Worship: Introduction
Terms
Lex Orandi Lex Credendi - Law of Worship, Law of Belief - How we worship is how we believe. How we believe is how we worship.
Means of Grace - the means through which the Holy Spirit works forgiveness of sin
Doctrine - what we teach and believe
Keys
- Two dimensions to worship:
1. Personal
2. Corporate
- Twofold point of Worship:
1. Receiving from God and then
2. Responding with Reverence & Praise
- Worship focus is on Christ (the Word of God)
- Differences in worship are contributed to differences in doctrine.
- Only God can makes things holy.
Proposed Questions:
How does our doctrine manifest itself within our worship service
How does our doctrine influence our architecture?
Worship: Music
- Music influences us in setting tone and mood.
- Music is used as an educational tool.
- Purpose of Music in Worship
• To give thanks
• To rejoice
• To edify
• To respond in one voice
- Worship rhythm
- Proper rhythm starts with God to us, and then our response
- Confused rhythm starts with us to God
Worship: Liturgy
Liturgy - Denotes the whole system of formal worship.
Our “contemporary” and traditional worship services (Service of the Word) has 17 of 18 liturgical elements in common and are presented in the same order.
Worship Service parts:
• Service of the Word
• Service of Communion
Worship: Art
Purpose of Sanctuary Symbolism/Art is to remind us who God is and what He has done.
• Traditional Symbolism (Candles, Furniture, Paraments, etc.)
• Stain Glass Windows - Our windows are: Abundance, Feeding, Death and Resurrection, Rejoicing and Welcoming, and The Lost and Saved
• Banners -
• Screens - An electronic form of Stain Glass/Banners
Worship: Communion
Passover
• Story of God’s redemption of His people out of bondage
• Celebrated for over 1400 years by the time of Christ
Establishment of Communion within the setting of the Passover
Responsibilities of the Church
• Reverence and respect
• Confession of faith
Worship: Communion
Divergent Teaching
• Symbolicism - An understanding that the bread and wine only represent
• Transubstantiation - Elements are changed into the actual body and blood of Christ.
• Consubstantiation - Substance A + Substance B = Substance C
• Receptionism -Only the celebrant who believes receives
• Sacramental Union - The Real Presence is sometimes described as being; in, under, and above the elements without changing them
Confession of faith
• Altar Fellowship restrictions
• No fellowship with ELCA. They are in altar fellowship with wide church bodies that hold divergent teachings
• No fellowship with WELS. They have different views of the role of women and who is in public ministry
• No fellowship with non-lutheran church bodies because of their doctrines
• Who’s doctrines are we agreeing to when we present ourselves at other church’s altars?
• How much unity is needed and on which teachings?
Communion Policies
• Open - Everyone welcome
• Closed - Only LCMS
• Close - Only those who adhere to Sacramental Union
Communicating our doctrines
• Examined our written announcements
• Are we doing enough?
Worship: Practice
Rev Brinkley
- Retired pastors considered called to a congregation without actually having a call to that congregation
• Note: Sacerdotalism: “Theology relating to or denoting a doctrine which ascribes sacrificial functions and spiritual or supernatural powers to ordained priests.” Essentially a view that perceives that the clergy a separate estate from the priesthood of all believers. A belief that the ordination consecrates a man.
- Pastors have lead way with knowledge of confidential backstories
- Communion is about personal examination, not the examination of others
- Its okay talk about the meaning of communion with visitors
Worship: Practice
- The practical issues - celebrant must help in drinking from the common cup
- Function of the vestments
• Liturgical: identifies the person doing a function
• • Alb - latin for white, covers the sinful man
• • Pastor’s Stole - Shaped to symbolize the yoke of Christ
• • Lay Ministers Stole - different in shape to separate them from pastors
• Universal: The uniform of the church - provides continuity