Pastor Martin Message for

APRIL 2009

Hallelujah! Praise God in the holy temple; praise God in the mighty firmament. Praise God for mighty acts; .praise God for exceeding greatness. Praise God with trumpet sound; praise God with lyre and harp! Praise God with tambourine and dance; praise God with strings and pipe. Praise God with resounding cymbals; praise God with loud clashing cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Hallelujah!

Psalm 150 ELW

"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation! 0 my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation! Let all who hear, now to his temple draw near, joining in glad adoration!"

"Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore him! All that has life and breath come now with praises before him! Let the amen, sound from his people again. Gladly forever adore him!"

Lutheran Book of Worship Hymn #543 "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" verses 1 & 4

                                 

       One of the greatest loves I have being a Lutheran is the Lutheran worship service. Early in my life, I came to appreciate the Lutheran liturgy, the hymns, choir anthems, the prayers, Holy Communion, the reading of Scripture and finally the sermons. Though it might be a little odd, I was known to walk to St. Matthew's Lutheran Church for their Christmas Day worship service and would have had to walk home from church after attending all of the Easter Sunday worship services. The Lutheran worship service, with our liturgy, hymns, choir anthems, the prayers, sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, the reading of Scripture and sermons certainly has blessed me throughout my life, especially as I have become a Lutheran pastor.

As I have been your Intentional Interim Pastor, I have shared with you new Lutheran liturgies (LBW Setting # 1) and many new hymns and songs. Some of those new hymns and songs you have come to appreciate and others you have wished were left in the hymnal and not sung during the worship service. You too have shared with me new Lutheran liturgies (WOV Service of Word and Prayer) for this Lenten Season and I have come to appreciate this liturgy, which is new for me. In the sharing of new liturgies, hymns and songs, often we juggle two hymnals and a bulletin, which is okay for some of  us, but can be a burden for those who are visiting and are not acquainted with the Lutheran Order of Worship. With a generous memorial gift and church council approval, Bethany will be acquiring the Evangelical Lutheran Worship Hymnal (ELW) that includes 10 different liturgy settings (with Setting 1 and 2 from the LBW) and 743 hymns. Like when the Lutheran Book of Worship was introduced to Bethany, you will have the opportunity to donate ELW's in the memory or honor of loved ones. A bookplate will be used to share the individuals we give the ELW's in memory and honor of. The cost of each ELW is $20.00 and we ask that you would make out a separate check for the hymnals, along with who it is in memory or honor of and place that in the Sunday offering. We hope to praise and worship our Lord and Savior and dedicate the new ELW Hymnals Pentecost Sunday, May 31St. Please support the purchase of the ELW Hymnals, as we continue to "Praise God in the holy temple; praise God in the mighty firmament!" with some of the old Lutheran liturgies, hymns and songs, along with some new liturgies, hymns and songs. May our Lord God continue to be worshiped, praised and thanked in the many ways we come to our Savior Jesus in our liturgy, hymns, choir anthems, the prayers, the sacraments, the reading of Scripture and sermons, as "All that has life and breath come now with praises before him!"

Pastor Martin