LCMS Church Service

[Faith]

For those who are LCMS or have even recently visited one, what are your services like? I’m wondering if anyone else has services like ours? Ours is, I guess, you’d describe as being similar to a ND service. It begins with music (contemporary Christian, sometime hymns with a rock/pop sound) from a praise band, Then if its a Sunday when we receive Communion, our pastor says the Words of Institution then we partake.
A little more music, and then we have the message, which is part of a series.

We have a couple of big screens on the wall that show the words to various prayers and song lyrics so that when we recite the prayers or sing those who are unfamiliar can follow along. (I don’t know the name of the prayers, except the Our Father).
Our pastors no longer wear their collars or vestments (is that what they’re called?) They wear nice pants or nice jeans and a nice shirt. We end with another song, blessing then we’re done. Services are about one hour.

 

[Faith]

Anyone else?

How do I delete a post? I have two repeat posts and want to get rid of one.

 

[Josiah]

Anyone?

Remember, there are only two ACTIVE posters here who are LCMS (several others, not so active).

Our Confessions specifically state that is it not necessary for us to all worship the same way. THAT said, there are strong Lutheran customs and often there are hymnals that contain one or more orders of service from which users of that hymnal may choose. In former days, worship customs tended to be similar in given areas... but with mobility, that's not true anymore. Two neighboring LCMS churches might have very different customs and styles. Indeed, the SAME parish may have two DIFFERENT services, perhaps quite different.


Blessings on your Easter season...



- Josiah



.

 

[Faith]

Remember, there are only two ACTIVE posters here who are LCMS (several others, not so active).

Our Confessions specifically state that is it not necessary for us to all worship the same way. THAT said, there are strong Lutheran customs and often there are hymnals that contain one or more orders of service from which users of that hymnal may choose. In former days, worship customs tended to be similar in given areas... but with mobility, that's not true anymore. Two neighboring LCMS churches might have very different customs and styles. Indeed, the SAME parish may have two DIFFERENT services, perhaps quite different.


Blessings on your Easter season...



- Josiah



.

Blessings on your Easter season, too!

 

[Josiah]

Probably because of my Catholic roots, PERSONALLY I appreciate very traditional, formal worship.... Much more so than the LCMS parish I belong to.

Indeed, when I left the RCC and searched Protestantism, I was really disappointed by the typical worship.... which seemed very "light" and empty, I often felt that I had attended a lecture class with a lot of really bad songs thrown in. Then I went to a Lutheran church (an ELCA church) which was unusually "high church" and loved it. LATER my attachment to Lutheranism was doctrinal and worship styles dropped way down the list; I cared about the TEACHING.

My parish is not really Traditional OR Contemporary... and too small to have two services. I suspect what we have would be called "blended." It's certainly less formal/traditional/high than I'D prefer but I joined my church because it was LCMS and i could serve. It is my family. The parish is not about me, so what I'D prefer is irrelevant. We have the basic order of service.... the hymns are sound (all from the LCMS hymnal).... there is Confession, the Lectionary, the Creed and weekly Eucharist. Good. And the sermons are sound.



.

 

[Castle Church]

I have been to one LCMS church, they have a "contemporary" and a "traditional" service, and I have been to both. The "Contemporary" still follows a Lutheran Liturgy, just with more modern music and the pastor does not wear an alb. The "traditional" service is a standard middle-high Lutheran service. They alternate which service has communion that week, so one service will be about 45 minutes, the other about an hour or so.

 

[Faith]

Probably because of my Catholic roots, PERSONALLY I appreciate very traditional, formal worship.... Much more so than the LCMS parish I belong to.

Indeed, when I left the RCC and searched Protestantism, I was really disappointed by the typical worship.... which seemed very "light" and empty, I often felt that I had attended a lecture class with a lot of really bad songs thrown in. Then I went to a Lutheran church (an ELCA church) which was unusually "high church" and loved it. LATER my attachment to Lutheranism was doctrinal and worship styles dropped way down the list; I cared about the TEACHING.

My parish is not really Traditional OR Contemporary... and too small to have two services. I suspect what we have would be called "blended." It's certainly less formal/traditional/high than I'D prefer but I joined my church because it was LCMS and i could serve. It is my family. The parish is not about me, so what I'D prefer is irrelevant. We have the basic order of service.... the hymns are sound (all from the LCMS hymnal).... there is Confession, the Lectionary, the Creed and weekly Eucharist. Good. And the sermons are sound.



.

I think that because of my Catholic roots I dislike a moretraditional, formal service.

 

[Castle Church]

I think that because of my Catholic roots I dislike a moretraditional, formal service.

It seems that most people coming from the Catholic Church prefer either a "Catholic Like" service such as is found in the Episcopal and many Lutheran churches, or they prefer something much more modern. Most don't seem to care for the "middle" services, except as a compromise. Also coming from the RCC, I prefer the Traditional service, but I can certainly see why some are drawn to a more modern service as well.

 

[Lamb]

It seems that most people coming from the Catholic Church prefer either a "Catholic Like" service such as is found in the Episcopal and many Lutheran churches, or they prefer something much more modern. Most don't seem to care for the "middle" services, except as a compromise. Also coming from the RCC, I prefer the Traditional service, but I can certainly see why some are drawn to a more modern service as well.

Could it also be in relation to where people live in the US? I mean, I used to live in the midwest and the Catholics that came to the Lutheran churches preferred the Traditional service.

 

[Lucian Hodoboc]

What does LCMS stand for?

 

[Castle Church]

Could it also be in relation to where people live in the US? I mean, I used to live in the midwest and the Catholics that came to the Lutheran churches preferred the Traditional service.

Could be, but from what I have talked to people it seems to span the nation. I am in Florida myself.

What does LCMS stand for?

Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

 

[Lamb]

Could be, but from what I have talked to people it seems to span the nation. I am in Florida myself.

What age group are your findings from?

 

[Castle Church]

What age group are your findings from?

They are purely anecdotal from personal and digital interactions. I know a few personally in the 30-45 age group, and a few in the 60-75. Outside of that I don't know their ages as I don't know them personally.

 

[Lamb]

They are purely anecdotal from personal and digital interactions. I know a few personally in the 30-45 age group, and a few in the 60-75. Outside of that I don't know their ages as I don't know them personally.

Ah, gotcha. From my experience the 65+ and under 30something want a traditional service. It's mainly boomers that enjoy a contemporary service.

 

[Faith]

Could it also be in relation to where people live in the US? I mean, I used to live in the midwest and the Catholics that came to the Lutheran churches preferred the Traditional service.

I’m from the Midwest with a Catholic background and prefer the modern, non traditional service.

 

[Forgiven1]

Ours is the more traditional, liturgical, style. That which I much prefer. Some blended are okay, but give me the traditional liturgy any day. Like the ones Josiah described from our hymnal. In my area, south Texas, we have this as well as the contemporary style you describe. That does happen in a city. Other areas we have lived all tended toward the more traditional, liturgical style. When I travel, I seek out the liturgical service to attend.