Today’s post is from Tim Getz, Director of Music Ministry at Grace Lutheran Church in Palo Alto California.

Last week, in honor of the 10th anniversary of the publication of Evangelical Lutheran Worship, and as the first of a series of Reformation 500-related events in our congregation, I led a “Hymnathon”: a sing-through of one stanza of every hymn in the book! We began (with the first actual hymn, #239) at 9 am on a Saturday, and proceeded through the hymnal in order. We took a 10-minute break every hour, and 40-minute breaks at mealtimes. Saturday evening ended, very serendipitously, at 9 pm with #753, Dona nobis pacem. We picked up where we left off on Sunday afternoon at 1 pm and finished the book at 3:45.

“Hymnathon”: a sing-through of one stanza of every hymn in the book!

About 60 people attended over the course of the event, usually about 8-10 people at a time. Some people stayed only 20-30 minutes, several stayed for several hours, and many others came and went repeatedly as their schedules allowed. I had braced myself for the possibility of being alone at times, and that never happened!

I provided coffee and bagels in the narthex at the beginning of the day, and invited my choir members to bring something to replenish the treat table whenever they happened to attend. There was never a shortage of break-time goodies!

The event wasn’t billed as a fundraiser, but the offering plates were out and I encouraged people to make games out of deciding what their offering would be. Some contributed whenever we sang a hymn beginning with the same letter as their name. Some looked for key words, such as “love” or “peace.” Some tried to guess what number we’d be on at the end of the hour. We ended up collecting about $1200 in offerings!

I encouraged people to make games out of deciding what their offering would be. Some contributed whenever we sang a hymn beginning with the same letter as their name. Some looked for key words, such as “love” or “peace.”

I did very little practicing for the event, although I quipped at one time during the weekend that I’ve been practicing for it for 25 years, since I consider leading assembly song to be the most important aspect of my ministry. I did make a list a week or so ahead of time of about 45 hymns that I had never played before, and looked through those a couple of times in advance. I did most of my playing from the organ, although I had an electric keyboard set up right behind me, and when a song came up that required piano instead of organ, I simply swiveled the opposite direction on the bench to play. I decided ahead of time to make very few verbal announcements, other than just the next number. So many hymns cry out for commentary, but I thought I could not afford the extra time in this context, and I also really wished not to play my hand as to which hymns I like or dislike. Several people commented that they wished we could have sung more stanzas: in some cases because doing one stanza only doesn’t make textual sense, in other cases because they loved the song and wanted to sing more, and in still other cases because they weren’t familiar with the song and wanted to practice. Again, time was the limiter!

People are still saying things a week later like “I felt like I was at a retreat,” and “It was so fun to discover all the different things that are in there.”

There was a lot of curiosity leading up to this event, and a lot of excited conversation during and afterward. People are still saying things a week later like “I felt like I was at a retreat,” and “It was so fun to discover all the different things that are in there.” I’m fortunate that my congregation is pretty adventurous about trying new things, and more than one person told me she enjoyed the sight-reading practice of the hymns she didn’t know!

I believe Evangelical Lutheran Worship  is a wonderful resource and a great gift to the whole Church. The variety and diverse content between its covers is a thrill to explore. It was an honor to engage it in this way and more fun than I ever imagined! I’d definitely consider doing such an event again. Having done it all myself as a personal challenge, I know it’s not an impossible task… although I’d be happy to share the job with another keyboardist or two next time. If you think this is something your congregation might like to try, I’d be happy to answer questions; email me anytime: tim@gracepa.org. I’ll look forward to hearing from you!

Today’s post is from Scott Weidler, ELCA Program Director for Worship and Music.

One of the things I’ve learned in these many years serving on the ELCA worship staff is that perspectives often vary between congregations and parts of the church. For example, a musical setting of the liturgy by Marty Haugen might be called “contemporary” in one congregation but be the most “traditional” music used in another. Worshipers speaking out loud the names of those for whom we pray is common in many communities but would be strange and unexpected in another. The lists can go on and on.

“When differing expectations turn to disagreement, it is a good thing to seize the opportunity to explore the diversity of music, art, and ritual practice within our own church.”

These examples, and a myriad of others, often reflect deeply held practices and traditions. It is a good thing that people have strong feelings and emotions about these things. This may mean that worship is central to their life as a Christian. Sometimes, when differing expectations turn to disagreement, it is a good thing to seize the opportunity to explore the diversity of music, art, and ritual practice within our own church, engage in healthy conversations and discover a creative curiosity of others and their ways to worship.

Recent arrivals at a church mailbox near you!

Can We Talk: Engaging Worship and Culture is a small booklet, a study guide of sorts, that has recently been mailed to all ELCA congregations as an encouragement to join this journey of discussion and experience about how worship and culture engage one another, and how we, God’s people, engage this sometimes challenging, but important, topic.

Drawing on the wisdom from the Nairobi Statement on Worship and Culture from the Lutheran World Federation in the mid-1990s, Can We Talk provides contemporary commentary on the statement, along with suggestions on how to use this material in an engaging and helpful way in your congregation.

This is an exciting and timely topic. We hope that your congregation will dig in and join the conversation.

If you did not receive the paper copy in the mail, do not worry! Can We Talk is easily accessible at www.elca.org/worship. Click on the Can We Talk link to download the booklet. Even if you received the paper copy, you’ll want to get this electronic version so the many links to examples will be active.

This October and November, join Susan Briehl, Matt James, Daniel Schwandt, Kevin Strickland and Scott Weidler in exploring the core foundations and new possibilities of the ELW family of resources. Strong Center, Open Door is two days of worship, workshops, music and conversation designed for everyone who plans worship in a Lutheran setting. Workshop topics range from “Worship as Faith Formation” to “Seasonal Worship Planning” and from “Navigating Sundays and Seasons” to “Singing the Word of God.”

Strong Center, Open Door is designed to give you experiences and tools to take home and share with your own worshipping community. Registration is open for two remaining locations: Minnesota (October 14-15, Rochester) and Pennsylvania (November 4-5, Lansdale). The cost is $40 per person including lunch both days. For full information and to register, go to the ELCA web site.

Come explore some of the many ways your congregation can engage Lutheran worship today!

The ELCA’s Churchwide Assembly, this August in New Orleans L.A., was highlighted by moments of worship, music, prayer and praise. Here are just a few visual highlights from the worship services in the Great Hall.

LiturgyGrams are brief snippets of worship information, drawing from the ELCA’s Worship FAQ’s and The Use of the Means of Grace.

Bread and wine ready for a Eucharist celebration at Valparaiso University’s Chapel of the Resurrection.

Ever wondered, “Why the bread?”

Bread is one of the elements of Holy Communion, being the body of Christ.  Different assemblies use different varieties of bread for communion, including unleavened loafs, leavened loafs, and wafers, but in all cases bread is shared. Communion practice follows the example of the Last Supper, as recorded in Matthew 26:26-29, its parallels, and 1 Corinthians 11:23-24.