New Download: Solid Declaration Readings According to the Church Year
Just in time for the beginning of the church year on Advent 1, we are pleased to offer a new free download of Solid Declaration readings for major feasts and Sundays of the one-year series. Reading the Lutheran Confessions is important to both pastor and parishioner. When done weekly, it is a helpful and salutary discipline. Pr. Craig Meissner of Immanuel Lutheran Church, U.A.C., Steger, Illinois, has provided the following reading schedule, linking sections of the Solid Declaration to the church year themes in the historic one-year series.
*Find it in our Downloads tab or click here to go directly to the pdf
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Pr. Meissner writes:
The Solid Declaration is a document of utmost importance for confessional Lutherans. Like other books contained in the Book of Concord, it teaches key distinctions and doctrines essential for understanding and abiding in the true faith in the face of errors that American Lutherans still confront today. The Solid Declaration usually does this with less-detailed discussions of people, places, histories, etc., of those involved in the various controversies compared to other confessional documents, except the creeds and catechisms. Parishioners may therefore find these selections less cumbersome, though still very much edifying, making it appropriate for printing in a church bulletin or newsletter and perhaps inspiring further study of the Lutheran Confessions.
The vast majority of the Solid Declaration is covered in this reading schedule. My goal was to apply nearly all of the Solid Declaration to each of the church year Sundays and most major festivals commonly observed in our congregations. Keeping in mind the limited space of church bulletins and newsletters, I omitted only those paragraphs where a controversy or heretical position was introduced without a sufficient conclusion or rebuttal as well as those that contained extraneous personal or local details.
Some days of the church year have multiple options from the Solid Declaration provided; others have just one. You will note that the selections tend to be shorter during the “school year” and longer in the Trinity season, when there would likely be more space in a church bulletin. The pastor may alter these as he deems fit. One more suggestion before beginning this exercise: the pastor may wish to first present “The Comprehensive Summary, Foundation, Rule, and Norm” as an introduction to the readings.
May this chart be a useful and edifying tool for you and those you serve in the Lord’s Name.
Pr. Craig Meissner, S.T.M.
Immanuel Lutheran Church, U.A.C., Steger, Illinois
New Christmas Cards with Art by Edward Riojas are Now Available!
Since the debut of our first Christmas cards almost one year ago, we have been pleased and humbled by the fantastic response to cards which combine beautiful, unique works of art with a clear confession of our Savior’s birth.
This year we are thrilled to offer two new Christmas cards with artwork by Edward Riojas, an artist whose work is also included in The Brotherhood Prayer Book and on several of our greeting cards and book covers. His sacred work can also be found in private collections and sanctuaries throughout the U.S. and Canada and in numerous Lutheran publications.
The first card, Adoremus, features a seven foot tall oil painting on wood originally created as an entry for ArtPrize 2012. There is much symbolism in the details: the lily, which is a symbol of the Virgin Mary; the carpenter’s tool next to the lantern with a single burning light, representing Christ as the Light of the world; the eight-pointed Bethlehem star which announces Christ’s birth but also alludes to His death by its cross shape; the crown of thorns that literally hangs over Jesus’ head; and the inn with smoke intentionally excluded from the chimney, showing a lack of hospitality. The inside text reflects the Latin included in the piece (Venite Adoremus Dominum): Word of the Father Now in flesh appearing. O come, let us adore Him.
The second card, Virgin and Child, features an oil painting on wood in the artist’s personal collection. Riojas used his daughter as a model for the Virgin Mary, depicting the solemn and holy night of our Lord’s birth. The inside text proclaims Isaiah’s words of prophesy: For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given…and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Like our other Christmas cards, these cards are 5″ x 7″ with classic gold foil-lined envelopes. Also be sure to take a look at our other ecclesiastical greeting cards, including gorgeous fresco and stained glass cards as well as Baptism, Easter, and other Christmas cards.
Art as Confession: Student from Saudi Arabia learns about Christ through Riojas’ Adoremus
“‘Adoremus’ is hanging in the barn. After spending seemingly endless hours painting it, hauling it to ArtPrize, babysitting it for the duration, hauling it back home and not selling it, one would think the labor of my hands was not blessed.
But there was that one college student assigned to ask questions of the ArtPrize artists. He chose to ask me questions, because I was standing there by my piece. I began explaining the symbolism and its deeper meaning, and ended by explaining the very basics, which we too often take for granted.
I will never know what happened to that young man. I do know he could be killed for asking the questions which weren’t part of his assignment; for asking why the man in my painting had to die; for asking how they killed this man. That student was an exchange student from Saudi Arabia, and he had never heard of Jesus Christ.
