The Brotherhood Prayer Book: Septuagesima
Antiphon for Magnificat:
The householder saith unto the labourers, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. Go ye also into the vineyard: and whatsoever is right, I will give you.
–An excerpt from The Brotherhood Prayer Book, corresponding with this Sunday’s Gospel reading: Matthew 20:1-16.
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Collect: O Lord, we beseech Thee: favorably to hear the prayers of Thy people, that we, who are justly punished for our offenses, may be mercifully delivered by Thy goodness, for the glory of Thy name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost: ever one God, world without end. Amen.
The Brotherhood Prayer Book: Hymn for Transfiguration
An image of that heavenly light,
The goal the Church keeps ay in sight,
Christ on the holy mount displays
Where He outshines the sun’s bright rays.
Let every age proclaimer be
How, on this day, the chosen three
With Moses and Elias heard
The Lord speak many a gracious word.
As witnesses to grace are nigh
Those twain, the Law and Prophecy;
And to the Son, from out the cloud,
The Father’s record thunders loud.
With garments whiter than the snows,
And shining face, Lord Jesus shows
What glory for those saints shall be
Who joy in God with piety.
The vision and the mystery
Make faithful hearts beat quick and high,
So on this solemn day of days
The cry goes up of prayer and praise.
O God the Father, God the Son,
And Holy Spirit, Three in One,
Vouchsafe to bring us, by Thy grace,
To see Thy glory face to face. Amen.
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Caelestis formam gloriae, 15th century, translated by R. E. Roberts
Seed-Grains of Prayer: Christmas
“Almighty God, we bless Thee that Thou hast had compassion upon our miserable estate, and for us hast given Thine only begotten Son to become Man. We beseech Thee, graciously enlighten our hearts rightly to apprehend this comfort; to enjoy the same in every need and temptation; to praise Thee with all angels; and let us have peace that we may heartily rejoice, and so overcome all anguish and sorrow of this world. Amen.”
William Loehe, Seed-Grains of Prayer, #266
There’s still time!
It’s not too late to order Christmas cards. This week we will ship all cards via Priority Mail within 24 hours of your order.
Advent Sale: All Books 20% off
Looking for a unique Christmas gift, or perhaps something for yourself? All of our books, as well as The Brotherhood Prayer Book CD, are 20% off until December 24, 2011.
Seed-Grains of Prayer: Wednesday Evening Prayer
“Almighty and most gracious God, I give thanks unto Thee that Thou hast this day so graciously guarded me from all evil and danger in body and soul. By Thy divine grace, I beseech Thee, cover over all sins I have this day committed in thought or word, and especially my transgressions against Thee and Thy holy law, and leave not me, Thy creature, whom Thou hast purchased at so great a price with the blood of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, but shield me this night under the wings of Thy grace against the evil one who cometh abroad like a roaring lion to devour me. Cause me to rest and sleep in the shadow of Thy mercy, that the evil one come not nigh or be able to harm me. Amen.”
Wilhelm Loehe, Seed-Grains of Prayer, #180
Seed-Grains of Prayer: Saturday Evening Prayer
“In the name of Him with Whom I began this day and this now passing week, let me also end the same. Lord God, Father of my life, save me. Lord God, the Son, my Savior, defend me. Lord God, the Holy Ghost, preserve me that mine eyes close not in the sleep of death. Amen.
O blessed, holy Trinity, God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, unto Thee I commend my all, body and soul, and all that is mine, and beseech Thee, send Thy holy angels to watch over me this night, to defend and save me, and keep me from the devil, so that he add no evil unto me. Keep me in Thy pure and all-saving Word and let me not sink into the darkness of this world; but enlighten my heart to know what is good and what is evil. Blot out all my sins which, consciously or unconsciously, I have committed against Thee during this week. Let me begin a new life, acceptable before Thee, unto the glory of Thy name and the salvation of my soul. Amen.”
Wilhelm Loehe, Seed-Grains of Prayer, #256
Notice of IN Sales Tax
Emmanuel Press (and its proprietors) has recently moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Our customers in Indiana will now notice the addition of sales tax when placing orders online, while the sales tax requirement for Kansas customers has been removed.
Free Download: “Brief Counsel for the Suffering and Afflicted” Brochure
Emmanuel Press has recently been working in collaboration with Rev. Terry Hoese, a retired LCMS pastor, on a brochure that we now offer as a free download in our Downloads section. This tri-fold brochure, entitled “Brief Counsel for the Suffering and Afflicted,” is based on prayer #141 in Wilhelm Loehe’s Seed Grains of Prayer. Pastor Loehe offers invaluable guidance to those who are struggling with temptations and the trials of life, encouraging them to seek comfort in Christ’s mercy, the preaching of the Gospel, praying the Psalms, singing hymns of confession, and the care of their pastor.
Restructured Pricing for our Greeting Cards
After receiving much positive feedback and several helpful suggestions about our new liturgical greeting cards, we have decided to restructure the way we sell them online. We will be offering each card individually (rather than in a set) to allow for greater flexibility in creating your own assortment of cards or in adding one or more cards to a book order. We are also able to lower the prices of our cards since, due to an excellent response, we can now print in larger quantities.
Many customers have appreciated the beautiful original artwork from Edward Riojas on our Baptism and Eastertide cards. Additionally, the text on all of our cards was specifically chosen to point to the work which Christ has done for us in our Baptism, on the cross, and in our daily lives and vocations.
While several of our cards are for specific occasions, our notecards have proven to be as versatile as we had hoped. A number of customers have found the Vocation notecard to be perfect as a confirmation or graduation card or as an encouragement for any milestone (or everyday) occasion. The Benediction notecard has been well received as a “Get Well/Thinking of You” card or as a reminder of Christ’s blessings. Others have told us that they simply framed the Crucifixion notecard so that they could enjoy the stunning artwork at home. And the Mighty Fortress notecard, with its simple Psalm verse inside and German stained glass picture on the front, is undoubtedly our most versatile card.
We thank you for your enthusiastic response to this new project, and we look forward to offering additional cards in the future, including Christmas and Epiphany cards.