Sunday, October 25, 2009

A Beautiful Reformation Festival!

What a blessing it was to gather in the Lord's House with the faithful this morning for our observance of the Festival of Reformation Day.  The Service was absolutely beautiful.  Huge thanks to Mary, our wonderful organist, and to the members of our choir for blessing us with their talents and enhancing the beauty of the Festival.  Here's an outline of the Service:

Processional Hymn:  "Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word" (LSB 655)
Confession & Absolution
Entrance Hymn:  "The Holy Word of God Endures Forever" (new Starke hymn written to the glory of God at the publication of The Lutheran Study Bible; choir sang stanza 1, congregation 2-4)
Kyrie:  "Kyrie! God, Father" (LSB 942 - sung by choir)
Gloria:  "All Glory Be to God Alone" (LSB 948)
Salutation and Collect of the Day
First Reading:  Revelation 14:6-7
Anthem:  "To God the Holy Spirit Let Us Pray" (LSB 768)
Epistle:  Romans 3:19-28
Triple Alleluia
Holy Gospel:  John 8:31-36
Creed:  "We All Believe in One True God" (LSB 953)
Hymn of the Day:  "Salvation Unto Us Has Come" (LSB 555 - choir sang stanzas 3, 6, 9)
Sermon
Prayer of the Church
Offering
Preface and Proper Preface
Lord's Prayer
Words of Institution
Sanctus:  "Isaiah, Mighty Seer in Days of Old" (LSB 960 - sung by choir)
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei:  "Lamb of God, Pure and Holy" (LSB 434)
Distribution
Distribution Hymns:  "At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing" (LSB 633); "I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table" (LSB 618); "Dear Christians, One and All, Rejoice" (LSB 556)
Dismissal
Post-Communion Hymn:  "O Lord, We Praise Thee" (LSB 617)
Thanksgiving and Post-Communion Collect
Salutation and Benedicamus
Benediction
Recessional Hymn:  "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (LSB 656)

From beginning to end, absolutely gorgeous - the Lord is Good! 

Now, if I could just get my voice back . . . :)

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