The music is played and sung by the praise band and we sing along with the lyrics on the screens. Video cameras capture the band on the screens too.
Just the lyrics and video of the band are on the screen when we sing. We sing hymns, albeit they sound contemporary, and we sing contemporary Christian music.
Excuse me, but a Lutheran congregation that sings contemporary Christian music instead of using the hymnal, and follows the lyrics and the music of a band as projected on a wall screen?
Yep. I asked my pastor about it being so contemporary and he said something like the theology and message is the same but they have the freedom to vary their worship style. He also said that churches like mine have been pressured to become more traditional but different people prefer different styles of worship and we’re allowed the freedom to do it this way.Excuse me, but a Lutheran congregation that sings contemporary Christian music instead of using the hymnal, and follows the lyrics and the music of a band as projected on a wall screen?
It’s not all contemporary. We sing more traditional songs, they just have a contemporary sound to them.Excuse me, but a Lutheran congregation that sings contemporary Christian music instead of using the hymnal, and follows the lyrics and the music of a band as projected on a wall screen?
He's right about that. In principle. But in this instance it means abandoning reverent elements of the Christian faith that Lutherans have been known for preserving, not abandoning. It's just strange (to me) to read the description you gave of a Lutheran worship service made over to be more like a Baptist service.
after having been pressured to be more modern.
That's interesting to me to read, considering that it's matters of doctrine that seem to have troubled you the most and made your choice of churches more difficult, not matters of style.
He's right about that. In principle. But in this instance it means abandoning reverent elements of the Christian faith that Lutherans have been known for preserving, not abandoning. It's just strange (to me) to read the description you gave of a Lutheran worship service made over to be more like a Baptist service.
Of course, the Catholic Church has decided to make its own Masses casual and folksy, so you're in good company, we might say.
after having been pressured to be more modern.
That's interesting to me to read, considering that it's matters of doctrine that seem to have troubled you the most and made your choice of churches more difficult, not matters of style.
That's a good point (and one that I was not thinking of when I wrote my post).
We have the Eucharist twice monthly.
For sure, it varies somewhat in both kinds of churches. In the historic denominations, weekly Communion is common and then some parishes have it bi-weekly.
Yes, but I’d prefer Holy Communion every week.
It's claimed that having it weekly would make the people take the sacrament for granted, but I don't think that's so.
i agree.
It’s all I know. I’ve only been to a traditional Lutheran church once, about 35 years ago, and if I didn’t know any better I would’ve thought that I was at a Catholic Mass.He's right about that. In principle. But in this instance it means abandoning reverent elements of the Christian faith that Lutherans have been known for preserving, not abandoning. It's just strange (to me) to read the description you gave of a Lutheran worship service made over to be more like a Baptist service.
Of course, the Catholic Church has decided to make its own Masses casual and folksy, so you're in good company, we might say.
after having been pressured to be more modern.
That's interesting to me to read, considering that it's matters of doctrine that seem to have troubled you the most and made your choice of churches more difficult, not matters of style.