the Sunday worship service. They are responsible for overseeing all the aspects of the service, making sure that the proper elements are available, the altar properly prepared and that the worship liturgy leads the people into proper worship of God. Elders also oversee worship attendance. Primarily they analyze communion attendance and call upon those who are lax.

Elders also oversee the baptisms of newborn children in the congregation, and the proper instruction of new members and youth. In order to foster this, the elders, with the Pastor, provide adult and youth confirmation classes.

Some of the more enjoyable tasks of an elder is the care of shut-ins, members who are unable to come to Sunday worship either due to inability to drive or due to illness. Elders will frequently visit shut-ins, helping with personal needs and with the pastor, serve communion. (Sometimes we get bags of oranges.) In addition to the care of members, Elders are also responsible for the pastoral care of the pastors, praying for them and assisting them with difficult problems of ministry.

One of the tougher responsibilities of an elder, with the pastor, is that of church discipline. Matthew 18:15-17 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 state that if a person consistently lives in rebellion to Scripture, they are to be denied the sacrament of communion and removed from the fellowship. The is called excommunication. The process of excommunication is never done vengefully or unilaterally, but in love. The goal is that "the [person's] sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved." The ultimate goal of excommunication is reconciliation, between the erring member and the church, and the erring member and God.

What kind of person becomes an Elder?

1 Timothy 3:1-20 outlines the requirements for an Elder, some of which is the following: "...must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money..."

When the Board of Elders of Immanuel First look for new Elders, several other criteria are used in addition to 1 Timothy 3. Active membership for at least five years and regular worship and Bible study is a sign of a commitment to the church. It is also important that they are familiar with the Bible and have had training in the Lutheran confessions. In order that they have enough life experiences, we expect them to be at least 30 years old.

The position of elder is a great honor and also a great responsibility. We have been blessed by the men who have served our congregation and we owe them our love, respect and support. God bless our Elders.

January 2011: Liturgical Candles

Happy New Year!

Have you ever watched the acolyte lighting the candles during worship? Have you ever noticed that big red candle burning way up in the left side of the chancel (i.e. altar area)? For centuries candles have been a traditional symbol in the church. They are not just for decoration. Light is a symbol of God. "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). Here is a list of some liturgical candles and their meanings.

Communion Candles and Office Candles

These are the two tall candles sitting on the altar on either side of the crucifix. They are lit during communion services. The other candles are called "office lights". At the beginning of the service, the candles on the right side (facing the altar) are lit first. The candles nearest to the crucifix are lit first. They are extinguished at the end of the service in the opposite order. The imagery is of light springing forth from the altar and returning to the altar at the end of the service.

Eternal Candle

The Eternal Candle is the big red candle hanging high up on the left side of the chancel. The Eternal Candle is always lit. The new candle should be lit from the flame of the old. I've always thought of it as a symbol of the eternal presence of God. However, historically, this was the one candle burning in the church to welcome anyone who desired to receive communion on non-Sundays. (7-Eleven is not the only one open 24/7).

Advent Candles

These are the candles in the Advent Wreath hanging high on the right side of the chancel. There are five candles: three purple or blue, one rose and one white. A candle is lit for each Sunday service in Advent.
Purple or blue? Advent has blue themes. One theme is penitential. As we await the coming of Christ, we are sorry for our sinfulness. This is symbolized by the purple candles. However, a second theme is "rejoicing that the King is coming." This is symbolized by the blue candles for royalty.
The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday symbolizing "joy."
The white Christ candle, in the center of the wreath, is lit on Christmas.

Candlelight Christmas "Hand Candles"

These are the candles the congregation carries at the end of our Christmas Eve service. The light from the Paschal candle is gradually spread hand to hand, throughout the congregation, symbolizing the spread of Christ's love and the Gospel.

Christ Candle, aka Paschal Candle (not the same at the Advent Christ Candle)

This is the tall (3 foot) candle standing by itself on the left side of the altar (i.e. facing the altar). It is a symbol of our Lord's resurrection and His visible presence here on Earth. The candle is lit early Easter morning and is lit every Sunday until Ascension. The candle is marked with a cross, the current year, as well as an Alpha and Omega (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet). These are symbols that Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. In the center and at each end of the cross, wax nails are affixed to symbolize the five wounds of Christ.
At the end of the Good Friday Service, the Paschal Candle leaves the sanctuary. This symbolizes the death of Christ. Jesus is the light of the world. When Jesus dies, the light of the world is gone.

Baptism Candle

This is the candle we give to children being baptized. It is a symbol of the light of Christ which is now in their lives. The candle should be lit every year on the anniversary of their baptism.

Unity Candles

This is a relatively new tradition for weddings. It consists of three candles,one white candle between two tapers. At the beginning of the service the two tapers are lit, signifying the separate lives of the couple. During the service the flame of the tapers are combined and used to light the center candle. Then the tapers are blown out. This symbolizes two lives becoming one.