CPH & LC–MS versus TLH

For many years I have desired to produce a little booklet that would include the order of service from TLH, The Lutheran Hymnal, with a side by side explanation of the portions of the liturgy for the benefit of people who desire to understand the worship life of the Church. For years CPH, Concordia Publishing House, and the LC–MS, the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, told me that I would need to receive permission from the copyright department of CPH. Throughout my lifetime this information was given to the congregations regarding use of the liturgy and hymns.

Yet some time ago, perhaps a year or so ago, I called the CPH permissions department regarding use of the printed liturgy for this purpose and I was told that this information could not be supplied to me. I was told that I would have to research the various portions of the liturgy for myself to determine whether or not each portion was in the Public Domain.

This sounded very peculiar to me. I wondered why this change in policy had occurred.

I began to examine the hymnal more thoroughly than I had in the past. Lo and behold I found a big piece of the puzzle on the very first page of actual information, that is, on page 2, the Preface page.

I had never really paid attention to what this page says. I had seen it countless times and cursorily read it as well. But on this occasion I actually heard what is contained in this declaration. I was astounded.

Here is a photo of the page:

The startling portion I will quote:

We have freely used whatever we found of value and, by way of acknowledgment, have carefully indicated all sources. In turn, we freely offer for the use of others all original contributions or translations made by the committee as such or by its individual members.

This is truly astounding! For how many years did the LC–MS and CPH tell people the exact opposite?

According to the Preface to the hymnal, every portion of the hymnal has always been free to be used. This is in fact the stated purpose of the hymnal! Permission for free use of the materials is given in the Preface to the hymnal.

Back when I first desired to produce this little booklet regarding the meaning of the worship life of the Church as is so wonderfully expressed in the liturgy, back when I did this sort of work full-time and did not have to earn my living through such work as arborist services, I was misinformed by CPH and the LC–MS. (Is misinformed a strong enough term?) Even now the truth has not been clearly stated by the LC–MS and CPH personnel and leaders.

Now, however, I am happy to realize that I am free to pursue this endeavor. Now I am happily aware that this little booklet can be produced if I so desire and can find the energy over and above my other daily tasks.

In fact, I do so desire.

However, I would like to hear whether or not anyone else shares such desire with me. Are there people who would like to have such an explanation available to them? If such a booklet were made available in PDF format, and perhaps also printed format to be purchased, would anyone actually want to receive it and use it? If I go to the effort of producing portions here on the blog or at the Bride of Christ ELC web site, does anyone desire such explanations? My primary desire is for the Order of the Holy Communion, beginning on pg. 15.

Does anyone share this desire?

Liturgical Continuity

Liturgical Continuity

— Immovable Faith —

For the Last Sunday in Epiphany, Quinquagesima, TLH hymn # 47, “Savior, Again to Thy Dear Name We Raise,” served as our final hymn for the day. In the first stanza a very wonderful knowledge and appreciation for the historic liturgy is displayed by the author. Consider the words of first stanza:

Savior, again to Thy dear name we raise
With one accord our parting hymn of praise.
Once more we bless Thee ere our worship cease,
Then, lowly bending, wait Thy word of peace.

First is the clear recognition of the one of whom we sing when worship is rightly focused. His office and ministry is before the congregation as the reason for gathering. His name is the reason for all confidence and joy.

The next point shows in the second line. The gathering is of one accord, praying, singing, communing as one body. As St. Paul admonishes in 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 those singing have examined themselves to know that they are part of a communion that truly is the Lord’s body, and having partaken together of the Holy Communion, they acknowledge again the unity that the Lord has created and maintained. This understanding is stressed also in the fourth chapter of Ephesians:

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Then, once more before the divine service ceases, the congregation blesses the Lord. This is a reflection upon the way that the service begins, with the Invocation, whereby those gathered call upon the name of the Lord given to them in their baptism and bless the name by which all blessing has been poured out upon them. This name is what unites them in common faith as the body of Christ. This is the name of their Salvation. Naturally, in drawing near to the close of the divine service they will once again bless, that is, to speak well of, this holy name of blessing.

Finally the service closes with this holy name being spoken over the congregation in the benediction. To receive this benediction from the Lord the congregation humbly bows their heads as the pastor puts the threefold name of peace upon those who bear this name and trust in the Lord and depart to go about their daily activities in the peace that surpasses all understanding.

This very beautiful hymn demonstrates the unity and continuity that the historic liturgy preserves for those who do not abandon it. From beginning to end the mighty arm of the Lord acting on behalf of His children is emphasized.

How anyone could hope to improve upon this focus I do not know. What could possibly be more blessed than this focus handed down even from the time of Moses and continued by the apostles of our Lord?