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This Side of the Pulpit » Entries tagged with "liturgy"

All the Liturgy’s a Stage

October 21st, 2011 | Add a Comment

Pastor Eric Brown thinks we’re all just acting up there in the chancel…and we have understudies. Ok, not really. But he does point out that when you worship with the liturgy (the real liturgy, not your made-up ones), worship doesn’t depend on the man at all, but the office and the body present. And others can, when necessary, “stand in” for the office. His post is here.     … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

Poor Miserable Sinner

October 20th, 2011 | Add a Comment

Poor Miserable Sinner

Someone once told me that it was “a downer” beginning the worship service with those words, with an actual confession of sin, admitting we are miserable people. She thought we should begin worship on more of an “up” note. Happier, you know. More feel-good. Why do we begin with this confession of sin? Because we are sinful. Because God is holy and a consuming fire, and you are a petty, selfish, lustful, nasty person. It’s true. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

A Call to Worship?

October 19th, 2011 | 4 Comments

A Call to Worship?

I grew up in the LCMS. From day one, I’ve worshiped at Lutheran Churches, spending just a few years in the Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Lots of us have. But how many of you ever saw a “Call to Worship” in the hymnal. Nor did any of those worship services begin with a “Call to Worship.” But many of the “Creative Worship” services that float around the LCMS these days have one of these at the … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

LCMS Convention

July 13th, 2010 | 5 Comments

The LCMS Convention is well underway (I’m behind the game on this). Already our byzantine church polity has been replaced with a less byzantine church polity, and more is underway. After all these re-structuring changes are complete, the normal order of business will be followed, i.e., electing the President and other resolutions. I cannot get excited or bothered by much of this. Re-structuring is probably necessary; our constitution is an unwieldy amalgamation of rules and conflicts. But restructuring will not change the Synod that much. Likewise the question of who is president. A more liberal president will ignore the conservatives, and a conservative president will ignore the liberals. It’s all politics, after all, and no one wants to preside over the real change that must happen in our synod. What’s that, you … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

It used to be Awesome, but now I Want…

April 23rd, 2010 | 3 Comments

A few weeks ago I changed my schedule to having Mondays off instead of Fridays. There are some good benefits to it: it makes the work week feel longer for some reason; Fridays are great days to get things done here at the office, where it is nice and quiet; people who need things usually wait until Tuesday or Wednesday to ask me, and with this schedule I have an extra week day to help them. But I can already tell that the charm will wear off eventually. It will soon enough be like all things. Starting out a joy, then becoming something enjoyable, soon enough it becomes worn and comfortable, then the flaws appear and something new begins to hearken. That fancy new phone? That brand new car? That cute new blouse? That adorable … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

Must Read on Worship

January 18th, 2010 | 5 Comments

My friend and colleague Mason Beecroft apparently gave the most controversial presentation at the recent LCMS Theological Convocation on Worship. Doesn’t surprise me. He’s a great guy (this is not a non-sequitur). So what did he say? What was the problem? His conclusion was nothing radical. Every congregation ought to use the LSB, i.e., the hymnal and liturgy from the most recent service book published. But the how and the why is what rubbed many the wrong way. He is sacramental. He is pre-modern. He believes what the Lord says in a way that frustrates the neo-literalist, historical-grammatical fundamentalists, evangelical practicalists in our midst. Ignore that last sentence if you don’t know what it means. But do read what Pr. Beecroft posted today. Here’s an excerpt: [So who decides?] This question was pervasive at the LCMS … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

It’s Not the Liturgy’s Fault

July 6th, 2009 | 7 Comments

It happened again Sunday. At the late service I felt bored during the liturgy. Yes, I remember back on that side of the nave it can happen frequently. But in the last (almost) nine years since I’ve been in the chancel it happens much less, at least for me. But this Sunday again it struck me during the Kyrie, and went all the way through the Gloria in Excelsis. It felt rote. It was rote. It felt dull. What one does at times like these is critical. Some pastors take this ennui and run with it, thinking they must liven things up, that they must make some big changes, mix in some new and some peppier sounds. Do jazz hands. Well, maybe not jazz hands, but something along those lines. This is what … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

The Family Altar Revisited

June 23rd, 2009 | 3 Comments

Some time ago I wrote a brief introduction to making a family altar and having family devotions. It was a popular post. But posting and doing are different animals. Personally, our family altar and devotion time has been lacking–for a little longer than I’d care to think about. It’s not an unusual problem for families. It’s hard to make new habits and easy to fall into old routines. As St. Gregory the Great (“A man with a lot of  g’s,” as Olivia said) wrote, “While we do not possess [spiritual delights] we regard them with dislike and aversion; but once we partake of them we begin to desire them, and the more we partake of them, the more do we hunger for them.” (PL 76, Sermon 36)  Having personal devotions if you’re … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

Are References to Viagra Appropriate in a Devotion?

May 16th, 2009 | 1 Comment

Pr. Rossow reports some sad news of the quality of the opening devotion at the Northern Illinois Convention, including sexual innuendos: The opening devotion of the Northern Illinois District (NID) convention included a couple of off-color references. When he was called on it, the presenter confessed the error before the whole convention and was given forgiveness by the District President. The whole thing was really weird. In the end, I think it illustrates all too poignantly how the new way of doing church promoted by President Kieschnick and many other leaders of the synod, has brought the world into the church. (Read the rest here) The opening worship at our Convention was LSB setting III. Chanted. Well, most of it chanted. Pr. Nehrenz (elected 2nd VP at the convention) did not chant … Read entire article »

Filed under: Theology

The 100 Songs: Wax on the Slippery Slope

January 15th, 2009 | 6 Comments

The Commission on Worship of the LCMS has released a list of 100 “contemporary songs” that LCMS congregations can use for “contemporary worship” if they so desire. This list was created in response to the last Convention’s resolution “[t]o Provide Guidance and Direction for Use of Diverse/Contemporary Worship Resources.” Strangely, this caveat is included in the their press release: The songs listed in the chart have not been subjected to the same in-depth process that selected hymns receive before being included in a synodically approved hymnal. The rapidly changing scene of Christian contemporary music requires constant attention to evaluate emerging songs in a timely manner. Why not? Making the excuse that the “contemporary scene” moves too fast to evaluate these songs is bogus. They’ve had a year and half to look at 100 songs. … Read entire article »

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