Yearly Archives: 2010

Church Musicians & Concordia Theological Seminary

If you’ve been a visitor of this website for some time, you’ll notice I have a certain affinity for the work of Concordia Theological Seminary (CTS) in Fort Wayne, IN.  As a church musician, CTS has been an important component to my growth as a musician — both musically and theologically and how the two intersect.  The chapel staff in particular make a concerted effort to reach out to church musicians, primarily through their yearly Organist Workshops and the Good Shepherd Institute.  It was at one of those organist workshops that sparked an idea that blossomed into this website.

Each year around the All Saints Sunday weekend the Good Shepherd Institute hosts their annual conference which features fellowship, recitals, a hymn festival, and a number of presentations for pastors and musicians.  The conference that is presently underway is entitled “Sing With All the Saints in Glory.”  In March 2010, Dr. Just remarked in their newsletter how the staff determined the conference theme.

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Psalms for All Saints

One of the treasures of Christian worship is the Psalter, affectionately called the “Prayer Book of the Church”. It has been a hallmark of worship and daily prayer of saints past and present, and hopefully for those saints yet to come. In those Psalms we often find the words to comfort and encourage. Words of prayer and praise.  Words that often seem written just for us and for our situation. Words that speak of Christ and His death and resurrection.  In other words, they are Psalms for all saints.

I have a small tome on my desk called the Propers of the Day that has all the propers (parts of the service that change) for each Sunday and feast or festival. The Psalms often permeate each day in the introit, gradual, and of course the Psalm of the Day. They announce the theme of the day in the introit. They offer responses to the other lessons. They, along with the other propers, are meant to be used — whether on the lips of the pastor, choir, or congregation — whether spoken, chanted, or sung —  not for the sake of “having” to do it because it’s listed in the hymnal or tradition says so, but because we “can” use them in Christian freedom to unify, unfold, and accent the day’s theme. If you don’t use the propers, why not? If you do use them, why?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer reminds us that:

“Whenever the Psalter is abandoned, an incomparable treasure vanishes from the Christian church. With its recovery will come unexpected power.”

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Lutheran: What does this mean?

On Reformation Day, it’s good to consider why Lutherans are called “Lutherans”.  Names mean things.  They help to identify who we are.  The following passage from 17th century theologian Johann Gerhard briefly explains what “Lutheran” means (as well as “catholic” and “Christian”).

It is not we who call ourselves Lutherans. Rather, our adversaries call us that. We allow this to the extent that this title is an indication of the consensus that our churches have with the orthodox and catholic doctrine that Luther set forth from Holy Writ. Therefore we allow ourselves to be named after Luther, not as the inventor of a new faith but as the asserter of the old faith and the cleanser of the church from the stains of Papist dogmas. Consequently, we also do not reject the names “Christian” and “catholic,” nor do we render ourselves unworthy of them by the approval of any heretical dogma, as did the Arians, Nestorians, Eutychians, etc. Rather, we are called “Christians” from Christ as the only Author and Teacher of our faith. We are called “catholics” from our consensus with the catholic faith. We are called “Lutherans” from Luther as the asserter and defender of that faith, but especially as the reformer whom God raised up.

—Johann Gerhard, On the Church (Theological Commonplace XXV), § 156.

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Issues Etc. – Top 5 Hymns

Over the last few days I’ve been getting caught up on some of the Issue Etc programs that have been diligently downloaded to my iPod.  In particular, I have especially appreciated the 5-part series on the Top 5 hymns voted by Issues Etc listeners.  I anticipated that “Lord, Thee I Love With All My Heart” would make it, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that the top hymn was “God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It.”

These are all well worth listening to.  And if you haven’t decided to have “God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It” sung at your funeral service, I think you’ll be convinced that you might want to add it.

Here are the links to each part of the Issues Etc series.

  1. God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It (Pastor Wil Weedon)
  2. Thy Strong Word (Dr. Arthur Just)
  3. Lord, Thee I Love With All My Heart (Rev. Paul McCain)
  4. The Church’s One Foundation (Dr. Arthur Just)
  5. My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less (Pastor Bill Cwirla)

J.S. Bach: The Music Lives On

Each year on July 28, the church commemorates Kantor J.S. Bach.  It was on this date in 1750 that Bach — musician, composer, and servant of the church — entered into eternal rest.

When I think of Bach and his death, the first thing that comes to mind is the closing chorale to his St. John Passion.  He closes this Passion with the final stanza of Martin Schalling’s hymn text “Lord, Thee I Love with All My Heart.” (Starts at 8:58 in the YouTube video).

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