If you don't get liturgical services, I understand. If you can name all the pitfalls and point to the fact that liturgy is a part of the structure and hierarchy of institutional churches and not part of the model of the New Testament Church, believe me, I get it, too.
But I will always thank God for the way He continues to whisper to me in the words of the liturgy I learned as a child, fell in love with as a teen and baby Christian, and love to this day as an adult.
If it doesn't strike your heart or seems a little weird, I guess that's to be expected, but my heart burns just rereading this. Maybe it's sentiment or homesicknesses, but I think much of it is because of the simple truth of it:
(I've copied and pasted this from a worship order using the LBW and enlarged, italicized, and underline the passages that echo most in my heart.)
Stand
Brief Order for Confession and Forgiveness
The minister leads the congregation in the invocation. The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen
P: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen
P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Kneel Silence for reflection and self-examination.
P: Most merciful God,
C: We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen
The minister stands and addresses the congregation.
P: Almighty God, in his mercy, has given his Son to die for us and, for his sake, forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
The minister leads the congregation in the invocation. The sign of the cross may be made by all in remembrance of their Baptism.
P: In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen
P: Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
C: Amen
P: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Kneel Silence for reflection and self-examination.
P: Most merciful God,
C: We confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen
The minister stands and addresses the congregation.
P: Almighty God, in his mercy, has given his Son to die for us and, for his sake, forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen
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| I chose this Bible from Goodwill mostly for the scrap bookmarks inside it. |
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| This is totally printed on the kind of preprinted with a picture bulletins we had at Salem as a kid, and the handwriting on the notes are in the cursive writing of a person who grew up decades ago like our grandmothers and the sweet ladies at church. So much beautiful nostalgia of a simple country church and a liturgical tradition. |
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| This one is almost a straight paraphrase of the Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness from the Lutheran Book of Worship, which I was just reciting to myself this morning during our Sunday school lesson about repentance. |
I didn't even have to keep reading because I knew it by heart. I did read it anyway though and that's when it struck me that one of the things that makes liturgy so powerful is the repetition, the memorization. Like the rosary or a mantra. Those repeated words of significance. Sure, if you aren't careful you can find yourself going through the motions. But liturgy and things like it have the capacity to put an individual at peace, to put them into a comfortable mindset, and open them up to what else can be received during the service. And even though the words may be the same isn't it interesting how they begin to take on new meanings at different times in our lives? Just like a song you've heard a thousand times will suddenly tug on your heart like it never has before or a book you've read over and over will reveal a completely new message.
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