General Notes:

Because we are in the very presence of God during the Divine Service, we should be dignified and reverent.  Therefore, it is appropriate (but not required) that we bow our heads towards the altar before taking our seats, that we pray silently both before and after the service, that we stand for the last stanza of a Hymn if it is a doxology to the Triune God, that we retain the second person singular pronouns (thee, thou) and that we make the sign of the cross [with the right hand (using one, two, three or four fingers), touching your forehead, then chest, then right shoulder, then left shoulder) at mention of the Triune Name and at other times during the Divine Service (indicated by [+], below).  Finally, custom dictates that if the Officiant speaks a part of the Liturgy, the congregation responds by speaking and if the Officiant chants a part of the Liturgy, the congregation responds with chant.  Note that the Divine Service is divided into three sections: The Prepatory Office (from the Invocation to the Confession), the Office of the Word (from the Introit to the Prayer of the Faithful) and the Office of Holy Communion (from the Preface to the Bendiction).

Source Notes

Historical Notes

Comments

[variable]

It is up to the local congregation as to whether to sing a hymn of invocation prior to the beginning of the Divine Service.

[In the name of the Father. .  .]

Col. 3:17

Not found in the earliest liturgies, the Invocation was part of part of the priest's preparation.

The Invocation is addressed to God.  It is by these same words that we were called to faith and life in Holy Baptism so we are reminded here of our baptism.  In these words, we affirm our faith in the Triune God,  formally expressing our awareness of the Presence of God, placing ourselves in that Presence and invoking the Divine blessing on the Service.

The Preparatory is traditionally spoken.  [+, at the Invocation]

· Absolution-"Upon this your. . ."

1314; Not found in earlier liturgies, the  confession was part of the priest's preparatory prayers.

Before beginning the Service of the Day, it is fitting that we seek a purification of spirit, that we turn from ourselves to God and that in penitence and prayer we receive God's assurance of mercy and grace.  The Exhortation calls us to do so.  In the Confession (Lat. "Confiteor"), we kneel humbly before our God, acknowledging our sin and seeking purification of our Spirit. In the Declaration of Grace that follows, we receive from God Himself the assurance of God's mercy and grace that enables us to focus on our loving God.

Custom dictates kneeling for confession.  [+, at "Our help..” and the Absolution.]  Private confession and absolution are not to be disregarded.

[variable]

Psalms

400

The Introit (Lat. "entrance") marks the actual beginning of the Service of the Day.  It strikes the keynote theme of the entire Service, recognizing the glory of God and announcing God's grace using pertinent verses, usually from the Psalms.  The Introit consists of an Antiphon, followed by a Psalm verse, followed by the Gloria Patri (below).  The Antiphon is then repeated for emphasis.     

The Officiant approaches the altar for the first time.

[Glory be to the Father. . . ]

Phil. 4:20

The Gloria Patri (Lat. "Glory be to the Father") or Lesser Doxology (formulaic ascription of praise to the Triune God) connects the Old Testament Psalms with the fuller revelation of the New Testament.  It affirms our belief in the divinity, equality and eternity of the Three Persons of the Trinity.

Custom calls us to bow our heads here.

[Lord have mercy. . . ]

Mt. 17:15

300;

In the Kyrie Eleison (Gr. "O Lord, have mercy"), we pray to God for grace and help in time of need.  It expresses our humility and appreciation of our own weakness and need in a sinful world.

[Glory be to God on high. .  .]

Luke 2:14

The Gloria in Excelsis (Lat. "Glory to God in the highest") is the angelic hymn announcing the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ to the shepherds.  In it, we join in the hymn of the angels in celebration of the Father's gift of His Son.

[+, at the end of the Gloria Excelsis]  Traditionally, the Gloria is eliminated during Lent and sometimes Advent.

[The Lord be with you. . . ]

Lk. 1:28

The Salutation/Response are a reciprocal prayer of the Pastor for his people and of the congregation for its Pastor before we together offer our petitions to God.  They reflect the special relationship of love between the Pastor and congregation.    

[variable]

Jn 15:16

Traditional collects have been used in the church for over 15 centuries.

