You know your relationship is going really well when one of you says, “Can we do this for the rest of our lives?” This is more than just a perfect date or that thirtieth wedding anniversary vacation to Hawaii. Those are good times too, but it’s really wonderful when an ordinary day together that ends with macaroni and cheese leaves you saying, “Can we do this forever?”
Our new music for 2019 became available last Wednesday! At the end of this post, you can browse the catalog to see all the pieces. In the meantime, here are some of the highlights as you start choosing your church’s new music for the coming year.
This post is an excerpt from Luther on Music: Paradigms of Praise by Carl F. Schalk.
No one considering the development of worship and church music in the Lutheran church of the sixteenth century can avoid facing squarely the pivotal role played by Martin Luther. He was important, however, not only because he was the focal point of a new theological movement. He stood, as well, at the center of a new musical movement that was to affect profoundly the church that would come to bear his name.
While the purpose of Lent isn’t to make worshipers feel sad, it’s important that they understand why the church takes time each year to remember the season. Worshipers ideally recognize that Lent is a time for focusing on their need for a Savior so they can appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice on Good Friday and His resurrection on Easter. Working aspects of Lent into members’ worship, home life, and personal reflection can help them turn to the cross each day during Lent.
Our culture often promotes relaxed and casual attitudes toward church, urging that a church should be a place where you feel welcomed and comfortable and where you can enjoy your favorite songs while sipping your favorite latte. As appealing as this sounds, why should we strive to keep church and worship reverent? What does music have to do with it?
This post is adapted from Praising God in Song by Carl Schalk.
The New Testament reflects in various ways both the content and vigor of the worship life of the early Christians. Among the excerpts from creeds, prayers, doxologies, and benedictions to be found in the New Testament are a variety of references to “hymns,” “psalms,” and “odes,” or “songs.” The very variety of terms suggests that no one “hymn form” was used exclusively.
