Martin Luther's Evening Prayer

The Holy Spirit is a person like the Father and the Son, co-equal in the Godhead; but because His nature is less concrete (the word "spirit" means wind, after all), and the nature of His work, we are inclined to forget that He is God and an essential part of our salvation. Dr. Zeile's message helps bring the work of the Spirit into focus in this Pentecost message. The canticle of pr...

The robust statement of faith tells us who God is and who Christ is, which are absolutely necessary to salvation. Send us Fan Mail

This Easter message explains what the "new song" the Psalmist was talking about and why it is so appropriate at Easter. A choral selection for Easter is included, the Litany of the Resurrection, and Palestrina's powerful hymn, "The Strife is O'er, the Battle Done," with trumpet and tympany. Send us Fan Mail

Dr. Zeile's homily for the Easter Vigil service on the night of Holy Saturday expresses the Bible teaching that in the early morning of Easter, Christ appeared as Victor in Satan's realm, proclaiming victory among all those held in prison, traditionally to all who slept with Abraham. Luther's hymn on this theme, "Christ Lag in Todesbanden" (Christ Jesus Lay in Death's...

This Easter meditation celebrates God's plan, foretold in the Psalm, of choosing One whom the leaders overlooked as His Champion to rescue His people. A choral selection for Easter and alternating hymns accompany this message, and a special reflection on Easter Sunrise service written by the late choir member Emma Kercek closes out this holiday program. Send us Fan Mail

This meditation for Passion Sunday discusses our sin of projecting guilt on others, that is, blaming others for our own sin, assuming others will do to us what we'd like to do to them. However, all our guilt has been projected on to Jesus so that He has suffered to remove our guilt, so that we may have peace with God and make peace with people. The Palm Sunday hymn, "Ride On, Ride On in...

Dr. Zeile reads Psalm 1 in the  16th Century translation included in the Book of Common Prayer, the 17th Century version from the King James translation, and the 18th Century Challoner revision of the Douai-Rheims translation. Send us Fan Mail

Dr. Zeile reads Psalm 117 in the  16th Century translation included in the Book of Common Prayer, the 17th Century version from the King James translation, and the 18th Century Challoner revision of the Douai-Rheims translation. Send us Fan Mail

There are those who blame God for killing; and this shows that they do not know who God is, for He is the Creator who gives to each his life and should He withdraw His grace they fall into death. Therefore humility, not prideful ignorance, is the proper attitude toward God. Dr. Zeile's message for Passion Sunday (also known as Palm Sunday) lays out the Divine plan involving death and life imp...

The Decalogue (Ten Commandments) is rehearsed as part of the Rite of Confession and Absolution (Forgiveness), followed by praying Psalm 32, "Blessed is the Man whose Transgression is Forgiven'" and Dr. Zeile's exposition on the Christian teaching concerning confessing sin.  Classic hymns "Come to Calvary's Holy Mountain," and the Italian hymn to the Precious Bloo...

The Service of Evening Prayer (Vespers) includes the Lenten hymns "O Christ, You Walked the Road," and  "Lamb of God, Pure and Holy," sometimes called the "German Agnus Dei." The meditation is based on Paul's words regarding the Christ's humiliation to the death of a criminal on the cross and the great reversal of His exultation to Divine Authority which wil...

Complaining may be necessary at times, but can convince us that our benefactor is our enemy. God's gift to us is patience under duress, modeled for us by Christ whose suffering is the antidote to the poison of our complaining. Luther's hymn version of Psalm 67 is included in this program.  Send us Fan Mail

The Ash Wednesday Rite of Imposition of Ashes is followed by a meditation on the concept of the propitious, "pleasing to [the] God[s]." Our helplessness to please God is remedied by God Himself who gave His Son to make peace so that now the time to turn to Him is propitious. The sobering hymn, "Who Knows when Death may Overtake Me" accompanies this solemn occasion of reflection...

St. Paul points out that regret is a sign that we have served someone outside our present selves. The self in the past self was deceived or ignorant, if not actually irrational in demanding the things that lead to death and regret. Paul urges us to serve the living God, made possible by the giving of Jesus Christ, who suffered but passed into glory so that we may follow the same path!  Elements of...

The Psalmist says, "Those who bow down to them become like them." Dr. Zeile unpacks the deeper meaning of the Psalmist's insight, and its opposite, the good news of what happens when we do the converse, worshipping the Highest Good. This message is accompanied by the Rite of Holy Communion, the holiest of Christian practices, and the classic hymn, "What is the World to Me!?&quo...

This is part of a series of readings of the Psalms in three Classic English translations: the 16th Century Book of Common Prayer, the 1612  King James Version,  and the 18th Century Challoner revision of the Douai-Rhiems translation. Send us Fan Mail

"What difference does it make? Who Cares?" If these thoughts cross your mind then you need the message of Malachi where God tells us that He does notice- and bless- our every effort toward doing what is right and pleasing in His sight.  This sermon is included in the service of Matins (Morning Prayer, based on the Psalms) with classic hymns "Lord of Glory Who Hath Bought us With Thy...

For the Pastor's Circuit meeting a meditation on the challenging topic of "Slavery" based on regulations from Deuteronomy 25 was shared. This includes an intimate celebration of the Holy Communion sung without accompaniment. Send us Fan Mail

This is a meditation on part of the popular Psalm which is accompanied by the Lutheran rite of Confession and Absolution, and the lovely hymn, "O Living Bread from Heaven" with one stanza based on imagery taken from the 23rd Psalm. Send us Fan Mail

This is the choral service performed usually on the Third Sunday of Advent but featuring Luke's account of the Birth of Christ with choir selections performed by the Saint John's Lutheran Church (Taylor) choir directed by Wallace C. Winters, Jr. The meditation is on John the Baptist's question to Jesus as to whether He was the One to come or should we look for another. Whether to as...

When Simeon had seen the Christ-child he was ready to "depart in peace," ready to die, ready to go! Knowing that God fulfills His promise in Christ can make us ready to stay and serve, or ready to join Simeon and all the saints who have seen the Christ and trusted in the Lord. Live or die, its all (ultimately) good. This program includes the Rite of Holy Communion as celebrated on Candle...

This Christmas service includes readings & carols for the holy day, Vaughn Williams  setting of O Little Town of Bethlehem, and the Last Gospel. The meditation is on Mary's joy at learning that she would be mother of the Savior. Send us Fan Mail

This is an obscure prophecy or promise, made in the course of blessing. Dr. Zeile discusses both the Hebrew and Greek Bible's take on this name, which is related to "peace" and speaks of the "Prince of Peace."  This is an Advent service of Evening Prayer with the Magnificat and litany sung by the congregation. Send us Fan Mail

Paired with the liturgical announcement of Christmas and the Rite of Holy Communion, this Advent meditation considers the ladder Jacob saw which Christ alluded to in His John 1 discussion with Nathaniel. Christ is Himself the ladder, by means of which Divinity came to dwell on earth, and by which mere humans can attain eternal life in the Divine abode. Send us Fan Mail

Luther's hymn on the Baptism of Christ connects the incident with the Sacrament and is appointed to be sung on the First Sunday after the Epiphany. Christ's baptism revealed the Holy Trinity- the Father speaking from the sky, the Sone receiving baptism, and the Spirit descending as a dove- and is sometimes called "Theophany" as opposed to epiphany. Send us Fan Mail