Hymns of praise

 

We attend the traditional service at our Lutheran church (NALC) in Upper Arlington, Ohio.  There are two other types of services—one I call “happy clappy” which I’m guessing is mostly post-1960s songs and praise music without liturgy and the other “clangy bangy” with very loud guitars and drums, and we have two locations for one congregation. Right now we have a total of five services, but I can remember a time when we had 10, trying to suit all the tastes in worship style and preaching. Our traditional service at Lytham Road has a choir and the other two have praise bands with perhaps a quartet to lead the music.  The pastors rotate, so we all eventually hear the same sermons by the same pastors. Right now we’re in a study called “Gathered,” which is about worship.  Last week was on music (song) with sermon by senior pastor Steve Turnbull and yesterday was the sacraments by Aaron Thompson who is director of the high school ministry.  Lutherans have two sacraments—baptism and communion, but for 1500 years the Christian church had six sacraments, but Martin Luther cut them to two, and today many Protestant and Bible and non-denominational churches have no sacraments, only memorials.

So this all leads to the opening hymn of praise, “Praise the Lord! O Heavens. I always read the information about the hymn writers at the bottom of the page (I don’t like to read words on a screen, because I like to see the music so I can practice my dwindling ability to read music.) This one said, Text: The Foundling Hospital Collection, London, 1796.  One of the beautiful things I appreciate about the Internet is I don’t have to wait long to satisfy my curiosity. An antiquarian book dealer, Simon Beattie of London had one for sale and was discussing its history. You can go to his website for further explanation of the institution and its collection, and also http://www.intriguing-history.com/foundling-hospital-collection/  The hospital has a fascinating history which includes Dickens and Handel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundling_Hospital

The Foundling Hospital, Britain’s first children’s charity, had been established by Thomas Coram in 1739.  ‘The Hospital chapel, in use by 1749 and officially opened in 1753, soon became well known for its music as well as for its elegant architecture and adornments …  The singing of the children at ordinary Sunday services was a great attraction to fashionable London and became an important source of income to the Hospital through pew rents and voluntary contributions.  Music was specially composed and arranged for the Hospital chapel, and the success of the singing led to a demand for this music, which was met by the publication of a book called Psalms, Hymns and Anthems; for the Use of the Chapel of the Hospital for the Maintenance and Education of Exposed and Deserted Young Children.  It is generally known more informally as the Foundling Hospital Collection’ (Nicholas Temperley, ‘The Hymn Books of the Foundling and Magdalen Hospital Chapels’, Music Publishing & Collecting: Essays in Honor of Donald W. Krummel (1994), p. 6).  [from Beattie’s blog)

This hymn is in the 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship and the Lutheran Service Book and Hymnal of 1958, which notes the text is by John Bacchus Dykes, 1823-76, which wouldn’t work with the copyright of 1796.

Statement from NALC Bishop The Rev. John F. Bradosky

Contrary to Jesus’ authority and teaching about marriage that affirms the Father’s intention in creation, the decision by a majority of the justices of the United States Supreme Court today to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states is tragic, but not surprising. Many Americans live with the arrogance and delusion that contemporary wisdom makes our understanding superior to the revealed truth of God’s Word. In this context the high court’s ruling redefines relationships and marriage as a right preserved as a matter of human “dignity.” Such dignity is based on an individual determination of fulfillment and morality without regard to external truth or teachings that preserve the greater good of all society. The Supreme Court has foolishly endorsed this idolatry. . . .

NALC congregations and pastors can legally continue to teach, preach and practice our confession:

We believe and confess that the marriage of male and female is an institution created and blessed by God. From marriage, God forms families to serve as the building blocks of all human civilization and community. We teach and practice that sexual activity belongs exclusively within the biblical boundaries of a faithful marriage between one man and one woman. (Common Confession 6, Marriage and Family)

http://thenalc.org/wp-content/uploads/Documents/Teaching%20Statements/Marriage-Law-Cover-Letter-2015-JUN-26.pdf

Pastor Buba (North American Lutheran Church evangelist)

https://vimeo.com/117041982

Always happy to find his program in English—he travels all over the world.

NALC will be at the March for Life, January 22

The North American Lutheran Church (Canada, U.S. and Mexico synod) is planning to participate in the 2015 March for Life, Thursday, January 22, 2015, in Washington, DC, the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision which made abortion legal in all 50 states. For more information contact Pastor Dennis Di Mauro of Trinity Lutheran in Warrenton, VA, dennisdimauro@yahoo.com. This is always an inspiring event to watch—they look so cold-- but I think EWTN is the only channel that covers it.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day

"Just as some Christians doubt so much of the Gospel, so too, even more Christians doubt the presence and power of evil in our world. Yet Paul is very clear about the cause of what is happening throughout our world and even here in our own land." Bishop John Bradosky preaching on Ephesians 6:10-20 NALC Convocation at The Citadel in Charleston, SC

If they are having trouble with believing in the power of evil, they should turn on the news.

NALC Convocation

Bishop John Bradosky speaks at the prayer breakfast

Today all across the nation people met to pray. Our church, Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, hosted 2 events, a breakfast at the Mill Run campus and a noon worship at Lytham Road, our original church building where we attend the 8:15 traditional service. I attended the breakfast and Bishop Bradosky of the North American Lutheran Church hit it out of the ball park. He gave a fantastic review of religion in America--the role of the Great Awakening, the beliefs of the founders, how the United States form of government is different than all others, that 94% of the founding documents were based on the Bible, that clergy and pastors had a huge role throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, including the founding of such important universities as Harvard and Columbia, that "separation of church and state" was intended to protect the church from being harrassed by the state, not the other way around by keeping the church out of the public square, and that the change needs to begin not in the White House, or the state house, or the court house, but in the house of God! Wow. We were speechless. He even suggested that we all take a course on the Constitution!! We met in the fellowship hall where on Sundays there are 2 services, so I guess you could say this is the first time in my life I've ever heard a sermon about religion in America from the pulpit of a church where I was a member.

There's still time to volunteer for the final harvest

The Community Garden at Upper Arlington Lutheran Church on the south side of the Mill Run campus has harvested almost 7,000 pounds of produce, and has some more harvesting to do. The food goes to Lutheran Social Services, Hilliard Summer Free Lunch program, Hilltop Lutheran and the Mid-Ohio Food bank. Tomatoes, greens, zucchini, squah, turnips onions, peas, beans, kohlrabi, cucumbers, peppers and garlic. UALC is in the NW suburban area of Columbus, Ohio.

UALC will be contributing $150,000 for a new church (North American Lutheran Church synod) plant on the east side of Columbus.