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LITURGY
In 2007, The Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod published a new hymnal, the Lutheran Service Book. St. Paul Lutheran Church has members who travel a great distance to be able to worship where the historic liturgy of the Christian church is still respected and employed. Lutheran Service Book (LSB) combines the best of the 1941 hymnal, The Lutheran Hymnal, with liturgies and hymns from the 1982 hymnal, Lutheran Worship. In addition to five rich settings for the Divine Service, LSB also incorporates numerous other service settings for morning and evening worship, devotional and instructional materials, and a wide variety of hymns, both historic and modern, while maintaining continuity with the historic Christian Church.
The heritage of the Lutheran Church is reflected in our beautiful and symbolic liturgy. Some people are touched by the warm familiarity of this traditional liturgy. Others recognize the beauty and passion with which this liturgy was originally developed to the glory of God. Whatever the case, beneath our traditional facade, one can see that the word of God is fresh and alive at St. Paul, where members actively seek a growing relationship with Jesus Christ in today's modern world. MUSIC
As in our order of service, our hymns chosen during worship services are also taken from both historic hymnody and new compositions, yet reflect the intention to make our worship a clearly distinct time of separation from the secular world around us. Our minister of music strives to incorporate hymns which support and emphasize the day's Scripture readings and the time of the Church year being observed. A wide range of music is also provided by the various church choirs and instrumental groups. On any given Sunday, one may be blessed by the sounds of our adult choir, one of our children's choirs from the school, the brass choir, the bell choir, or special vocal or instrumental ensembles or solos. The music at St. Paul always adds to our worship experience. HOLY COMMUNION
Holy Communion is a visible means by which our Lord Jesus Christ forgives our sins and strengthens our faith through our reception of His true body and blood in mystical union with the bread and wine. Participation is a confession that you share our beliefs that Jesus Christ is the only way you can be saved from your sins and receive eternal life, that forgiveness of sins is received in the Sacrament, and that His body and blood are truly and physically present. You also renounce any contrary teachings or practices regarding the nature and benefits of the Sacrament. Baptized and confirmed members of Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregations and those with whom we share altar fellowship have publicly confessed these beliefs. Out of love and concern for your spiritual welfare, and not a desire to be exclusionary, we ask that those who do not yet share this understanding and confession of the Sacrament refrain from communing until they have been instructed in our beliefs regarding this Sacrament and brought into fellowship with us. If a worshipper should not yet commune with us but wishes to receive a blessing, he or she is invited to come forward and kneel at the rail, with arms folded and hands on opposite shoulders.
Holy Communion is celebrated at the 8:15 a.m. Sunday morning service on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. On the first and third Sundays of the month, it is celebrated at the 10:40 a.m. Sunday morning service. Holy Communion is celebrated at both Sunday service on the fifth Sundays of any month, as well as on significant feasts and commemorations of the Christian Church's liturgical calendar. |
Worship