Being reminded that the work of my hands is a blessing sometimes comes in very profound ways. I pray that it will continue to be so blessed.”
-excerpted from Ed Riojas’ Facebook page, originally posted October 28, 2012
Seed-Grains of Prayer: Sunday Evening Prayer
“I render thanks unto Thee, O true and everlasting Light, that Thou hast this day protected me by Thy light and Spirit against every grievous sin. And now, during the night which Thou hast ordained for the rest of my poor body, O Lord, grant unto my weary soul to find rest and peace in Thee against all the wiles and onslaughts of the evil one. Cause my mind and my thoughts, together with my hands and my feet, to glorify Thee and be silent before Thee, Who art present and mindful of Thine own, when deep slumbers embrace them. O, let not this wicked flesh overmaster my poor soul, lest I forget Thee in the night watches. Into Thy hands I commit my spirit, O gentle Shepherd, into Thy faithful hands. Thou hast redeemed my soul, O Lord God, most faithful; permit me not to fall away from Thee. Watch by me and cover me with the protection of Thy wings. When the night is past, awaken me and grant me the light by which I may walk and dwell safely with Thee in yonder eternity. Hear my prayer and answer me, O Thou Who slumberest not nor sleepest; through Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Wilhelm Loehe, Seed-Grains of Prayer, #103.
Pr. David Petersen on Matthew 25:31-46
“When did you ever do anything? Change the question. Do not be afraid. Look up and ask, ‘When did Christ do something?’ That is the question that leads to life. Don’t look to your works. Look to His. The Christ went to trial and was condemned by Pilate. The ironic title ‘King of the Jews’ was placed over His head, ironic because it was a false charge, but completely true. There He paid for sins that He did not commit, and which we don’t even remember, and now even He has forgotten them. He has been condemned and has died that you might get credit for works you did not perform. Turn from ‘When did we fail?’ to ‘When, O Lord, did you serve us?’ And then, ‘Where, O Lord, do you serve us?’ For He lives. And He serves in His Word and Holy Supper.”
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Pr. David H. Petersen — an excerpt from his sermon on Monday of Invocabit (Matt. 25:31-46), included in his upcoming sermon book
Update on Future Projects: Books and Cards
As we mentioned several weeks ago, we are putting the final touches on two new Christmas cards with art by Edward Riojas. These cards will be available for sale in mid-November.
Do you or your organization send out a lot of Christmas cards? We have had multiple requests for bulk orders, so we have decided to offer a limited-time bulk discount with a minimum order of 200 cards. You’ll receive 10% off of 200-299 cards; 15% off 300-399 cards, 20% off 400-499 cards, and 25% off 500+ cards. The order can be a mix of any of our four Christmas cards, combining them in sets of 10. However, bulk orders will need to be placed by October 31 in order to get these prices. Contact us for a customized invoice.
We are also excited to announce a book of Lent and Easter sermons by Rev. David Petersen of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, including more than 60 sermons for the Sundays of pre-Lent, all 40 days of Lent, the Sundays after Easter, as well as saints days in TLH and LSB that fall within the season. The Sunday sermons are based on the Gospel readings from the historic one-year lectionary while the propers for the 40 sermons of Lent come from Daily Divine Service Book, edited by Rev. Heath R. Curtis. It will be an excellent resource for Lenten daily devotions for both pastors and parishioners. The projected release date for this book is late December/early January.
Also forthcoming is an updated reprint of Ceremony and Celebration by Paul H.D. Lang. This book is an invaluable resource in explaining the ceremonial of Lutheran liturgy: “Ritual refers to that part of a divine service which consists of its words, that is, the rite or the order of service…Ceremonial is everything connected with the performance of a rite. It refers not only to bodily expressions, such as speaking, singing, kneeling, bowing, making the sign of the cross, and the outward observance of the church year, but also to the ornaments, symbols, and material objects employed in the church’s worship, for example, the church building, the altar, crucifixes, candles, and vestments. Ceremonies are solemn religious things and actions. All these are, as stated, included in the term ceremonial” (Lang, Ch. 2). We plan to have this book available in early January, just in time for the Symposia at Concordia Theological Seminary here in Fort Wayne.
We will definitely post updates here and continue to send out occasional emails, but we also keep our Facebook page updated more frequently so as not to inundate you with emails along the way. You can follow us on Facebook by clicking on “Like” at the top right-hand of this page.
An Explanation of the Common Service: The Benediction
The Benediction
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee.
The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee.
The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
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What is the Benediction? It is the final blessing of the people, commanded by God (Numbers 6:22-26), and always regarded by the Church as one of the most solemn parts of the Service. Says an ancient writer: “When the Benediction is pronounced, you should incline both head and body, for the blessing which is given you is the dew and rain of heaven.”
