From: "Fr John W Fenton (by way of Rev. Eric J. Stefanski, )" To: Subject: HP: Liturgical Response to the National Calamity Date: Thursday, November 01, 2001 1:01 PM I've received several inquiries about the proper liturgical response to the events we all witnessed yesterday. Within our Evangelical-Lutheran tradition, we have responded to such national calamities with a Service of Repentance/Penitence and Prayer (Buss- und Bettage). The propers for these services can be found in TLH ("Humiliation and Prayer," p. 84-5), LW ("Day of Supplication and Prayer," p. 121), and SBH ("A Day of Humiliation and Prayer," p. 115). These propers assume the Hauptgottedienst (a service with Holy Communion). The theme of these services is twofold: (a) repentance, because the Lord has seen fit to visit us with such severe discipline and (b) prayer, that the Lord would have mercy on us and deliver us from our enemies. While such services usually should not displace the Sunday service, it is not wholly inappropriate when they do so. In fact, given the circumstances, I personally encourage Pastors and churches to replace the propers for this Sunday's Divine Service with those appointed for the Service of Repentance and Prayer. Since this is a service of repentance, the proper color is violet/purple. (Some other books, like SBH, appoint black). Additionally, the Gloria in Excelsis (or Hymn of Praise) and the Alleluia are NOT sung. While I have no historic evidence for this, I suggest that Luther's Litany (TLH #661; LW p. 279ff) be used at the beginning of the service, either in addition to or replacing the Processional/Opening hymn or the Confession of Sins. (It is never liturgically correct to replace the Prayer of the Church with the Litany.) For the Prayer of the Church, Pastors and churches should consider making use of the various special petitions supplied in LW and TLH. The TLH Altar Book, named "The Lutheran Liturgy," has a Bidding Prayer for the Time of War ("The Lutheran Liturgy," p. 278ff) which, when adapted, may prove suitable. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Rev. Fr. John W. Fenton, S.T.M. Zion Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Detroit 4305 N. Military Ave. Detroit, MI 48210-2451 Voice: 313.894.7450 Email: zion@flash.net ZIONNEWS-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Web: www.flash.net/~zion ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + Historic Preaching + The Historic Preaching list is devoted to preaching on the Propers of the Historic Lectionary as found in The Lutheran Hymnal (TLH) and Service Book and Hymnal (SBH). Subscribe? Send ANY message to: Unsubscribe? Send ANY message to: Respond? Click 'Reply' or write to For further information about this list, contact the list administrator at: Rev. Fr. Eric J. Stefanski or visit our website: + + + + + +