Worship Planning Resources – Unwrapping the Gifts

The following hymn suggestions are offered for Series C during 2015-16.

The following list is offered with the intent that the people of God not only hear the Word as proclaimed in the readings and the sermon, but also join in the proclamation of each Sunday or feast.

For pastors looking for propers for midweek Advent services, LCMS Worship suggests the following. It is an Advent series drawn from the table on Page 159 of The Lutheran Hymnal.

A pastoral conference about weddings and marriages is scheduled for Tuesday, June 30, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hamel, Ill.

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod suggests the following reading of The Passion of Our Lord, according to St. Mark in chapters 14 and 15.

Given the recent and growing number of Christians killed for the sake of Christ, a congregation might wish to receive the comfort of a Divine Service that specifically meditates upon and intercedes for those persecuted brothers and sisters. LCMS Worship offers the following propers as an aid toward that end.

The season of anticipation is almost upon us! How will your congregation mark it? Here are some suggestions toward a fuller celebration this Advent in your congregation.

Despite the well-established custom of midweek Advent services in our parishes, our worship book does not provide lectionary readings or suggestions for midweek. This allows for seasonal themes to be developed, but sometimes pastors look for some concrete guidance in this area. The following suggestions are offered for consideration in meeting this need. This guide provides a psalm and Old Testament reading for each day, plus a narrative portion of Luke 1 to introduce the story of our Lord’s Advent in the flesh.

Thanksgiving is, strictly speaking, a feast of the First Article. And so we confess that it is our solemn duty to “thank and praise” our kind and heavenly Father. And yet it is also a gift of the Second Article, since for the Christian, all thanks is offered in and through Christ. Finally, it is also a gift of the Third Article, for such thanksgiving is finally possible only for the one who has been brought to faith in Christ, and such faith is invariably the work of the Holy Spirit Who leads us to receive all things with thanks and praise.

This is a document published by the former Commission on Worship which explores the Lutheran version of the catechumenate. Several churches that have catechumenal ministry for adults (as well as youth) are interviewed.