Nurturing a culture and love of Lutheran heritage in Christian worship

The Reformation: Questions and Answers

Unwrapping the Gifts is a bimonthly publication of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod Worship Ministry devoted to providing resources for worship. Everyone involved in planning worship is encouraged to subscribe to the Unwrapping the Gifts RSS feed.

The Care and Keeping of a Substitute Organist

First and foremost, you want your substitute to lead the congregational singing and not detract from the worship that’s planned. Here are a few ideas to ensure a smooth transition to someone different “on the bench.”

A Hymn of Glory Let Us Sing…in Canon

What do “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” and “All Praise to Thee, My God, This Night” (Lutheran Service Book 883) have in common? Both can be sung as a musical round or canon, a musical composition in which two or more voices sing exactly the same melody but with each voice beginning at a different time, allowing the voices to fit together harmonically.

Random Thoughts on Ringing Bells Randomly

There is no doubt that handbell choirs enrich the worship life of many congregations. While many bell choirs focus primarily on anthems that are played as prelude, postlude or responses within the service, there are other ways to utilize handbells without a lot of rehearsal.