Concordia Publishing House

Lent [and Holy Week] begins the second great division of the Church Year. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter. In the Early Church it was a period of preparation for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, which would take place on the Vigil of Easter. This preparation included fasting and other spiritual disciplines. Along with the emphasis on baptismal preparation, but perhaps not associated directly with it, was the use of Lent as the final period of penance in preparation for the rite of reconciliation on Maundy Thursday. After both of these purposes fell away, Lent became a period of general devotional preparation for Easter. Nevertheless, the earlier emphases remained, and Lent was marked by rigorous penitence and austere spiritual discipline. During the period of Lutheran Pietism, these strict practices were aided by an excessive fixation on the Passion of Jesus.

Incorporating a new children’s hymnal into your classroom might be easier than you think! There are many ways you can teach the faith through a hymnal, such as learning to sing a hymn in a foreign language, which can benefit children in the future. Singing hymns can also help children memorize important Christian themes. Using One and All Rejoice makes teaching through hymns easy.

Each Sunday, the regular rhythm of worship includes singing the Hymn of the Day. It helps guide you and other Christians through our beautiful Church Year in song. Do you know how the Hymn of the Day came to be part of our worship services? Read an excerpt from Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Services to learn how Martin Luther saw value in having this and how Lutherans encouraged the practice through robust hymn writing. 

There’s  a rich history to all of the hymns in Lutheran Service Book. This history easily lends itself to beautiful devotional materials that blend seamlessly into the Church Year. Read these excerpts from five different hymns spanning the entire Church Year from Lutheran Service Book: Devotional Edition to see how this fantastic book can bring you deep, meaningful devotions. 

February 1, 2025, marked the 75^th anniversary of Concordia Publishing House’s Music department. That’s three-quarters of a century dedicated to publishing organ, choral, and handbell settings. Almost a lifetime of bringing you hymnals and music books to enhance your personal playing or congregational offerings. In celebration of these 75 years, we wanted to share some fun facts and questions. Put your knowledge to the test and see how much you know below.

We sing what we love. We love what we know. And much of what we know and love we learned in childhood. This is especially true of hymns and songs that are impressed on our minds and hearts early and stay with us throughout our lives. It is imperative, therefore, that we give our children the very best hymns and songs of the church.  Learn how you can use One and All Rejoice for every season of the Church Year.

Saints are well-known figures in Church history. While you might not personally know every saint, their commitment to the faith and contributions are understood by their titles. Just as the saints who have come before us, we wait for the beauty of the final days and celebrate in the resurrection. Read an excerpt below from Lutheran Service Book: Companion to the Services to understand more about how we can rejoice with the saints of both the past and present. 

Paul Gerhardt (1607–76) is considered to be a prolific composer, writing 123 hymns during his lifetime that are still enjoyed by the church today. His dedication to hymn writing even during times of war and suffering showcase how Christ's love can be a rock of comfort no matter what. Read about his top five hymns below to see insights on both the hymn texts and history surrounding each one. 

One staple of worship every Sunday is the Hymn of the Day. Whether printed in your bulletin or posted on the hymn outline board at the front of the church, the Hymn of the Day connects to the theme of the worship service. These hymns become a staple of the service as they’re repeated every one or three years, depending on your preferred lectionary. They help your congregation members familiarize themselves with the hymnal and connect similar themes across church seasons.