Alternative Service Orders: I. Sing! A Song Service...

In my last post, I hoped that I would analyze other service orders trying to do other things. I thought that this would come a long while off, but lo and behold, in the mail the other day I got a CPH trinket from 1932, from one of my best supporters, Bruce Radtke. The full title is Sing! A Song Service Featuring Hymns by Great Lutheran Hymn-Writers. No doubt, orders like these will become everyday again, as we near the 500th anniversary of the nailing of the 95 theses.

1. Prelude.
2. Stanzas 1, 5-7 of "Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice," LSB 556 (ELHB 310). These verses tell the tale of Christ's incarnation and suffering on earth. This puts us in mind of what God in Christ has done for us.
3. Introit and collect. The introit (Make a joyful noise...) sets the tone of the whole service in the line "for praise is comely for the upright." Again this is a reminder that we have been acquitted and we are so thankful that we bust out in song.
Let me simply give the collect, updated, and then speak on it.

Lord God, heavenly Father, we come before Your presence with singing. You are our God: You- not we- have made us, redeemed us, and hallowed us. We are Your people and the sheep of Your pasture. Fill our hearts with true thankfulness for Your kindness and goodness, so that our hands and lips show forth Your praise continually; through Jesus Christ, our Lord... Amen.

The collect again highlights how and why we praise. It also- like the opening hymn- proclaims what God in Christ has done. "We are Your people..." even hints at the line in the Venite of the Matins Service, "we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand."
4. Stanzas 1-4 of "Now I Have Found the Firm Foundation," LW 360 (ELHB 312). This hymn also emphasizes acquittal. For some reason the last stanza (6 in LW) is excluded, even though it reads "I'll sing Your mercy great and true," which would continue to press the theme of "Our acquittal leads us to thank God."
5. Stanzas 1-4,6 of "Lord Jesus Christ, with Us Abide," LSB 585 (ELHB 110). This is a good hymn that asks Christ to be with us and preserve us through His Word.
6. All of "May God Bestow on Us His Grace," LSB 823-4 (ELHB 480). The hymn is a prayer that God's Word would bless His people into praising Him.
7. Scripture Lessons (Eph. 5:15-21 or Psalm 147 or Psalm 100)
8. All of "O Christ, Our True and Only Light," LSB 839 (ELHB 475). This hymn prays that God would shine His Word on people still "walking in darkness." Stanza five again highlights the notion of singing because of what Christ has done, saying "That they... such grace with wondering thanks adore...."
9. Address.
10. Offertory.
11. Stanzas 1-3, 12 of "Commit Whatever Grieves Thee," TLH 520 (ELHB 525). The idea, I think, is that we offer to God, not our works but our cares and burdens.
12. Lord's Prayer.
13. Benediction.
14. All of "All Glory Be to God on High," LSB 947 (ELHB 261). Again, the theme is praising God for what He has done in Christ.
15. Postlude.

Overall, this is an ok service. It emphasizes that because God has acquitted us, we sing His praises. It reminds us that we worship God because of what He has already done for us. Yes, it might have been nice to build up to the reading/preaching of God's Word, and yes it could have emphasized that praise is not the only result of our acquittal, but compared to many hymn services I have come across this is not bad. Still, it is no match for the traditional order of Divine Service.

Understanding the Divine Service: Overall

It's been a while, but... looking at the Divine Service as a whole, 3 major themes emerge. First, the Divine Service celebrates the incarnation, when God the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Service of the Word builds up to the hearing of God's Word by greeting Him, praising Him, and asking the Holy Spirit to open our ears, mind, and body to Him. And yet the focus is very much on the fact that the Word is coming to us. (This is why it might be best to have the lessons read, and even the sermon given, from within the midst of the congregation.) Then the Service of the Sacrament builds up to the eating and drinking of the Word-Made-Flesh, again by greeting Him, praising Him, and asking the Holy Spirit to make us worthy partakers of Him. Again, the focus is very much on the fact that the Word-Made-Flesh is coming to us.

Second, the Divine Service models the life of the believer. Just like our baptism/acquittal shoves us into walking the path of righteousness, so also the Invocation is the catalyst for the rest of the Divine Service; like the Christian life is spent receiving Christ’s Spirit and doing His work, so also everything after the Invocation is for the believer’s sanctification. And what is sanctification, but seeing one's utter need for and full dependence on Christ? Thus, the back and forth rocking of the Law and Gospel, cradled in the many parts of the Divine Service (Confession then Absolution, Kyrie then Gloria, etc.), mimics the believers' acknowledgement of their need for Christ (hallowing) and the joy that comes from getting Him (hallowed living).

