“Next to the word of God, music deserves the highest praise.  The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to man that he should proclaim the Word of God through music.” 

       Martin Luther – Preface to Georg Rhau’s Symphoniae Iucundae” (1538)

“Therefore, the printers do well if they publish a lot of good hymns and make them attractive to people with all sorts of ornamentations, so that they may move them to joy in faith and to gladly sing.”    

Luther the blessed reformer was a theologian – an Old Testament scholar, priest of the Augustinian order and thereby a strong proponent of the centrality of the sacraments in worship.  And he loved music, as is evident in the foregoing quotes.   He wrote some songs, or the words to songs at least – most famously “A Mighty Fortress” inspired by Psalm 46, the lovely Christmas hymn “From Heaven Above”, and “Lord Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word.”  He wrote “there is not in the New Testament a better service to God, of which the Psalm (96:1) says 'sing to the Lord a new song.'”  On November 7^th, and again on December 12^th, our Sunday worship will emphasize the gift that music is to the church, in concert with Dr. Luther’s words of praise of it.

Both of these Sunday services will follow a format called “lessons and carols.”   On the 7^th, Dr. John Behnke will be our guest musician, leading us through several of his own arrangements of great hymns of the church and some of his own compositions.  I do hope you will attend this feast of Christian hymnody.   On December 12^th, the Sunday worship will feature another guest musician, organist Ben Grosskeuz.  Our Advent worship will unfold under the theme of “Christ – Our Prophet, Priest and Servant King”, but the service that Sunday will again unfold under the format of “lessons and carols.”   This format dates to the late 19^th or early 20^th century and was used on Christmas Eve at King’s College Chapel, in Cambridge, England.  The format departs from the traditional liturgy, usually by featuring more Scripture readings and anthems or congregational hymns that support the scripture theme.  

I’m eagerly looking forward to both services.   I thank our Music Director Nicole Moritz for arranging the appearances of our guest musicians, and for coordinating their music with our own Calvary ensembles.  Because of the emphasis on Scripture and music in them, these two Sunday services will give music lots of room to move us to reverent worship and therefore will not include a sermon or the Eucharist.   I will preach and preside at the Lord’s Supper for the Saturday services that precede these special worship opportunities – those Saturday services on November 6^th and December 11^th will follow our traditional liturgical format.   

Luther, in his “Treatise on the Last Word of David”, writing specifically of the Psalms of David, wrote “the (Psalms) is a sweet and delightful song because it sings of and proclaims the Messiah even when a person does not sing the notes, but merely recites and pronounces the words.  And yet the music…which are a wonderful creation and gift of God, help materially in this, especially when the people sing along and reverently participate.  For the evil (spirit) is ill at ease wherever God’s Word is sung or preached in true faith.”  

To God alone the glory…

Pastor Ken Nelson