The Collect sums up, or "collects", all the prayers of the church into one short prayer and suggests the theme of the day or season.  The Collect generally consists of the (i) Address (names the person of the Trinity to whom the prayer is addressed), (ii) Rationale (notes the characteristic of God upon which the prayer is based), (iii) Petition (the blessing asked), (iv) Benefit (the goal of the prayer) and (v) Termination (a doxology).

[Variable]

2Tim. 3:15-17

Ancient

The Old Testament reading almost always relates directly to the Gospel.

The lessons--the very Word of God--are the high point of the Service of the Word.  The lessons appointed for the day follow a one year or three year cycle.  See Lk. 4;16-21.

[Variable]

Ancient.

The Gradual, so-named because it was originally sung from a step (Lat. "gradus") of the altar, provides a musical echo to the passage just read and a transition to the next lesson.

[Variable]

The Epistle (Gr. "letter") is usually taken from the letters of the Apostles.  Frequently, this lesson does not relate directly to the Gospel.  Usually, it bears practical and serious thoughts for daily living. 

[Alleuia. . . /Variable]

Ancient.

The Alleluia (Heb. "Praise ye the Lord")  is a song of joy at the hearing of the Word of God.  The accompanying verse usually reflects the mood of the day.

[Glory be to you, O Lord.]

2 Pet. 3:18

At the announcement of the Gospel, we sing the Gloria Tibi (Lat. "Glory to you"), joyfully affirming our recognition of the real presence of Christ.

Custom dictates that we stand at the announcement of the Gospel.

[Variable]

Gospels

Ancient.

The Gospel (meaning "Good News") is the high point of the Office of the Word.  It usually presents the central thought for the day, using either the words of Christ or an eyewitness account of His acts.

The Gospel may be read from the center of the congregation.

[Praise be to you, O Christ.]

Eph. 1:6,12

After hearing our Savior's Good News, we respond with words of praise in the Laus Tibi (Lat. "Praise to you").

[I believe in one God. . .]

1Jn. 4:15

Formulated in 325; completed in 381

The Creed (Lat. "I believe") is our individual, public confession of faith, spoken with the "one, holy, Christian and apostolic Church".  It is a statement of Christianity's most basic and fundamental beliefs, witnessing to the unity and universality of the Church.

[+, at the end of the Creed]

[Variable]

The congregational hymn was one of the great contributions of the Reformation.

The Chief Hymn is the principal hymn of the Divine Service and relates to the theme of the day.  For this reason, it is chosen very carefully.

The Sermon

Ancient.  The restoration of the sermon to its ancient place and power is one of the marks of the Reformation.

In the Sermon, the preacher "rightly divides (or interprets) the Word of truth". 2 Tim. 2:15.  The Sermon contains elements of the two great doctrines of the Bible: the Law, which tells us how we are to live, and the Gospel, which proclaims forgiveness of our sins, by grace, through faith, for Christ's sake.  The Gospel predominates in the Sermon. The Sermon usually relates to the lessons of the day.

[The peace of God. . . ]

Phil. 4:7

The preacher ends the Sermon with the Votum (Lat. "we desire"), expressing our prayer that the Word we just heard in the Sermon may keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

It is appropriate to respond to the Votum by saying "Amen."

The Offering

Lk. 16:1ff

Ancient; historically a processional

We joyfully offer to God a portion of His gifts to us, as an outward response of our faith in Him.

[Create in me a clean heart. . .]

Ps. 51:12

In the words of David, we ask God to cleanse our hearts, to keep us in the one true faith and to grant us the full joy of salvation.

The Prayer of the Faithful

1Tim. 2:1-3

Ancient.  Corporate intercessory prayer has always been part of public worship.

In the Prayer of the Faithful, the Church performs its priestly role (which is communal and not individual) by representing the people of the world before God in prayer. The Prayer of the Church is therefore not the prayer of individuals for themselves nor the congregation for itself but is indeed the prayer of the Church for the world, the work of the Church, and the Church itself..

[Variable]

The hymn leads to the Office of Holy Communion, preparing our hearts and minds for the blessings to be receieved.

