Lutheran Essentials meets in the undercroft of the church on Wednesday evenings at 7pm. Currently we are studying the Augsburg Confession using the 2nd Edition of the Readers Edition of the Book of Concord. If you do not have a copy we are providing them for free.
The Psalm for this session is Psalm 119:57-64 (Heth). The Small Catechism lesson is the 8th Commandment. Last week we covered the articles on Confession (XI) and the Repentance (XII).
This week we will be covering the Use of the Sacraments (XIII). We will discuss what the Sacraments are, who is to use the Sacraments, and ex opere operato. Since the Confutation agrees with this article but says there are 7 sacraments so we will also read the Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIII. The hymn for this article is My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less (LSB 575).
Next we will cover Order in the Church (XIV). We will discuss who is to publicly preach and teach in the Church, whether there is an office of lay minister, ordination, and the call of pastors. The Confutation agrees with this article as well but say that only bishops can ordain pastors so we will read from the Apology of the Augsburg Confession XIV. The hymn for this article we will sing “Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord” (LSB 497), Martin Luther’s rendition of Veni Creator Spiritus.
We typically do two articles per week so it is unlikely that we will make it to Article XV and XVI on Church Ceremonies and Civil Government.
As always new people are always welcome to this study at any point during the class. Please talk to the Pastor, Elders or Paul Edmon if you have any questions. Have a blessed 4th week of Epiphany.
