DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING INCORPORATING WORSHIP AND PREACHING CREATIVELY AS REFLECTION, CONFESSION, REPENTANCE AND RENEWAL

Transcription

1 DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING INCORPORATING WORSHIP AND PREACHING CREATIVELY AS REFLECTION, CONFESSION, REPENTANCE AND RENEWAL BY: Reverend Nicole A.M. Collins, FODM Pastor/Founder of the Grace Hub Lutheran Orthodox Church & Spiritual Formation Pastor for the Gathering North Church

2 The discipleship task for Lutheran worship and preaching is to reflect on the four key elements of what Reformer Martin Luther called daily remembering your baptism. The spiritual formation process of daily remembering your baptismal calling into being/ becoming a servant leader is reflection, confession, repentance and renewal.

3 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION Lutheran worship in light of addressing discipleship Being creative and Orthodox The need to develop liturgy that engages Familiarity does indeed breed contempt What the future holds Where to go from here?

4 Introduction The whole life which we live ought to be a baptism, and to fulfil the sign or sacrament of baptism; since we have been set free from all other things and given up to baptism alone, that is, to death and resurrection. Martin Luther From On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church

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6 The worship I have designed and implemented is crafted to reach the internal church of the congregant s heart. In reaching this inner sanctuary, the rubrics are crafted to motivate transformation and thus spiritually build/ grow the level of spiritual formation the individual is at. Other elements within the bulletins address three areas. The first area was to address engagement and guided disengagement from the bulletin for the purposes of growing genuine community and engagement. The second was to address discipleship as interwoven motifs that educate and guide. The third was to speak to the Lutheran roots aspect or integrity to the service.

7 Lutheran Worship in light of addressing Discipleship In expanding on the Lutheran roots skeletal substructure to the discipleship worship design; the means of Grace as well as the Corporate Confession are critical. The means of Grace is the Lutheran understanding of how the Word of God and presence of God is enacted Grace in several areas of the service such as the reading of scripture, the art of preaching and the consecration of the elements. Expanding upon the importance of Holy Communion enacted as a means of Grace; it is of vital importance in announcing Christ s actual presence in, with and under the bread and wine through the OBSERVED Word consecrating the elements before they are given out. Part of the beauty of bringing people to the table as a disciple is to SEE, Hear, and Taste that the Lord is Good and that the sacramental union of the elements to Christ is honored.

8 Expanding upon the Corporate Confession s importance as a staple substructure to Lutheran (rooted) worship. Accountability Intentionality

9 Being Creative and Orthodox The need to develop liturgy that engages Familiarity does indeed breed contempt Fusing creativity into worship without tearing down set standards is the challenge and also at the discretion of pastor.

10 What the future holds? Where to go from here? Starting on the ground floor in church planting

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12 Step One Reflection One of the first rubrics I addressed to speak to the theme of Reflection was the corporate Confession. In the Lutheran church, the corporate Confession is a central introduction to the flow of worship.

13 In renaming the corporate Confession, Gathering, We Reflect; Justification became an element at the heart of reflecting. We are accountable to God and rely upon Him to help guide our intentionality in all we do and say to His Will.

14 Focusing on the Means of Grace The Words of Institution The Grace Hub & the Gathering North s rubric Please take this opportunity to reflect in your heart how this Means of Grace Christ actual presence feeds and restores your soul. As St. Paul would say Listen with your heart wide open. Then, TASTE, SEE & DELIGHT that the Lord is Good!

15 Another important thematic rubric I have been very particular on including are creedal statements. There are so many Lutheran churches that whether they are doing a blended service to a high liturgy use the standard creeds continually. As the statement goes I feel on some levels it burgeons the notion: Familiarity breeds contempt... A great alternative used at both the Grace Hub & the Gathering North: The Augsburg Confession; Article III: Of the Son of God (Please be seated) ALL: The Word, that is, the Son of God, did assume the human nature in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary, so that there are two natures, the divine and the human, inseparably enjoined in one Person, one Christ, true God and true man, who was born of the virgin Mary, truly suffered, was crucified, dead, and buried, that He might reconcile the Father unto us, and be a sacrifice, not only for original guilt, but also for all actual sins of humans. He also descended into hell, and truly rose again the third day; afterward He ascended into heaven that He might sit on the right hand of the Father, and forever reign and have dominion over all creatures, and sanctify them that believe in Him, by sending the Holy Ghost into their hearts, to rule, comfort, and quicken them, and to defend them against the devil and the power of sin. AMEN

16 Living into the Lifestyle of Grace thoughts on Preaching the Living Word To Preach it You must Live it!

17 The rubric penned just before the benediction For a Life steeped in Prayer I essentially reflected upon each week s lectionary texts to create a prayer that would be the spiritual formation prayer for each and every congregant. Easter Sunday 2016 s: Prayer for Spiritual Formation Leader: Alleluia Jesus! For You have indeed risen in more ways than one You have risen in our hearts, our thoughts & The deeds we have done and left undone Your Grace shines greatly upon us As we must daily remember That You died, rose and defeated sin, death and the power of the devil Upon our meager lives May we bear the spiritual fruit to continue the Alleluia chorus Of our loving and gracious response to a loving and gracious God ALL: AMEN (Please observe a moment of Silence)

18 The Benediction comes from an attuned theology of discipleship We gather to scatter; hence you get Scattering Proclamation. From Christ the King Sunday s Bulletin 2015: BENDICTION Scattering Proclamation Leader: Gracious God guide our hearts, guard our steps as we go forth with the Good News! In the name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit ALL: AMEN (Please make the sign of the Cross)

19 Where do we go & grow from here? Concluding Thoughts Q & A Handouts to keep/ Samples to view Rev. Collins Books available for Sale