Advent 3 December 13 2024

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Please comment and let us know who you are, where you are from and what your thoughts are about this style of worship. Merry Christmas. If you are wondering if Taizé services are accepted within the LCMS, since their format does not follow our traditional Divine services, read the following statement from Synod: The Music of Taizé and the Music of Your Congregation Even before the introduction of Lutheran Service Book, many congregations enjoyed incorporating the music of Taizé (pronounced teh-ZAY) into their Sunday morning worship. This music has its roots in the French prayer community of Taizé, a village hidden in the hills of Burgundy in eastern France. This ecumenical lay community was founded in 1940 by Brother Roger, a Protestant. Originally the community assisted refugees fleeing Nazi occupation throughout the war, and by 1949, a monastic community of seven was formed. Taizé music is congregational in nature and not a performance/concert music for choirs. Congregations can sing in harmony, but they will need to be taught the music either before the service or by playing it through a few times. Having the choir know the music will greatly help the congregation. Traditional Taizé services follow a flexible outline that begins with the gathering music of Taizé chants. Short Bible readings (especially from the Psalms and the Gospels), more chants, silence (often prolonged from five to 10 minutes), prayers (translated into a half dozen languages), and more chants are the essential elements of these “youth” services. The emphasis is on simplicity and involvement of the congregation and instrumentalists. Within a Lutheran context, some congregations may be able to adapt the Taizé format for an evening service, while others may only be able to utilize portions of Taizé music for their services. For instance, Evening Prayer services during Advent and Lent may be the easiest places to begin using the music of Taizé. Usage: This article may be reproduced for congregational use only. Original Source: Commission on Worship Reporter Insert, February 2008 Published by: LCMS Worship ©The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod 1333 S. Kirkwood Road, St. Louis, MO 63122-7295 800-248-1930 x1265 • [e-mail] • www.lcms.org/worship God Bless and Merry Christmas Mark and Ana If you do not want to receive these email invites, simply reply asking for me to remove you from this list