The "Three-Year Worship Plan" (or "Our Quest for Authenticity in a Lutheran Parish") continues with a flash-forward: a link to a worship service held last night at Bethany. This is offered as a sample of what we do. I'm fond of quoting the great jazz pianist Thelonius Monk's observation that "talking about music is like dancing about architecture," and so offer this so that you can get a glimpse of where Bethany headed musically. I offer this because music is such an intrinsic part of the liturgical experience, and hope the sounds will inform your understanding of these ongoing conversation. The link also gives a few photos, so you can see not only our sanctuary, but other things that will be talked about this series of articles.
The service was Vespers last night at the Brothers of John the Steadfast convention being held here in Naperville. The congregation was only about 80 folks, but yet gave a sound that reflects what we do on Sunday services with fuller attendance. This is instructive because the members of the assembly were mostly visitors to our parish. And so it shows that true authenticity is not parochial, but catholic. Neither parochial extreme is in evidence here (congregationalism or denominational ism). Though a local setting was used, it was not a service that enabled only the 'regulars' to participate. Though the denominational hymnbook was used, the robust singing was not simply because the vernacular service held most in common by members of the denomination was used. (i.e. it wasn't DS III for LCMS Lutherans or the Haugen Mass for American Roman Catholics, etc.) The two hymns were not brand-new, but one was not in TLH and one was neither in TLH or LW - so certainly there was new music for much of the congregation to sing.
So scroll down the link, give the Vespers a click and fast-forward as your time demands. You'll hear how the church's liturgy and hymnody serve the church so well when the local musicians invest in it, the local pastors are devoted to it, and when those who assemble cherish it for the good gifts it brings: the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
http://steadfastlutherans.org/blog/?p=3454
And, many thanks go to the musicians who served last night: the men of Proclaim (Bethany's choir), Chris Johnson on guitar, and Trevor Magness (my son) on the synthesizer. Tomorrow about half of Proclaim will sing, and we'll be joined by Erich Keller on trumpet and Linda Komes on French horn. Hopefully I'll get that link up also. (I think the readers have surmised by the pace of posts that I'm either very lazy or very busy. Trust me: it's the latter!)
