Dear Friends,
As I write to you, we are
preparing to transition from the liturgy, “Now the Feast and Celebration,” back
to our normal Divine Service taken from the Lutheran
Book of Worship, our servicebook. As
we make this transition, it may be helpful for us to intentionally consider
what worship is, and what worship does.
Since everything that
humans do is inherently sinful, because we are sinners, divine worship is not
something that we do, but an experience into which we are drawn. As we gather for services, the Holy Spirit
(whose indwelling presence we received in Baptism) joins us to Christ Jesus, as
he worships his Father in true spiritual worship. It follows that the Divine Service is the
gathering in which God (the Divine) serves us by speaking His Word into our ear
holes (as Dr. Norman Nagel is fond of saying), and pressing the true body of
the Risen Christ given for us into the palms of our soiled hands and tenderly
pouring the blood of Christ spilled for our sins over our undeserving
lips. Christian worship is always
centered upon God, who lavishly covers us with the gifts that He delights in
giving through Christ Jesus.
As you have experienced a
season of upheaval and uncertainty, it is natural and predictable that there
will be a lot of unnamed, and frequently unclarified, anxiety within our
congregation. One of the more
interesting ways that this anxiety manifests itself is in a myriad of competing
and conflicting opinions and preferences regarding our worship. For every opinion and concern that is shared
with me regarding our worship, I have come to expect that within a week’s time
– I will receive two additional and contradictory opinions. This certainly does not present itself as a
crisis, only the reminder that our congregation needs for her leaders to
establish a baseline and consistency in how we do things. This, of course, needs to be undergirded by
clear explanations as to why we are establishing certain practices and drawing
away from other patterns. To that end,
over the course of the next few months, I will be offering some reflections on
the Divine Service.
You probably have noticed
that we have added a preparatory prayer in the worship bulletin. This prayer is offered as an aid to our
members, as we prepare our hearts for worship, prior to the beginning of the
service. Certainly, worshipers are
invited to offer their own prayers, as well, during this time. Additionally, you may find it helpful to open
your Bible and read through Psalms 95, 100, and 122.
Our Divine Service
provides three opportunities for silent prayer and reflection: prior to the invocation (including the
preludal selection), during the collection of offerings, and following the
reception of communion. While
conversation with our neighbor is discouraged during these times, conversation
with God is appropriate and salutary.
Just as it is important for us to pray prior to our meals, going to bed,
and before studying the Bible; we should also be encouraged to pray prior to
hearing God’s Word in the service, and before and after receiving the Lord’s
Supper.
In addition to the
preparatory prayer supplied in each weekend’s bulletin, there are also helpful
prayers found inside the servicebook (LBW). Praying for those worshipers seated around
you, those persons who are leading us in worship, and for the congregation’s
mission of sharing the good news of Christ Jesus with our community are always
invited. The places in our worship which
allow for silent prayer are indeed fitting opportunities for you to bring
before the Lord those things which are of the highest concern to you. It is always the case that God is more eager
to hear our prayers, than we are to pray.
Let us confidently address our Father, who has reconciled us to Himself
through His Son, Jesus Christ.
In Christ Jesus,
D.M. Roser, Pastor
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