In this way, the Divine Service has a decidedly missional focus. Furthermore, the almost constant recitation of Who Christ is and what He has done for His people (in the Gloria/Hymn of Praise, Creed, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, Nunc Dimittis, Prayer of Thanksgiving, etc.) mimics the kind of witness that believers give, not merely in the layout of words or because the witness comes from the joy of getting Christ, but in the fact that since the witness is scripted, the worshiper need only read the words given them, so as to repeat them out loud. This is almost exactly like the Holy Spirit speaking words of witness, Mark 13:9-11.

So, if one were to summarize the whole Divine Service, one might say that Christ comes down into the midst of His people and changes their lives, turning them from looking down at their navels, and up, out at their neighbor in need.

(In posts to come, I hope to talk about other themes and doctrines, and orders of service that might portray them.)

Classic Mistake

A few years ago, a college professor gave me wise advise: when it comes to big holidays like Christmas and Easter, don't overdo it. Today, I saw why.

Now, in the mind of the worship planners- the pastor, the music minister/director, worship committee, etc.- holidays like Easter are the times to pull out all the stops (often literally), to really spice up the service with as much special music as can be. Afterall, it's Easter: who wants the same old, same old?
But also in the mind of the worshiper, holidays like Easter are the times to pull out all the stops. That is, people want to sing and sing loudly. They are filled with the glee of Easter morn and want to let it out.

Today, those two minds collided. I visited my roommate's church, here in the St. Louis area, full of the excitement of Easter, worshiping with my roommate, and getting to see a different church; I was bursting to sing. But there were so many choir anthems and so many verses of hymns sung by the choir, that the congregation only sang one piece of liturgy (that's another complaint for another post) and 5 hymns, two of which were "helped out" by the choir. So much for jubilation.

So, let me pass on the wisdom of my college professor to you worship planners (and you who know worship planners): if you want more music, that's great, but have it sung by the congregation.

Luther's Expanded Lord's Prayer

Here at the Sem, one of my classes has me reading a book on Luther's spiritual and devotional practices. When talking about prayer, Luther highly encourages his readers to, when they pray, pray the Lord's Prayer and then go back and expand on it. This is what he does in his Deutsche Messe; and those blessed with an LSB can find a decent translation of it on pages 215-216.

Just the other day, I came across another version of this same prayer. Back in the 16th century, the first person ever to publish the whole Bible in English, Bishop Matthew Coverdale, had to flee to Denmark for a few years when things got heated in England because of the Reformation. While there, he translated parts of their liturgy- including this prayer- from Danish into English.

As you read Coverdale's translation, I encourage you to do so out loud, since this is how Coverdale intended it to be read. If you are "lucky" enough to own an LSB and compare the two translations, see where you like Coverdale's more, and where you like the LSB's more. Then you can read below, where I've given my own "best of both worlds" version. As always, comments are welcome.

Let us heartily make our prayer to God the Father of all mercy, believing assuredly that He will graciously hear us thru our Lord Jesus Christ, Who commanded us to pray, and promised us saying, "Ask and ye shall have; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you." Wherefore, in consideration of the same commandment and promise, lift up your hearts, and say thus with me in your prayer:

O Lord God, our Father in heaven, we Thy miserable children upon earth beseech Thee, that Thou wilt mercifully look on us and lend us Thy grace; that Thy holy Name may be sanctified among us and in all the world, thru the sincere teaching of the Word, and thru earnest charity in our daily living, and our conversation. Seclude Thou graciously all false doctrine and evil living, whereby Thy worthy Name might be blasphemed and slandered.

Oh, let Thy kingdom come, and be great. All sinful, blind people, and such as are holden captive of the devil in his kingdom, those bring Thou to the knowledge of the true faith in Jesus Christ Thy Son.

Strengthen us, Lord, with Thy Spirit, to do and to suffer Thy will both in life and death, in weal and woe; that our will may alway be broken, offered up, and mortified.

And give us our daily bread. Preserve us from covetous desire, and carefulness of the belly; that of Thee we may be assured to have abundance of all good things.

Forgive us our trespass, as we forgive them which offend us; that our heart may have a sure and glad conscience, and that we never fear, nor be afraid for any sin.

Lead us not into temptation, but help us thru Thy Spirit to subdue the flesh, to despise the world with his vanities, and to overcome the devil with all his crafty assaults.

And finally, deliver Thou us from all evil, both bodily and ghostly, temporal and eternal. Amen.

They that earnestly desire all this, let them say, "Amen!" believing without any doubt that it is granted and heard in heaven, according as Christ promised us, saying, "When ye pray, believe assuredly that ye shall have it, and it shall come to pass." Amen.

 And now my melding of the two, minus the congregation response.