What is the nature of the Benediction? It is not a mere pious wish, but is the actual impartation of a blessing from God to the believing congregation, as we are assured in Numbers 6:27, “They [the priests] shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” Because of the singular pronoun “thee,” it is highly appropriate as the conclusion of the Communion, in which through the Sacrament, the Lord has bestowed His grace upon each believer.
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*an excerpt from An Explanation of the Common Service, pages 66-67. (on sale through August 31)
*picture above from our Benediction notecard
An Explanation of the Common Service: The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Why did the early Church introduce this prayer into the Communion Service [the second part: the Service of the Sacrament of the Altar]?
On account of its sacredness.
(a) From ancient times it has always been regarded as a divine and spiritual form of prayer, which can never fail to move our heavenly Father, because His Son taught us thus to pray. On this Cyprian says beautifully: “What prayer can be more spiritual than that which was given us by Christ, by Whom also the Holy Spirit was sent? What petition more true before the Father than that which came from the lips of His Son, Who is the Truth?”
(b) Its use was esteemed the peculiar privilege of true believers. Hence it was said, not in the first part of the worship [the Service of the Word], where we usually have it, but in the Communion Service, from which the heathen and catechumens (the unbaptized) were excluded. The latter were strictly forbidden to utter it. Chrysostom explains thus: “Not until we have been cleansed by the washing of the sacred waters are we able to call God, Father.”
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An Explanation of the Common Service, pages 57-58. (on sale through August 31)
*Read about bulk order pricing here.
Seed-Grains of Prayer: Prayer for Saturday Evening
“Heavenly Father, I praise Thee that, by Thy grace, I have been permitted to put another week of trials behind me, and have not been cast away in my sins together with the godless. O Lord, my God, Who ordainest and changest times and seasons, change also my heart and mind, by Thy Holy Spirit, that this week may mark a true change of time for me, to turn me from my former impenitence, my love for the world, and my lusting desires, unto Thee alone, through faith and love, so that, if this had been my last week on earth, I might lay aside this corrupt and sinful life, and put on the incorruptible, holy life in Christ. Amen.”
Wilhelm Loehe, Seed-Grains of Prayer, #250 (on sale through August 20)
An Explanation of the Common Service: An Excellent Resource for the Congregation
“An Explanation of the Common Service is an excellent resource. It is concise and informative, and it presents to laymen and clergy alike the simplicity and strength of the historic Lutheran Service used by most North American parishes prior to the 1970-80s. I have had only positive feedback from all who have used it. This book is a superb resource for both new members and life-long Lutherans.” Rev. William Parsons, Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fairhope, AL.
After several requests from pastors to order in bulk for their Sunday School and Adult Bible classes, we now offer discounted pricing for this book: orders of 10-20 books receive 15% off; 21-30 books receive 20% off; 31+ books receive 25% off.
In addition, we have extended the sale price for this book only to August 31 so that the bulk order discount can be applied to the current sale price. It’s basically a double discount. Contact us with your order so that we can create a customized invoice for you. Our website cannot compute the bulk order discount automatically.
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*From the back cover:
The Common Service, with roots in the Reformation, the Middle Ages, and the early church, became the standard English liturgy for the Lutheran Church in America in the late 19th century. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod published it as its standard in The Lutheran Hymnal in 1941. With the publication of Lutheran Worship (1982), editors revised the Common Service, updating what they considered archaic language, but the basic structure remained the same. In the Lutheran Service Book (2006), editors have again included the Divine Service from The Lutheran Hymnal, which is the liturgy of the Common Service.
What is it about the beauty and reverence of this Divine Service that have caused Lutheran congregations to welcome it every Sunday morning for over a century? Many today enjoy it without being able to verbalize its deep theological beauty. Others may exclude it from congregational practice because they consider it outdated and invalid for the modern parishioner. In either case, the editors of An Explanation of the Common Service provide a basic yet important description of the theological and biblical meaning of this time-tested liturgy.
An Explanation of the Common Service explains the liturgy in such simple terms that it is perfect for teaching new members, catechumens, and youth. Yet its timeless truths are profound enough to instruct even long-time members and pastors. First printed a century ago, this Lutheran liturgical handbook uses questions and answers to explain the meaning of three services: the Communion service, Matins, and Vespers. (Liturgical texts are equivalent to those in The Lutheran Hymnal, 1941.) In addition, hymnody, liturgical theology, and history are addressed succinctly. The glossary of liturgical terms is helpful, extensive, and reliable.
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*This is an edited re-post from 5/6/11.