Liturgy
Every Sunday, the Christian community gathers to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus. In this way, each Sunday is a "little Easter," and it is from the weekly gathering around Word and Sacrament that the entire life of the Church flows. Gathering on the Lord's Day is a way for us to be strengthened for service, fed with the bread of life and cup of salvation, and joined more deeply together as the people of God.
Lutherans worship following a set order; this liturgy (a word that means "the work of the people") is flexible enough to allow for creativity while at the same time being predictable enough to know what is coming next. This pattern is ancient to the Christian tradition and centers on the proclamation of Jesus in Holy Scripture as well as the presence of Jesus in the sacraments of Holy Communion (Eucharist) and Holy Baptism.
Those from other liturgical traditions will find this order familiar; if you are not from a liturgical background, not to worry! We are here to help and - as you worship - you will come to see that there is great wisdom in this order as we gather around the table of Christ. We value beauty and mystery as aids to help us understand God better, but we certainly do not have all the answers. In fact, there is intentional room left in Christian worship for questions, doubts, and our deepest human longings, especially those that are deeper than words.
Since the time of the Reformation, Lutherans have placed enormous value on music as an expression of God's creative power among us. This does not mean, however, that we only use one style of music or one way of singing. At St. Paul-Reformation, you are as likely to hear congas as you are to hear the organ; you are as likely to hear Spanish as English, and you are as likely to hear Gregorian Chant as you are to hear an African-American spiritual. We use great diversity in our music-making, all of which point to the central things: Word and Sacrament. Because Music is so important to our Lutheran heritage, we invite you to join us in learning more about how you can use your gifts in this area. To learn more about music at St. Paul-Reformation, click here.
Mostly, we invite you to come and see. We have been expecting you...!
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"We do not abolish the mass, but religiously retain and defend it. Among us the mass is celebrated every Lord's day and on other festivals..."
-Apology to the Augsburg Confession, XXIV