The church year comes full circle
—the shape of liturgy for November
by The Rev. D. Foy Christopherson
Associate Pastor for Worship and the Arts,
Hospitality and Pastoral Care
As we move into November the days get shorter, we hurry to gather in the harvest, and a sense of urgency creeps into our worship life. If we listen closely to the scriptures we hear talk of the last days and final things: the banquet of the Lord, a new heaven and a new earth, the promise of a blessing from the God of salvation, the raising of Lazarus, the lifting up of the lowly, the once for all sacrifice of Christ, the deliverance of God’s people at the end, my body shall rest in hope, the way to God is open through Christ’s death, the end of all things, the coming of the Son to rule over all, the Lord upon his throne established from all time, the kingdom of Christ… finally leading us to the Christ who has promised to come again … and the church year comes full circle.
The November harvest becomes a symbol for us of the Lord’s harvest. We spend November observing All Saints, remembering the dead, preparing for the end, and celebrating Christ as sovereign and the first fruits harvested of the new creation, the firstborn from the dead. God declares to us: You are redeemed. Live as redeemed people! You are loved. Live as beloved people! The Day of the Lord has already dawned with the radiant face of the risen Christ, and as baptized people, it is in that Day which you are to live!
Our November liturgy will seek to capture a sense of the mystical union between the saints on earth and the saints in heaven and the promised fulfillment of all things. Confession will continue to be led from the font, at the beginning of worship, and at the entrance to the church reminding us of our baptismal entrance into God’s new future. In between our All Saints celebration of those who have gone before us and our Christ the King initiation of new saints into the Kingdom through Holy Baptism, we’ll celebrate bringing this good news to the whole globe.
And so ends the 2009th year of grace. We begin the church year with expectant wondering and waiting as we contemplate the incarnation of Christ. We end the church year wondering in the glorious love and grace of Christ. We rest in hope because we know that endings with God are really beginnings. The cycle of life continues, birth to death, death to birth. The hymns that sing of the reign of Christ foreshadow the hymns of Advent. We end the church year in gladness, joy, and hope. We look forward to the time when we shall all be one, gathered up in the goodness of God.
—the shape of liturgy for November
by The Rev. D. Foy Christopherson
Associate Pastor for Worship and the Arts,
Hospitality and Pastoral Care
As we move into November the days get shorter, we hurry to gather in the harvest, and a sense of urgency creeps into our worship life. If we listen closely to the scriptures we hear talk of the last days and final things: the banquet of the Lord, a new heaven and a new earth, the promise of a blessing from the God of salvation, the raising of Lazarus, the lifting up of the lowly, the once for all sacrifice of Christ, the deliverance of God’s people at the end, my body shall rest in hope, the way to God is open through Christ’s death, the end of all things, the coming of the Son to rule over all, the Lord upon his throne established from all time, the kingdom of Christ… finally leading us to the Christ who has promised to come again … and the church year comes full circle.
The November harvest becomes a symbol for us of the Lord’s harvest. We spend November observing All Saints, remembering the dead, preparing for the end, and celebrating Christ as sovereign and the first fruits harvested of the new creation, the firstborn from the dead. God declares to us: You are redeemed. Live as redeemed people! You are loved. Live as beloved people! The Day of the Lord has already dawned with the radiant face of the risen Christ, and as baptized people, it is in that Day which you are to live!
Our November liturgy will seek to capture a sense of the mystical union between the saints on earth and the saints in heaven and the promised fulfillment of all things. Confession will continue to be led from the font, at the beginning of worship, and at the entrance to the church reminding us of our baptismal entrance into God’s new future. In between our All Saints celebration of those who have gone before us and our Christ the King initiation of new saints into the Kingdom through Holy Baptism, we’ll celebrate bringing this good news to the whole globe.
And so ends the 2009th year of grace. We begin the church year with expectant wondering and waiting as we contemplate the incarnation of Christ. We end the church year wondering in the glorious love and grace of Christ. We rest in hope because we know that endings with God are really beginnings. The cycle of life continues, birth to death, death to birth. The hymns that sing of the reign of Christ foreshadow the hymns of Advent. We end the church year in gladness, joy, and hope. We look forward to the time when we shall all be one, gathered up in the goodness of God.
November 1
All Saints
The raising of Lazarus
Holy Communion
8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
with remembrance of those who have died in Christ
Cemetery visits in the afternoon
Evening Prayer—7:00 p.m.
with special invitation to those bereaved since last All Saints
Readings: Isaiah 25:6-9; Psalm 24; Revelation 21:1-6a;
John 11:32-44
November 8
A widow’s generosity
Holy Communion
8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
with prayers for our ministries with the homeless & Sunday School socks project
Readings: 1 Kings 17:8-16; Psalm 146; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44
November 15
The end and the coming of the Son
Holy Communion
8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
“Our Global Life” weekend
Environment features flags of all nations, and the “Who Is My Neighbor” ELCA Global Mission Nigerian AIDS quilt containing an image by He Qi
Readings: Daniel 12:1-3; Psalm 16; Hebrews 10:11-25;
Mark 13:1-8
November 22
Christ the King
The Kingdom of Christ
Holy Communion
Baptism Festival
8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Readings: Daniel 7:9-14; Psalm 93; Revelation 1:4b-8; John 18:33-37
November 29
Advent 1
Be alert for the coming of the Son of Man
Holy Communion
8:30 and 11:00 a.m.
Year of Luke begins
Readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16;
Psalm 25:1-10;
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