We are a "confessional" Lutheran congregation. The confessions ground us in a specific understanding of the Bible. This is good because it protects us from drifting with the culture and thereby losing the correct view of Holy Scripture. The faith and teachings of the Lutheran Church are confessed in the Lutheran "symbols" which have been collected into one work called the Book of Concord of 1580. These symbols include the Three Chief Symbols (namely, the Apostles', the Nicene, and the Athanasian Creeds), the Augsburg Confession, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles, the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope, the Small and Large Catechisms, and the Formula of Concord. This congregation and her pastor accept without reservation these symbols because they are the true exposition of the Word of God.
We are a liturgical congregation.
We believe, as Scripture clearly teaches, that we are called into Christ's presence for worship, hence worship is not primarily what we do, but what Christ does toward us. For this reason, it is called Divine Service; God's service in Christ toward man. Furthermore, we believe that Christ is truly and bodily present in His Word-both read and preached-and in His Body and Blood in the Sacrament of the Altar. Through these means of grace Christ gives the Gifts of Heaven-namely, the forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation-to all who believe. Therefore, we have a high regard and reverence for the time we spend together in His presence
For this reason we use exclusively resources that have been approved by the Synod's Committee on Worship and published in synodical resources such as the hymnal. While many congregations have left behind Lutheran liturgical services for what may be a more popular style, we see a value in the clear proclamation of both Law and Gospel that is often lacking in forms of worship that originate in non-Lutheran theologies. We believe that traditional liturgy and hymns are especially helpful for teaching the faith to all ages. The Divine Service unites all ages and cultures rather than bowing to one particular demographic or ethnic group.
We are a congregation united in both doctrine and practice. We live in a rapidly changing age. The Synod worries about a decline in numbers and so all manner of programs are suggested to bring up the numbers. Lacking in most of the proposals is faith that the Lord grows His Church where and when it pleases Him. Sometimes the church does not grow and that does not mean the people are not working hard enough at missions. Some LCMS congregations are trying to please everyone by offering two or more very different services. Some appear to be embarrassed to be Lutheran. What may develop from this is two or more separate congregations that share the building (and we all know how well groups that both think the "own" the church building like to share!) Two or more disparate services is a likely formula for eventual division or the dominance of one over the other. "Lex orandi, lex credendi" is an ancient saying meaning the way one worships determines what one believes, and vice versa.
What this means is that those who must have a "contemporary Service" to be happy are referred to an LCMS congregation that has style of service.
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