Lutherans, at peace on the area of worship because they are committed to using their own Gospel-drenched liturgy (with suitable minor variations in local use), gathering weekly around the wondrous Table of God's Word and Sacrament, concentrating their joint efforts on catechesis, on outreach, on mercy as they serve their neighbors, and on fostering lives of personal repentance and prayer.
You know the saying - some folks looks at things as they are and ask why? Others dream of how they might be and ask why not? Count me in the latter camp today.
22 comments:
"Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one"
Just substitute Lutherans or Lutheranism in there a lot & you've got it! Just kidding.
So many why nots, so little time.
I count myself blessed to be where I am and truth be told, others could be there too.
I am blessed that my life is not filled with many why nots.
Matins tomorrow morning, where we will hear the second half of the third commandment from Luther's Large Catechism, communion every Sunday, the historic liturgy too.
The why nots are just fear based that it won't remain that way, or that I am a job transfer away from losing what I have.
I think that is the obsession with the why nots amongst Lutherans.
George -
I could have gone a LONG time without that song in my head!!! :)
Jon -
How is your grandmother doing? You guys both are in my prayers. Pax!
Pr. Weedon:
She is home and seemed pretty happy on Saturday. She was happy that me and the boys came to see her. It is a delicate balance form here on out with the meds. Our Lord is good and has seen fit to keep her with us - thank you very much for your prayers. That she made it out after 5 days in ICU and is sitting in her chair by her favorite window is something I count as divine intervention.
I am one of those wierd Lutherans that believe that the faithfully departed pray for us such as the Virgin Mary, but I would never dream of asking for them to pray for me, not so much because it seems improper or sinful, but because I can ask those with whom I can speak or write and they can remind me that they have interceded on my behalf and it serves to strengthen my faith.
Pax Christi
Jon
Yeah, imagine, from a guy who lived the last years of his life in one of the most exclusive and expensive apartment communities in New York.
I could've put in My Sweet Lord by George Harrison. But it didn't fit the theme of the post. :)
You're cool George. It was more about Lennon. Reminds me of the time in grad school when Jane Fonda flew in in an airplane made by a large international corporation, operated by a large international corporation, was driven to the event in a vehicle made by a large international corporation, and was heard via sound equipment made by a large international corporation, and spoke against -- large international corporations.
Then again, it's also a world where a church body thinks a point of unity will happen around a service book with five service settings, two absolurions, two Our Fathers, morning and evening prayer AND Matins and Vespers, two lectionaries and two calendars.
Oh well.
PE breaks the 8th commandment against John Lennon:
"Yeah, imagine, from a guy who lived the last years of his life in one of the most exclusive and expensive apartment communities in New York."
You're wrong, sir. The Dakota was and is more like Woodstock. So there. :)
PE,
One of the sore spots of LSB, to be sure. It was a high point in Lutheran liturgy when SBH produced truly several SETTINGS of a single Divine Service - what a wondrous adaptation of the Common Service too - years back. But from the time Missouri began to "experiment" with different "settings" they had variant texts (see Worship Supplement, for example). For those of us who love and appreciate the historic Western rite, though, LSB is a huge step forward in at least providing the propers and lectionary and treating it as something less than a poor, forgotten stepchild. For that I am very grateful.
I absolutely agree, which is why my absolutely mixed feelings about the LSB. Having said what I said, the other part is, considering the times, that anything anywhere near as good as it is was produced at all is something close to a bleeding miracle!
Hell yes you're right Jim -- so let me extend the statement "break the 8th commandment" against the entire Woodstock mentality. I love those commercials showing clips of Woodstock while hawking 401(k)s. That's my generation -- made adolescence into an adult life style and though it was, well, imagine that so zu sagen.
Oh oh, German is coming up, better stop, except to say when they wouldn't let my man Antonio Banderas in that REALLY crossed the line!
Part of this original post reminds of the Bishop of London's words on Maundy Thursday at the Chrism Mass. He said that for too long we (Anglicans) have been focused on ourselves [maybe a little too much ecclesial navel gazing] and not focused enough on presenting ourselves to the world. Good advice.
The terrible thing is memories that won't go away on these sorts of things. So every time I hear the first annoying chords of "Sgt. Peppers," I think of a spoof on that from the National Lampoon Radio Hour from the 70s, a tribute to the Peace Corps, called "Sargent Shriver's Bleeding Hearts Club Band."
"Lutherans, at peace on the area of worship because they are committed to using their own Gospel-drenched liturgy..."
It could happen. But unity won't happen because of a liturgy or a hymnal. The liturgy or hymnal will indicate that unity has happened.
When we began our work as the Liturgy Subcommittee of LSB, we were very idealistic. We seriously considered a single, common text. Then the harsh reality of the LCMS as it actually is settled in. LSB is but a snapshot of the "liturgical" side of the LCMS.
Now that is exactly true, Pr. Cwirla. On both accounts!
Bishop of London? There hasn't been one of those since 1569 when Edmund Bonner died.
And, sadly, for some, the hymnal and the rites and ceremonies contained therein and in our altar book and agendas is not "enough" or is "too much."
It is enough to floor a body, honestly.
Well, something that is descriptive only will only invite the question why not expand that which is being described, especially when its publication is immediately followed by a call to assemble diverse worship resources.
Paul, since your here... with there be anymore LSB resources... specifically the Desk Edition? I got rubrics in the Altar Book that refer me to the Desk Edition.
To the subject of the post... my heart aches for this. We try every goofy, convoluted, creative evangelism plan... could we just try once as a synod what the post suggests?
Ryan: the "go to guy" on the Desk Edition question is Dr. Paul Grime. I've received mixed signals about whether or not it is going to be done, or if it is being worked on. The hymnal companion is well under way.
Re. your other comment. Sounds good to me, but that means some of our brothers will have to resist the urge to add rites and ceremonies not in our hymnal, altar book, etc. In other words, no matter what their personal tastes or inclinations, they should refrain from "I did it my way" even if their "my way"is on the high side of the equation.
Clarification: work is well underway on the hymn companion book. The desk edition for the hymnal is another item. Dr. Paul Grime would be the best source for information on that.
Would someone mind defining the "Desk Edition" and the "hymnal companion"?
Thanks!
Helen
It's "one book" (which should be enough for some people) but it's a real job to learn all those ways to do things.
Some distance to "unity" yet!
P.S. Not meaning anyone present with the "one book" remark.
God bless all!
Helen
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