Rant: My husband has bronchitis.

TJ - To expound on that rant - I must confess that I am not objective in this. Obviously the LCMS is not the church of my upbringing. It is however the church of DH’s upbringing and also where both of my children were confirmed, with me sitting in the whole time to make sure that I tempered what was being taught with what I had come to believe after careful study of the Bible itself. Trying to be a Berean Christian, as it were, and teaching my children to do the same. Duriung that time, one of my chief complaints was that the blue hymnal they were using at the time rendered just about every hymnn unsingable and if (big if) there were any familiar hymns or tunes, the words had been changed beyond recognition, and I was completely frustrated to the point of distraction.

They have since quit using the blue hymnal at this church (which we had been away from for about 10 years - long story), and the new brown hymnal has hymns in more singable arrangements and many more familiar hymns, most of which have been altered in the words to keep them more Lutheran.

Lutherans are fond of pointing out their differences with other worshipping bodies and have a difficult time leaving differences at the door and focusung on the common ground they have with other Christians. It is after all, their differences that distinguish them and set them apart from others. (to the point that their then Synod president was disciplined for practicing syncretism for participating in an ecumenical service after 9/11).

I attend an LCMS church because this is where DH chooses to attend and my place is with him. For myself, I see myself as Christian first and Lutheran second. I can be comfortable in any worship setting where Christ is proclaimed and there are no salvation issue erors being taught. Members of my family are only comfortable in a High Church setting.

Rave: I got a summer job to supplement the teacher salary so we can do some much-needed work on the house. If any of you are in the Hannibal, MO area this summer, stop in at the Mark Twain Cave. I’ll be one of the tour guides!

http://www.cyberhymnal.org/index.htm#lk

Tonight they don’t have the music which you can normally hear on your speakers. Maybe there is something wrong with the site.

It’s been a wonderful Resurrection Sunday.

God bless you all

Words: Charles Wes­ley, 1739. Stanzas 8-10, au­thor un­known, 14th Cen­tu­ry; trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish in Lyra Da­vid­i­ca. This ex­ub­er­ant song is one of the most pop­u­lar East­er hymns in the Eng­lish lang­uage.

Music: Easter Hymn, com­pos­er un­known, in Lyra Da­vid­i­ca (Lon­don: 1708) (MI­DI, score).

Wesley’s words were writ­ten for use at the first wor­ship ser­vice at the Wes­ley­an Chap­el in Lon­don. The cha­pel, on the site of a for­mer iron found­ry, be­came known as the Found­ry Meet­ing House, and this hymn was in­clud­ed in the Found­ry Col­lect­ion.

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Wesley’s Christ the Lord Is Risen Today was changed to “Jesus Christ I Risen Today” - And all the verses had different words than the ones I learned as a child. That first line was a small change and annoyed me because they have done it and made bigger changes to many other hynms.

I don’t have a Lutheran hymnal handy, but I’ll see if I can’t borrow one so I can cite more examples. It’s just one of those things thast irk me. A pastor once told me that they make some hymns more corporate and less personal for use in worship by changing the words.

It just bugs me.