Concordia Publishing House

 “Thy Strong Word” is a Reformation Day favorite for many churches. Composed for a special purpose, the lyrics were based on the Concordia Seminary motto, “Light from above.” Read on for the full story behind this hymn, which is recorded in Eternal Anthems: The Story Behind Your Favorite Hymns.

Advent is a season of preparation and repentance as we anticipate the coming of our Lord and Savior. Help your congregation prepare with these five Advent settings for choral, organ, and handbell groups.

 Reformation Day brings about well-loved favorites in the Lutheran Church with multiple settings for musicians to choose from. Read on to see our top five downloadable Reformation Day settings for choir, organ, and handbells from the CPH Music Subscription.

Easter is fast approaching, and every musician knows how important the beautiful organ, piano, handbells, and choral singers are on that Sunday morning. Hearing the resurrection bells in a sanctuary filled with Christ’s presence and victory fills people with joy. Here are five downloadable sheet music pieces to use during the Easter season at your church.

If you’re looking for some special music to incorporate into your repertoire this season, here are some of our recently added Lenten selections to check out. 

This blog post has been adapted from an article that appears in Lutheranism 101: Third Edition. Read the first part of the article here.

The Reformation was still young in 1524. Barely seven years had passed since Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses. His German translation of the New Testament had only appeared two years before. His Small and Large Catechisms wouldn’t come for another five years.

But two important books came out that year that would shape and influence the course of music in the Lutheran church. Early 1524 saw the publication of the first Lutheran hymnal, which served as the model for subsequent Lutheran text writers. And toward the end of 1524, Johann Walter published a collection of music that would similarly influence Lutheran composers for the next five hundred years.

The Service of the Sacrament is the celebration of the Sacrament of the Altar. The Sacrament was instituted by Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It is to be celebrated by all Christians until Christ comes again on the Last Day. Read this excerpt from Worshiping with Angels and Archangels: An Introduction to the Divine Service below to learn more about this part of the Lutheran worship. 

Have you ever wondered why there are so many aspects of Lutheran worship? What about the style of music, the order of service, or even the weekly lectionary readings? Lutheran worship follows an ancient tradition that dates back hundreds of years. This includes the practice of incorporating the Service of the Word into regular services. Keep reading to learn more about this special part of Lutheran worship.