Worship
Worship is a hotly debated topic in Christianity today, especially within Lutheranism. After checking out our schedule, page down and read some of the fine articles we've included for you. It should help to explain why we worship the way we do. As always, if you have any questions, please ask.
Our Schedule:
Sunday at 8:00 am and 10:45 am (Nursery provided during late service)
Monday at 7:00 pm
Other special services occur during the course of the year. Mid-week Advent and Lenten services are held on Wednesdays at 10:30 am and 7:30 pm, with the evening service predeeded by a supper presented by our Youth Group. Other festival days in the church year are determined by the liturgical calendar. Call the church office on holidays for any changes in the schedule. We do not switch service times in the summer months.
Our Easter Schedule:
Maundy Thursday Services w/Communion (of course) at 10:30 am & 7:30 pm
Good Friday w/Communion at 1:00 pm & 7:30 pm
Easter Sunday we have our normal worship schedule w/Communion at both services at 8:00 am & 10:45 am
The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is offered in the early service the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Sunday of the month, and during the late service on the 2nd and 4th Sunday. The Sacrament is offered at every Monday evening service.
For Those Who Wish to Receive the Lord's Supper
Fellowship at the Altar presupposes oneness in faith in Jesus Christ
and oneness in doctrine. The Bible teaches that the Body and Blood of Christ are present
in, with, and under the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper, when the words of institution
from the Bible are spoken during the service. God forgives the sins of all who eat and
drink the Body and Blood of Christ when they trust in Christ as their Lord and Savior,
when they repent of their sins and seek to live a new life of obedience to Christ, when
they forgive their neighbor, and when they recognize the presence of Christ's Body and
Blood in His Supper (Matt. 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19, 1 Cor. 10:16, 1 Cor.
11:23-27).
We cordially invite only those visitors in good standing with LCMS, ELS, and WELS congregations to join with us in the reception of the Lord's Supper. As a visitor, please state your desire to
receive the Lord's Supper to the pastor or an elder before the service. We ask all those
communing to please fill out a card found in the pew and hand it to an usher when you come
forward for Communion.
As an aid in preparation for receiving the Sacrament, we are
providing a link to Dr. Luther's Christian
Questions with Their Answers, from the Small
Catechism. These questions and answers help those wishing to attend the
Lord's Supper to examine themselves beforehand for a proper understanding of
Communion.
Overview:
Newcomers to a confessional Lutheran church service are sometimes surprised at what they find. If they come from a traditional background (Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Episcopalian), it will seem very familiar. If they come from a Reformed background, it will appear very formal and structured. When you visit Redeemer, it may even seem quaint since we use a small amount of "King James English" in the service.
Why is it so unique? Actually, it's just tried and true. We follow a set pattern within our church service known as the liturgy. This liturgy has been in place (with minor variations) for about 15 centuries. The liturgy is found in the front of the hymnbooks you'll find in the pews. The two accepted hymnbooks within the LCMS are The Lutheran Hymnal and Lutheran Worship. Over the past few years some supplemental material has been published by the LCMS Commission on Worship. Through habit, we sometimes refer to our two most common services as "page 5" and "page 15". This is because our Order of Morning Service is on page 5 of our hymnal while our Order of Holy Communion is on page 15.
Sometimes, on special occasions, the liturgy is printed out in the church bulletin. But many churches (including us) will print an outline of the service in our bulletin for easy reference. This helps worshippers know the component parts of the service, hymns to be sung, Bible readings, any special sections of the service for that day (like a Baptism), etc. We also include a separate sheet containing the Introit, Collect of the Day, and text of the Bible readings. This material is used during the service by the worshippers as well as the pastor.
The focus of our worship is on God and what He has done for us. We come together to hear the Good News of God's salvation for a fallen mankind. The Law lets us know we have failed, and the Gospel tells us of the forgiveness granted freely to us through Christ's death on the cross. We come together to receive forgiveness through Word and Sacrament. We return our thanks and praise out of love for what God has done.
More details...
The Unchanging Feast: The Nature and Basis of Christian Worship
Lutheran Worship: 2000 and Beyond
A Brief History of Christian Liturgy