Liturgy

The "order" of the service itself dates back to ancient times. It generally includes the kyrie (Lord), in which we call upon God to observe humankind, and have mercy on our situation.

This is followed by a hymn of praise, in which we proclaim the glory of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. A prayer appropriate to the day is said, after which readings from the Old and New Testaments, and a Psalm are shared. The congregation is then invited to stand and hear the Gospel, the good news, which is a reading from one of the four New Testament books recounting the story of Jesus life and ministry.

The ministry of the Word continues with a sermon, which puts the lessons in perspective for our lives and times. This weekly message can be instructional, or inspirational, and is very often both!

Following the sermon, we profess our beliefs in the words of one of the creeds, then join together in corporate prayer. Following the offering of our prayers, the service of communion begins. Lutherans, along with Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Anglican traditions, believe that Jesus Christ is really present in the bread and wine shared at this meal of the Church. We invite all baptized people who profess that Jesus is the Son of God, and who desire to draw spiritual strength, to share this meal with us. Little children and the non-baptized may come forward for a blessing.

Finally, we sing a hymn of  thanksgiving, offer a final prayer, and receive a blessing to take us on our way for another week.