Reformation Day The 500th Anniversary

31 October 2017 7:30 p.m.

Concordia Theological Seminary

Fort Wayne, Indiana

T In Nomine Jesu T

Pre-Service Music Kyrie, God Father in Heaven Above The hymn is sung in Latin and English; the text may be found at LSB 942. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God setting by Johann Sebastian Bach

Fantasia on “In Peace and Joy I Now Depart” setting by Kevin Hildebrand

Hymn Thy Strong Word (LSB 578) setting by James Biery The congregation stands at the conclusion of the hymn introduction.

Stanzas 3–4 Choir

Thy strong Word bespeaks us righteous;

Bright with Thine own holiness, Glorious now, we press toward glory,

And our lives our hopes confess.

From the cross Thy wisdom shining Breaketh forth in conqu’ring might;

From the cross forever beameth

All Thy bright redeeming light. Alleluia, alleluia!

Praise to Thee who light dost send!

Alleluia, alleluia! Alleluia without end!

(continued)

2

Stanza 5 All

Give us lips to sing Thy glory,

Tongues Thy mercy to proclaim,

Throats that shout the hope that fills us,

Mouths to speak Thy holy name.

Alleluia, alleluia!

May the light which Thou dost send

Fill our songs with alleluias,

Alleluias without end!

Stanza 6 All

God the Father, light-creator,

To Thee laud and honor be.

To Thee, Light of Light begotten,

Praise be sung eternally.

Holy Spirit, light-revealer,

Glory, glory be to Thee.

Mortals, angels, now and ever

Praise the holy Trinity!

Versicles

Sit

3

Psalmody My Soul, Now Praise Your Maker (from Psalm 103) Johann Hermann Schein

His grace remains forever,

And children’s children yet shall prove

That God forsakes them never

Who in true fear shall seek His love.

In heav’n is fixed His dwelling,

His rule is over all;

O hosts with might excelling,

With praise before Him fall.

Praise Him forever reigning,

All you who hear His Word—

Our life and all sustaining.

My soul, O praise the Lord!

First Reading Romans 3:19–28 P O Lord, have mercy on us.

C Thanks be to God.

Stand

Hymn O God, Our Lord, Thy Holy Word setting by Kevin Hildebrand The congregation stands at the conclusion of the hymn introduction.

Choir

All

Choir

All

4

Sit

Second Reading Matthew 11:12–19 P O Lord, have mercy on us.

C Thanks be to God.

Cantata God the Lord Is Sun and Shield (Cantata 79) Johann Sebastian Bach

Chorus

God the Lord is sun and shield; the Lord gives mercy and glory.

No good thing He withholds from those who are faithful.

Aria (Alto)

God is ever sun and shield,

therefore we our praises bringing,

join with grateful hearts in singing

thanks for all His tender care.

He will still protect and bless us,

though our foes may sore distress us,

sharpened arrows they may wield.

Chorale

Now thank we all our God

with hearts and hands and voices,

who wondrous things has done,

in whom his world rejoices;

who, from our mother’s arms,

has blest us on our way

with countless gifts of love,

and still is ours today.

Recitative (Bass)

Praise God! We know where to find the way to blessedness,

for, Jesus, You show the way through Your Word and teaching:

to You praise of Your name forever reaching.

But since so many here on earth dismiss

Your word and walk in blindness, with the worldly,

Lord, pity them and call them by Your graciousness

To walk the righteous way forever

And call You by Your name as Savior!

Aria (Duet—Soprano, Bass)

God, O God, forsake Your children nevermore!

Let Your word for us be shining;

all the more enemies are fiercely raging,

You alone our lips are praising.

Chorale

Firm in Your truth retain us,

In liberty sustain us,

To praise Your name forever

Through Jesus Christ, our Savior.

Sermon

5

Stand Nunc Dimittis In Peace and Joy I Now Depart (LSB 938) The choir sings stanza 2 in a setting by Donald Busarow.

Kyrie

Lord's Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be Thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;

give us this day our dily bread;

and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Salutation

6

Collects

After each collect, the congregation sings:

Closing Collect Grant Peace, We Pray, In Mercy, Lord (LSB 777) The hymn is sung twice, first by the choir and then by the congregation.

Benedicamus

Benediction

7

Greetings

Hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (LSB 656)

Postlude A Mighty Fortress Is Our God setting by Charles Ore

T Soli Deo Gloria T

8

Participants

Preacher

The Reverend Matthew C. Harrison

President, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

Officiants

The Reverend Professor Lawrence R. Rast Jr.

President

The Reverend Professor Paul J. Grime

Dean of the Chapel

Lectors

The Reverend Terry L. Cripe

President, Ohio District

The Reverend Daniel P. May

President, Indiana District

Organist

Kantor Matthew A. Machemer

Director Kantor Kevin J. Hildebrand

Choirs

Seminary Schola Cantorum

Seminary Kantorei

Concordia Lutheran High School Chamber Singers

Soloists

Katie Schuermann, soprano

David Solum, bass

Crucifer and Torchbearers Seminarian Wade Bellesbach

Seminarian Daniel Broaddus

Seminarian Eli Voigt

Instrumentalists

Violin

Jason Thompson

Emily Thompson

Alexandra Tsilibes

Timothy Tan

Wesley Mui

Viola

Linda Kummernuss

Cello

Heather Scott

Bass

Jess Gaze

Flute

Ann Donner

Emily Debner

Trumpet/Flügelhorn

Douglas Hofherr

James Zanker

Horn

Eamonn Ferguson

Trombone

Justin Mason

Timpani/Percussion

John Smith

Acknowledgements

Thy Strong Word text: © 1969 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSBHymnLicense.NET, no. 100010029.

In Peace and Joy I Now Depart text: © 1978 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSBHymnLicense.NET, no. 100010029.

Grant Peace, We Pray text: @ Lutheran World Federation. Used by permission: LSBHymnLicense.NET, no. 100010029.

Office of Vespers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 CPH. Used with permission.

This service folder was prepared using Lutheran Service Builder.

In the Service

Cantata 79, one of two cantatas J. S. Bach wrote specifically for the festival of the

Reformation, was heard in Leipzig on October 31 in the years 1725 and 1730. The

cantata’s focus is twofold: thanking and praising God for his protection and gift of

salvation, and praying for the clear and faithful proclamation of God’s Word.

While the service this evening naturally includes that stalwart hymn “A Mighty

Fortress,” it was another hymn, O God, Our Lord, Thy Holy Word, that was most

often sung in the sixteenth century to celebrate the Reformation. Although the hymn has

fallen out of use in recent practice, its inclusion in tonight’s anniversary service may

signal a renaissance of this “battle hymn of the Reformation” as the Church continues her

work under the grace of God.

Finally, the hymn Thy Strong Word is heard for the first time this evening in a new

setting by James Biery that was commissioned by Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort

Wayne, for the anniversary celebration.

Artwork

The artwork in this service folder is part of an exhibit titled SOLA that opens today in

Kroemer Library. Please feel free to browse the exhibit following the service or in the

coming months. The exhibit will be open through January 31, 2018.

Cover — A Celebration of the Reformation (Anne Ziegler)

Page 2 — The Double-edged Sword (Zachary Viggers)

Page 4 — Reformation Cross (Sara Nordling)

Page 5 — Behold His Hands and Side (David Bahn)

This page — Parables of the Vineyard (Edward Riojas)

Concordia Theological Seminary

exists to form servants in Jesus Christ

who teach the faithful,

reach the lost,

and care for all.