70th Christmas Candlelight Vesper at First Trinity Lutheran Church
The 70th Christmas Candlelight Vesper will be held at First Trinity Lutheran Church in Tonawanda on Sunday, December 13th at 5:00 PM. This beautiful service offers an opportunity to gather during the Advent and Christmas season for Scripture, prayer, candlelight, and sacred music. St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clarence Center, NY encourages our members and neighbors to take part in the rich liturgical life of the Lutheran Church and to give thanks for the music that proclaims Christ. All are welcome to sing in the choir for this special service. Rehearsals begin Monday, October 5th at 7:00 PM and Thursday, October 8th at 1:00 PM. Those interested in singing should contact the church to sign up and receive more information.
The Gift of Lutheran Hymnody
Lutherans have long treasured hymnody because hymns teach, confess, and comfort. A good hymn is never merely decorative music added to worship. It is theology sung by the congregation, carrying the Word of God into the heart and mind through melody, poetry, and prayer. Martin Luther himself understood the importance of music in the Church. LCMS resources note that Luther viewed congregational hymnody as an integral part of the liturgy, not simply a general Christian song loosely attached to worship. Lutheran hymnody has continued to serve the Church by proclaiming Law and Gospel, teaching the faith, and giving Christians words to sing in joy, sorrow, repentance, and hope.
Luther’s Christmas Hymns and the Advent Season
The Advent and Christmas seasons are especially rich with Lutheran hymns that proclaim the coming of Christ. Luther’s Christmas hymn “From Heaven Above to Earth I Come” was written for his family’s Christmas Eve celebration and first printed in Wittenberg in 1535. The hymn continues to bear witness to the mystery of the incarnation, that the eternal Son of God came down from heaven for sinners. During Advent, the Church learns to wait, watch, repent, and hope. During Christmas, the Church rejoices that the promised Savior has come in the flesh. Lutheran hymnody gives voice to both seasons, teaching the faithful to sing of Christ’s first coming in humility, His present coming through Word and Sacrament, and His final coming in glory.
Liturgical Life at St. Paul Lutheran Church
St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clarence Center, NY is thankful to share in this wider Lutheran tradition of worship, hymnody, and catechesis. Our congregation values the historic liturgy because it keeps Christ and His gifts at the center. Through the Divine Service, Sunday School, youth Bible study, catechesis, prayer, and the singing of hymns, the faith is handed down from one generation to the next. If you are looking for Lutheran churches in Clarence, NY, a church in Clarence, NY, or an LCMS congregation near Buffalo, NY, we warmly invite you to visit St. Paul. Come hear the Scriptures, sing the hymns of the Church, bring your children to Sunday School, and take part in the liturgical life that has nourished Christians for centuries. Advent and Christmas are wonderful seasons to come and see.
