It should be simple for circuit pastors to get together for the Divine Service, study the Scriptures and Confessions, enjoy some casuistry, and have a meal together. Instead, what many of the brethren receive and witness is unusual, unpredictable, whimsical. Some men choose to remove themselves from the gathering altogether because the practice of others does not meet what we read and have bound ourselves to in our Confessions. For others, these monthly meetings are seen as an un-substantive waste of time. In whichever way you feel about the Pastoral Winkel, every pastor has stories. Perhaps some of my brethren here at Gottesdienst will share some of theirs in future posts.

When I arrived at St. Paul’s nearly twelve years ago, I was made aware by the Circuit Visitor that traditionally my congregation hosted the first Winkel of the fall. I made the appropriate preparations for the meeting space and made sure our organist could be present to play for the Divine Service. As I proceeded through the liturgy, I was amazed that so many were completely reliant on vocal rubrics (which I don’t do). Of all people, pastors shouldn’t need to be told to “stand for the reading of the Holy Gospel,” but if I hadn’t finally said something, some of them might still be sitting in the pew to this day!

What shocked me was that after the liturgy concluded and we gathered for doughnuts and conversation, one of the men (who is no longer with us) commented saying, “Well, that was certainly by the book!” I thought to myself for a second and finally said, “I don’t know what else to do!” It wasn’t until we had subsequent Winkels that I understood more of what he meant.

As I visited other congregations, I was amazed at how many men explained step by step how the liturgy was going to work. Some of it came by unnecessary (but often heard) rubrics. “The Introit now concluded, we now join in the Kyrie on page 186.” “Having heard the Gospel of our Lord, we now join in the public confession of our faith with the words of the Nicene Creed found on page 191.” Why all the words? For the ones who had their hymnal open, they were on that page already! The organ leads into the Kyrie naturally. Once the Presider begins the Creed, others naturally follow. There’s no need for all the extra!

Other times this came though even more unnecessary vocalizations throughout the liturgy that only served as reminders that some of the brothers neither treat the liturgy nor the worship space as holy and with reverence. I’ve heard it explained by multiple men what’s going to happen next because their congregation does the liturgy out of order or has adopted unnatural liturgical behaviors. The pastor will stand before us and say, “I know this isn’t the usual way to do things, and it may be strange. But this is the way we do our prayers.” Then a five-minute explanation is given for how we’re now going to adopt this weird practice because it’s the way that place does it—even though it’s just us pastors gathered! This happens even more when the Sacrament is celebrated. It shouldn’t be this complicated. The liturgy is simple. Pastors know how it’s done. Just do it “by the book.”

These, of course, aren’t the most whimsical accounts from Winkels. There are already plenty more from my brief ministry. In time to come, I will share others that will certainly leave you dumbfounded as I’m sure your stories would have that effect on me.