Abiding, September 1-September 29

Looking at the RCL texts for the month of September, 2019, we decided to overlay the season of Abiding. This allowed us to keep to the RCL (there were some Sundays where we omitted a reading, but we didn't make any substitutions) while adding a layer of interpretive possibility that was fruitful for preaching, music and hymn choice, and making liturgy choices. When presented with particularly challenging texts for Family Weekend--a Sunday when the assembly is very large and full of Luther students and their friends and family members--the overlay of Abiding made it possible to keep the RCL texts and proclaim liberating Gospel from the texts in a way the preacher might not have if she hadn't been thinking about God's incarnate, abiding love.

Our worship choices for the season were informed by the theme of Abiding, the text of Isaiah 43: 1-7, and this litany and blessing, written by the Rev. Anne Edison-Albright:

Litany for Abiding, based on Isaiah 43:1-7, The Inclusive Bible

Hear the word of the LORD

The one who created us.

The LORD says, “Do not be afraid.

I have called you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the storms, I will be with you;

When you pass through the flames you will not be burned.

I am the Lord your God.

You are precious to me.

You are honored.

I love you.

Have no fear; I am with you.

I will bring all the wandering exiles home.

I will gather my beloved children from the east and west.

To the north, I will say, ‘Give them up!’

And to the south, ‘Do not hold them back!’

Bring them all home safely from the ends of the earth,

The people I made, formed, created and named.”

Blessing

The God who calls you by name, names you and says, “You are mine,”

Abide with you,

Abide in you,

And, through you, embody love for all creation.

You are loved and sent out to love others in the name of

The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

We used the litany at the beginning as a Call to Worship, before the Call to Worship and the Kyrie. We found the Kyrie by Dakota Road (Setting 8 in Evangelical Lutheran Worship) connected well with the theme of Christ who abides in the world, on our way, every day. It's also very fun to sing, and our students requested it last spring! Other sung liturgical pieces came from Setting 10 of ELW, which uses hymn tunes and evokes and abiding, incarnational theology in the way it sings and feels. Because we chose a season overlay that connects well with the readings for the season, the seasonal resources from Sundays and Seasons (confessional and forgiveness, offering prayer, etc.) worked and connected well. We started a new practice: offering a time of reflection and prayer after the sermon and before the hymn of the day, where people have the option to go to prayer stations and write petitions. Some of the petitions are read out loud during the prayers of the people; all are prayed through by the campus community during the week in our prayer chapel. The theme of Abiding helped us create the space for this new way of praying together; we will continue this practice into the seasons that follow, too.

September 1, 12th Sunday After Pentecost, Abiding

Readings:

Psalm 112: 1-9 (Read antiphonally with the lector)

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Luke 14:1, 7-14

Hymn of the Day: ELW 760 “O Christ the Same”

Communion Music: ELW 462 “Now We Join in Celebration”

Sending: ELW 796 “How Firm a Foundation”

September 8, 13th Sunday After Pentecost, Luther College "Walk to Church Sunday" (a tradition for the first Sunday when all students are back on campus)

Readings:

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 -read antiphonally

Luke 14:25-33

Walking Outside: Bambalela

Gathering Inside: All Are Welcome ELW 641

Hymn of the Day: What is this place ELW 524

Offering Music: Choral anthem

Communion Music: O Christ, Your Heart, Compassionate, ELW 722

Sending: ELW 659 Will You Let me your servant

September 15, 14th Sunday After Pentecost, Abiding

Readings:

Exodus 32:7-14

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Luke 15:1-10

Prelude: Sun Dance, Bob Chilcott

Postlude: How Firm a Foundation, Dale Wood

Psalm: ELW 188, Create in Me a Clean Heart presented by student vocal quartet.

Reflection Music: Chant de paix, Jean Langlais (using this Sunday, since it was not needed last Sunday during communion)

Hymn of the Day: The King of Love My Shepherd Is 502

Offering Music: Set Me as a Seal by Richard Nance. David Gorman, piano; Frost Bowen-Bailey, horn

Communion Music: All Who Hunger Gather Gladly, 461 (organ harmonizations from Busarow and Diemer used)

Sending: Great is Thy Faithfulness, 733

September 22, 15th Sunday After Pentecost, Abiding, Luther College Family Weekend

Readings:

Jeremiah 8:18-9:1

Psalm 113 (spoken, led by lector, alternating stanzas)

Luke 16:1-13

Prelude: Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 545, J.S. Bach

Hymn of the Day: There is a Balm in Gilead, ELW 614

Offering Music: Nordic Choir, Crucifixion by Adolphus Hailstork

Communion Music: Nordic Choir, When We Love by Elaine Hagenberg

Communion Hymn: 879 For the Beauty of the Earth

Sending: 543, Go, My Children, with My Blessing

September 29, 16th Sunday After Pentecost--On this day we worshiped at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Decorah. Bishop Emeritus Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land was visiting and preaching that morning.