Wednesday night/Thursday morning I reported on a contemporary service held by the congregation we are looking at joining. I wrote that report in a most positive light, and I stand by it and my reaction.

From some of the feedback though some seemed to think I was advocating nonliturgical worship as a substitution or equal alternative to liturgical worship. This is not an opinion that I share. Even if my family goes to these on Wednesday night, we still need to attend Divine Service on Sundays. As the songs are strengthened in their message about Christ and what he has done for us, the Wednesday night service can be a nice supplement to Gottesdienst.

Historical Consistency

Did you ever play the telephone game? Did you ever get those players that would try to restate or improve the message, only to find out at the end that what you got at the end didn’t come close to what was said at the beginning? When it comes to salvation, believing the same things that the apostles and early church fathers did is good, and this is enhanced by worshipping using some of the same texts as they did.

The origin of the Divine Service (some would say of course) is the Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-20). Knowing that, it seems funny that we have Divine Services without Holy Communion. Christ doesn’t say, “Take, eat…Drink of it, all of you…some of the time.” :)

The New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia goes into all known detail about the Mass from the the first century and develops until the Council of Trent in 1570. It seems possible that the unification of various rites at Trent was in response to the Lutherans’ statement that:

Falsely are our churches accused of abolishing the Mass; for the Mass is retained among us, and celebrated with the highest reverence. (Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV)

Purpose of Worship

Augsburg XXIV then goes on to give further reasons for the Mass:

For ceremonies are needed to this end alone that the unlearned be taught [what they need to know of Christ]. And not only has Paul commanded to use in the church a language understood by the people (1 Cor. 14:2-9), but it has also been so ordained by man’s law. The people are accustomed to partake of the Sacrament together, if any be fit for it, and this also increases the reverence and devotion of public worship…The people are also advised concerning the dignity and use of the Sacrament, how great consolation it brings anxious consciences, that they may learn to believe God, and to expect and ask of Him all that is good.

Divine Service is supposed to teach “what they need to know of Christ” and “relieve anxious consciences” that they may believe what God has done for him. This is why we analyze worship services. Worship needs to do these things, or else it is entertainment. Entertainment isn’t bad; it is simply not wise to mistake one for the other.

Orders of Worship

The general order of worship for Wednesday’s service can be summarized thus:
Opening Prayer
4 songs
Interactive Study
Song
Offering
Prayers
Song
Benediction

The Divine Service settings in the Lutheran Service Book (still deciding which version to get myself) are very similar and include the following with minor changes in form:

Confession and Absolution
Service of the Word
Introit, Psalm, or Hymn
Kyrie
Hymn of Praise - “Gloria in Excelsis” or “This is the Feast”
Salutation
Collect of the Day
Old Testament or First Reading
Gradual or Psalm
Epistle or Second Reading
Alleluia and Verse
Holy Gospel
Hymn of the Day
Sermon
Creed - Nicene Creed or Apostle’s Creed
Prayer of the Church
Offering
Offertory
Service of the Sacrament
Preface
Sanctus - “Holy, Holy, Holy”
Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord’s Prayer
The Words of Our Lord (Words of Institution)
Pax Domini
Agnus Dei
Distribution
Post-Communion Canticle - “Thank the Lord” or “Nunc Dimittis”
Post-Communion Collect
Benediction
Closing Hymn

Because my audience is more denominationally heterogenous that most blogs in the Lutheran blogosphere, I’m considering going into deeper detail about some of these so that the reader may gain a better grasp of the scriptures involved in teaching our members about God. I have run out of midnight oil to do it now, though. :)