WORSHIP LIFE IN THE CONGREGATION

Our Current Worship Format:
In 2005, we embarked on our new format for Sunday mornings, centered around our single worship service at 9:30 AM.  Our worship service at 9:30 focuses on celebration, with music, ensembles, rotating liturgies, communion, children's time, lessons, and the pastoral reflection. From 10:45 to 11:30, we focus on learning and fellowship, with Sunday Learning Place, Adult Forum, and a coffee and "brunch" in Wilke Hall.

Worship Style:
Both the classical and community-based styles of worship follow the general flow of the Christian liturgical tradition: an opening time to prepare our hearts and praise God in confession, song, and prayer is followed by the reading of the lessons assigned for the day. After a sermon or reflection and silence the response to the lessons is marked by the sharing of the ancient creed, offerings, and prayers. The Christian meal remembers the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. And then we take our leave with a time for benediction.

Since Easter of 2007, the congregation has been using the new Evangelical Lutheran Book of Worship to shape its worship and hymn singing. We have now used all ten settings of the liturgy. One liturgy is used for several weeks before a change is made, usually when the seasons of the church year are also changing.

Music and hymns are chosen to reflect the themes developed in the lessons read from the Bible. As a member congregation of the ELCA, these are assigned each Sunday by the Revised Common Lectionary. The lectionary is a set of assigned readings used by many denominations, including Lutherans, for public reading each week during worship.

The cycle of readings repeats every three years. Each week in worship we read one lesson from the Hebrew Scriptures, one lesson from the letters of the New Testament, and one lesson from the Gospel stories of the life of Jesus. The lessons often follow a sequential pattern. For example, for several weeks we will read passages as we move through Matthew or Romans. Sometimes the lessons reflect the season of the church year such as Easter or Christmas. Often the lesson from the Hebrew Scripture and the lesson from the Gospel story of the life of Jesus have a similar theme. If you are interested in more about how the lessons are developed, check out the lectionary material at the Library of the Divinity School of Vanderbilt University.

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I John 1:8-9: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I John 5:14-15: This is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him.