Ps. 50:14

Ancient.  The oldest and least changed part of the liturgy.

The Preface begins the Office of Holy Communion.  It begins with a simple but powerful dialogue between the pastor and the congregation , which unites the whole body of believers in reverence, adoration, joy and thanksgiving in anticipation of the Sacrament.  This is followed by the Common Preface, which begins "It is truly meet, right and salutary" and ends with "Therefore with angels and archangels," thus uniting the Church with angelic host.  In between is the Proper Preface, which is variable. 

Mk. 11:9-10

Ancient.  Jesus would have sung a version of the Sanctus.

In the Sanctus (Lat. "Holy"), we join with the "Angels, Archangels and all the company of heaven" in proclaiming the glory of the Father (first sentence), praising Christ our Savior (second sentence) and singing the song of the children of Jerusalem as they welcomed the Messiah on the first Palm Sunday (third sentence).  Hosanna means "save now."

[+ at the words "Blessed is He…"]

[Our Father, . . . ]

Lk. 11:1-4

Ancient.

As children, we address our God as "Our Father," praying as our Lord Jesus Christ himself taught us to pray.   

As throughout the Service, the minister alone voices the prayer of the people.

[Our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . ]

Lk. 22:19-20

Unique to Lutheran liturgy, the Words of Institution stand alone here.

The reverent, unadorned use of the Words of Institution (Lat. "Verba") focuses all our thoughts on the acts and words or Christ and expresses the Real Presence of Christ's body and blood in, with and under the bread and wine. Here, God is dealing with us in a loving manner, reminding us that Christ died for our sins.

[+, at the elevation of the Body and Blood of Christ]

[The peace of the Lord. . . ]

Jn. 20:19

Ancient.

The Pax Domini (Lat. "Peace of the Lord") is the same greeting spoken by the risen Christ on Easter morning.  It is the final blessing before we approach the altar to receive the gift of Christ's body and blood. 

[+]

Is. 53

The Agnus Dei (Lat. "Lamb of God") is our hymn of adoration to our Savior Jesus Christ who is truly present for us in the Sacrament.  The Agnus Dei recalls the testimony of John the Bapist when he pointed to Jesus and proclaimed:  "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

[Tale and drink. . . the blood. . . ]

Lk. 22:19-20

By Christ's own words, "Given and shed for you for the remission of sins," in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper God offers, gives, and seals for us forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.  

Self-examination before Communion is appropriate. 1Cor.11:28 [+, after we are communed]

[May the Body and Blood…]

The Dismissal reassures communicants of the efficacy of the Lord’s Supper in creating life-saving faith in Christ.

It is appropriate to respond to the Dismissal by saying “Amen.” Silent prayer after communing is appropriate

Lk 2:25-32

1525

In singing the Nunc Dimittis (Lat. "Now depart"), we stand with Simeon as he looked upon the baby Jesus, in awe of the profound mystery that the Father would give His only Son in the flesh for the salvation of our souls.  Having just received the Lord's Supper, we have truly seen "Thy Salvation, which [God] prepared before the face of all people."

[O give thanks. . . ]

1526. This Collect was written by Luther.

The Versicle calls us to give thanks and introduces the Thanksgiving Collect.  In the Collect, we thank God for His life-saving Sacrament and pray that His gift of faith offered therein causes us to change our life and enables us to love God and love others.  

Lk. 24:50

1523.  Used uniquely in the Lutheran liturgy.

More than a prayer for blessing, the Benediction imparts a blessing in God's name, giving positive assurance of the grace and peace of God to all who receive it in faith.  The words of the Bendiction are those that the God gave to Moses (the Aaronic Blessing) and those used by Christ at the Ascension.  The final word that falls on our ears from our gracious God is "peace," affirming our reconciliation to God through the blood of Jesus Christ.

[Amen, Amen, Amen]

We conclude the Divine Service with a triple Amen, that is, "Yea, yea, it shall be so", which expresses our firm faith in the forgiveness of sins by God’s grace through Jesus Christ as heard and experienced in the Word and Sacrament of the Divine Service just ended. 

[+]