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God With Us: The Eighth Day of Christmas
“Baptism is greater than circumcision. It is not just for boys. It is not bloody and does not hurt, but don’t fail to notice this is: it is deadly. It drowns the old man even as it raises up the new man, and it attaches us to God. See how it fulfills circumcision? It places God’s name upon us. Baptism is Baptism because Jesus was baptized, because He was anointed for the sacrifice. As His circumcision ended and fulfilled circumcision and counted for us, so also His baptism began Baptism and counts for us. And since He was born under the Law, we are born above it.”
-Pr. David H. Petersen in God With Us, from the sermon for The Eighth Day of Christmas: The Circumcision of our Lord
The Brotherhood Prayer Book: A Hymn for the Holy Innocents
Audio: Listen to A Hymn for the Holy Innocents chanted
Sweet flowerets of the martyr band,
Plucked by the tyrant’s ruthless hand
Upon the threshold of the morn,
Like rosebuds by a tempest torn;
First victims for the incarnate Lord,
A tender flock to feel the sword;
Beside the very altar, gay,
With palm and crown, ye seemed to play.
Ah, what availed King Herod’s wrath?
He could not stop the Savior’s path.
Alone, while others murdered lay,
In safety Christ is borne away.
O Lord, the Virgin-born, to Thee
Eternal praise and glory be,
Whom with the Father we adore
And Holy Ghost forevermore. Amen.
Salvete, flores martyrum by Aurelius C. Prudentius, d. 413, trans. by H.W. Baker, alt.
From The Brotherhood Prayer Book
__________
Collect: O God, whose martyred innocents showed forth Thy praise not by speaking but by dying: mortify all vices within us, that our lives may in deed confess Thy faith which our tongue uttereth; 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 picture a 19th-century fresco from the Imperial Cathedral of Speyer, Germany. Find similiar pictures here. Many thanks to Pr. Sean Daenzer for chanting.
New: A review of An Explanation of the Common Service
“The answer, ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it,’ to the question of, ‘why do we do what we do in worship?’ is not only unhelpful, but it’s also false. We do know ‘why we do what we do in worship.’ Sometimes we just don’t know where to find the answer to the question. An Explanation of the Common Service helps give concrete answers to questions that would otherwise be left in abstract thought and speculation. What would seem to be a daunting number of questions and answers (250) is eased by the reality that the book is just 120 pages in length, which includes a history of Christian hymnody; liturgical colors and their significance; and index and glossary.”
Many thanks to Pr. Mike Grieve for an excellent and thorough review. It is well worth reading in its entirety at Lutheran Treasures of the Old Missouri Synod.
Today Only! Spend $25, Earn $5.
Today is Small Business Saturday, which started several years ago as a sort of counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The idea is to encourage people across the country to shop at local, small businesses. Well, Fort Wayne may not be local for you, but we are definitely a small business, and we greatly appreciate all of our customers! To show our appreciation, we are offering a special one-day promotion. Until midnight tonight, you will earn $5 for every $25 you spend.*
Maybe you’ve had your eye on Ceremony and Celebration as a resource on Lutheran liturgical worship, or Didache, which teaches doctrine using the Holy Scriptures, Luther’s Small Catechism, and the hymnal. Or perhaps you’re looking for Christmas cards that combine beauty with substance.
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or for a gift, browse around our selection of books and greeting cards, and earn $5 for every $25 you spend.
*Total used to figure gift certificate excludes shipping. Gift certificate may only be used in a future order.
Three days: Get a signed copy of God With Us
Starting today and ending Friday, November 20, all purchases of God With Us by David H. Petersen will be signed by the author. With Advent just 11 days away, now is the time to pick up a copy just in time for the start of the season.
Many customers tell us that they’ve given God With Us in bulk to family members and friends, since these 59 brief sermons serve well for daily devotions. As Pr. Larry Beane writes, “This book is a treasure trove for private or family devotions, as well as a solid source of homiletical material for daily chapel or Divine Services. If you are looking for some additional spiritual refreshment this Advent through Epiphany seasons, this is a perfect combination of brevity and potency, of meditation and instruction, but most of all, of our Lord Jesus Christ who has come to save us from our sins!”
Read the reviews, learn how we developed the lectionary for this book, take a look at the Table of Contents and Scripture Index, and find excerpts throughout the site. Better yet, sign up for occasional emails on the right sidebar or follow us on Facebook, where we post more frequent excerpts.
*Be sure to peruse our Christmas cards while you’re here. Reasonably priced, unique, gorgeous artwork…combined with a clear confession of our Savior’s birth.
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