Lutheran Essentials meets in the undercroft of the church on Wednesday evenings at 7pm. You can reach the undercroft by going around to the back parking lot of the church and descending the staircase to the kitchen. Knock on the door if it is closed and some one will let you in. Our current study is on “The Fire and the Staff” by Klemet Preus and the Historic Liturgy. If you do not have a copy of the “The Fire and the Staff” or the Book of Concord we are providing them for free.
The Psalm for this week is Psalm 55. The Small Catechism lesson is the Fourth Part of Baptism.
The first half of the class we will be reading through “The Fire and the Staff”. We will begin reading Chapter 8: The Staff is Bent (pg. 243-275). We will discuss how revivalism puts the emphasis on excitement and experience at the expense of doctrine. We will discuss how this obsession with experience has lead to the distinction between a village church (one that is an institution) and a camp church (one that is revivalist). We will also talk about how the break down of doctrinal distinctions impacts the practice of closed communion.
For the second half of the class we will continue our study of the Divine Service Setting III in Lutheran Service Book with a discussion about the Lord’s Prayer (LSB 196). We will talk about how Christ has instituted this prayer to be used by the church and how it is used at this point in the Divine Service. We will then sing “Our Father, Who from Heave Above” (LSB 766).
If we have time we will also study the Words of Institution (LSB 197). We will discuss why the Verba are so important and why the elements must be bread and wine in the Supper. We will also talk about the benefits of eating and drinking the Lord’s True Body and True Blood. We will close with singing “Lord Jesus Christ, You Have Prepared” (LSB 622).
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.
