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 52. The Small Catechism lesson is the First Part of Baptism.
The first half of the class we will be reading through “The Fire and the Staff”. We will continue reading Chapter 6: The Christian’s Staff (pg. 185-212). We will pick up with Vocation Principle Three: Heavenly Equality (pg. 196). We will discuss the fact that one does not need to serve in a “Christian” or church job or volunteer to have a God pleasing vocation. We will also talk about how we serve our neighbor in our vocation.
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 Offering (LSB 193). We will discuss how the dichotomy between the Gospel being free for all and the divine command and responsibility to pay our pastor a livable wage plays out in our Offerings. We will also discuss whether one needs to give a strict tithe or not. We will then sing the hymn “We Praise You, O God” (LSB 785)
We will also discuss the Offertory (LSB 192-193). We will discuss how the Offertory reflects the gifts that God has first given us, and our response to them. We will close with singing the hymn “Renew Me, O Eternal Light” (LSB 704)
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.
