24 November 2007

A Real Joy

is being able to go into fellow Missouri Synod parishes and find the same Hymnal in use that one uses at home. As the adoption of LSB spreads, this joy continues to grow. Tomorrow, I believe, we'll be worshipping in yet another LSB parish in our District. After the generation of separation (LBW, LW, or TLH), what joy it is to find LSB popping up nearly everywhere! I think it was already in the majority of our District's parishes just over a year after publication.

9 comments:

Lutheran Lucciola said...

I will see if my church is getting any new stuff. Probably not, if it's a money thing.

Past Elder said...

We still use LW, and it's a money thing. There were lots of prepub promos for the LSB, workshops too, so I expect some day it will come.

But I'm not sure it ends the generation of separation so much as just puts it between two covers, combining as it does TLH historic liturgy, lectionary and calendar equally with the LBW -> LW Vatican II For Lutherans novus ordo revisionism of same.

So while I think the LSB is a huge improvement over LBW and its cleaned up version LW, and while I like the LSB Common Service better than TLH, I'm a Red Hymnal guy at the end of the day, as they say.

Anonymous said...

May I ask why the TLH was replaced? I've heard only good things about it and that some consider it better than the newer versions. Thank-you

William Weedon said...

Susan,

TLH was and is a remarkable hymnal in many ways. It had a "timeless" quality about it. But at the same time there are many areas where LSB excels TLH, particularly in hymnody, number of Psalms, layout, and the inclusion of the occasional services (Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Funeral).

The very best of TLH is preserved in LSB and much that is good has also been added. With LSB it's like having your cake and eating it too. TLH and the very best of all that's come afterward.

Anonymous said...

Dear Pastor Weedon,

Many thanks for anwering my question. I'm a newbie to the LCMS (ex-evangelicalism) and a new reader of your blog. I really appreciate your answer and how informative your blog is - there is much I still need to learn about confessionalism, the church calendar, using the LSB, and etc. I also appreciate the patristic and old lutheran quotes and thoughtful comments (e.g. Homiletical Aphorisms)on your blog. Again, many thanks.

Past Elder said...

Hey welcome aboard Susan!

Re LCMS I'm a newbie too, 1 year last August 27, Lutheran (WELS) since 1996, ex-RC.

This blog is a great source and cyber gathering place for new, old, and everywhere in between.

Glad you're here!

Anonymous said...

Thank-you for your kind words and warm welcome. I'm still reading the past posts and comments, and I agree with you that "This blog is a great source and cyber gathering place for new, old, and everywhere in between."

Another thing I appreciate is the irenic spirit that dominates this blog. Thank-you One and all for that! And a special thank-you and "very well done" to Sir Weedon.

Brian P Westgate said...

One problem with LSB is the atrocious hacking to pieces of "Who Knows When Death May overtake Me." The three verses in LSB are fine, but they obvsiously are not supposed to stand by themselves. The opening phrase of the first stanza in LSB is all the proof you need. "Once in the blest baptismal waters" just doesn't cut it as a title, though "Who Knows when Death may Overtake Me" does. Of course I think of this because we sang this hymn at Zion Detroit yesterday, since Zion still celebrates the Commemoration of the Parish Faithful Departed on the last Sunday of the Church Year.
I never knew how gorgeous black can be, until I saw the chasuble Fr. Loree wore. With the cross and palm branches on it, it's a joyful black.

Lutheran Lucciola said...

Hey, welcome, Susan! You should put your conversion info (if you would like to share it), on Adam Roe's site, the with-fear blog, and the Wittenberg Catholic website.

I'm new too. ;-)