What to Expect
Our worship โstyleโ at Eternal Life is unapologetically traditional. We are a confessional Lutheran, liturgical congregation. One of the confessional writings of the Lutheran Church, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession (1531), describes the historic Lutheran attitude and approach to worship this way:
"At the outset, we must again make this preliminary statement: we do not abolish the Mass [i.e., the Service of Holy Communion], but religiously keep and defend it. Masses are celebrated among us every Lord's Day and on the other festivals. The Sacrament is offered to those who wish to use it, after they have been examined and absolved. And the usual public ceremonies are observed, the series of lessons, of prayers, vestments, and other such things" (Apology XXIV:1).
Accordingly, at Eternal Life, we use our synod's hymnal Lutheran Service Book (LSB), rotating seasonally between Divine Service Settings 1, 3, and 4. We offer the Lordโs Supper weekly at every Divine Service. We observe the traditional Church Year, following the LSB Three-Year Lectionary for the series of Scripture readings that are read and heard in worship.
During the seasons of Advent and Lent, we hold midweek Vespers services on Wednesday evenings. We also observe various other festivals and occasions such as Ash Wednesday, Ascension Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.