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Gottesblog

A blog of the Evangelical Lutheran Liturgy

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From the Archives: Ad Orientem: Why the Celebrant Should Face East (Part III)

“There is really only one basic rule of altar decorum: ‘Be reverent!’ Every other rule is simply a practical amplification of this basic charge.” I am inclined to say that the “Notes on Reverence” at the beginning of The Conduct of the Service are probably more important than all that follows, because the reverence and spiritual preparation that Dr. Piepkorn insists on are the indispensable foundation of truly recollected worship. All of the ceremonial directions are intended to help make possible that recollected worship.

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Guest Author Comment
King of Kings Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Omaha is Hiring a Pastor!

Job Details

This role is ideal for a high-caliber leader who serves as the “face of the place.” This person is primarily responsible for all ministry teams, programs, and volunteers at the campus. This includes the role of building teams, identifying leaders, managing for quality, solving problems, championing the purpose and values of King of Kings, and ultimately leading people into a transformed life through Jesus Christ.

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Larry Beane Comments
A Mighty Fortress?

It might be surprising that the name Martin Luther is found in the Roman Catholic We Celebrate hymnal. His anthemic hymn of the Reformation, A Mighty Fortress, appears under the byline of Dr. Luther.

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Larry BeaneComment
Twenty-Three Seconds Flat

I watched the consecration of an LCMS megachurch online. This is not one of the better known exemplars of that genre, but it is a congregation with multiple campuses and multiple "contemporary” services, as well as one “traditional” (so-called) service.

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Larry Beane Comments
"That We May Follow Their Faith and Good Works"

This article, written by the Rev. Dr. Korey Maas (a four-time guest on The Gottesdienst Crowd) published by the Acton Institute, is a helpful reflection on the Seminex walkout. For far from being a long-over LCMS historical tempest in a teapot from the distant past, we are still dealing with the fallout: the same fungal liberalism that crops up periodically like mushrooms in humid places. Like even the faithful kings of the Old Testament, our tolerance of the high places and the Asherim continue to plague us.

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Larry Beane Comment
From the Archives: Go West, Young Man!

For many thoughtful Lutherans this is a time of great angst. We followers of Luther are struggling to justify taking up space on the ecclesiastical planet. We’ve never quite fit it. Like your slightly eccentric cousin with the quirky habits, we seem to put a damper on ecumenical gatherings, the Lutheran compromisers notwithstanding. This anxiety is nothing new. Doctor Luther struggled with the not unjustified question, “Are you the only one who is right?”

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Guest Author Comment