Friends in Christ, let us heartily pray to God the Father of all mercy, believing assuredly that He will graciously hear us thru our Lord Jesus Christ, Who commanded us to pray, and promised us saying, "Ask and you shall have; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you." Therefore, in consideration of the same commandment and promise, I urge you all to lift up your hearts and pray with me:

O Lord God, our Father in heaven, we, Your needy children on earth, beseech You to mercifully look on us and grant us Your grace; that Your holy Name be hallowed among us and in all the world, thru the pure and true teaching of Your Word and thru earnest love shown forth in our daily living, and our conversation. Graciously seclude all false doctrine and evil living, whereby Your worthy Name is blasphemed and slandered.

Let Your kingdom come and be great. Bring all sinful people, and those blinded and bound in the devil's kingdom to know Jesus Christ, Your Son, by faith. 

Strengthen us, Lord, with Your Spirit, to do and to suffer Your will, both in life and death, in weal and woe; that our own wills may always be broken, offered up, and mortified. 

Give us our daily bread. Preserve us from greed and selfish cares; that we may trust in You to have abundance of all good things.

Forgive us our sins and we forgive those who sin against us, so that our hearts may have a sure and glad conscience, and that no sin may ever frighten or alarm us.

Lead us not into temptation, O Lord, but help us by Your Spirit to subdue our flesh, to turn from the world and its vanities, and to overcome the devil with all his crafty assaults. 

P: Lastly, O heavenly Father, deliver us from all evil of both body and soul, now and forever. Amen.

Link: On Feelings and Emotions

In my google searches, today, I came across this excellent blog post by Rev. Woodford.

Lutheran worship (liturgy) intentionally reflects this. In fact, it rejoices in the reality that regardless if one is a distracted mother tending to her children, a day dreaming teenager, a burdened husband, or a hard of hearing 89 year-old, God still connects to them regardless of how they are feeling! He connects to them through His Word going into their ear holes. He connects to them through His Word that opens their lips in prayer and praise. He connects to them with the body and blood of Christ on their lips and in their mouths. Forgiveness is given. Love is declared. Salvation is granted. God is present!

Theology

Have you heard this critique: "Hymns are too theological?" How 'bout it's mirror: "Contemporary worship songs are not theological enough?"


I disagree. I think both hymns and contemporary songs have theology, since they both talk about God. Where they differ is that the hymns that get complained about have an academic, explicit theology, whereas contemporary songs that get complained about have a more folkish (everyday), implicit kind of theology.


Please check out these links to both an hymn and a contemporary song, each talking about sin and justification.


The fault of this hymn is that it speaks only to my head. One of the faults of the song is that it is so focused on making the words speak to my whole being, its Law is vague (and thus open to the singer's interpretation) and its Gospel is vague (thus open to the singer's interpretation).


I'd like to propose three fixes to the problem of either explicit yet academic theology, or folkish yet vague: Context, poetic imagery, better use of verse and chorus.


Context. For the hymn, the sermon could talk about the practical and emotional effects of both the Law & sin, and Grace & freedom. For the song, the sermon could talk about how sin holds us back and how Jesus restores us to the way we were made. In both cases, the context would give added meaning to the song/hymn.


Imagery. Thanks to movies, TV, and the internet, 21st century folks think in pictures. For someone to be impacted, they have to visualize it. Mark how the following paraphrase of our hymn presents the same theology as earlier, yet creates a clear picture in one's mind.

The rescue we were waiting for 
Has come most undeservedly,
While we were groping on the floor 
Of deep despair, what did we see?
The hand of Jesus, God's own Son, 
Came reaching down to us alone:
No one but He could save us.
Es ist das Heil uns kommen wir
Paul Speratus
Para. Jaroslav Vajda; Copyright ©1987 Concordia Publishing House.


Better use of verse and chorus structure. For example, a song could have folkish verses, and an academic chorus (or vice-versa). This would give meaning to the "theology" and a theological view of everyday observances. 
-"Why should I care about sin?" "Because it makes your life suck."
-"Why does my life suck?" "Because of sin."


I hope y'all understand that I'm talking about neither a watering-down or a dumbing-down of theology, nor an academic dissertation every Sunday. Instead I'm talking about preachers and hymnwriters/paraphrasers alike presenting explicit theology in a way that speaks to all people, whether they think mainly with their head or their heart.

Luther on Being Overly Fascinated with Rubrics and Rituals

Pr. Paul T. McCain, over at Cyberbrethren, has some excellent thoughts about putting too much stock in being "liturgical," an ever present danger for at least myself.

When Luther Made Fun of A Guy Overly Fascinated with Rubrics and Rituals