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LCC Virtual Choir

A service to remember!

The Opening Divine Service of Lutheran Church–Canada’s 2022 Synod Convention is in the Grand Ballroom at the Delta Hotel at 7:30 pm. All worship services over the course of the convention (including Daily Worship Services) will appear on-screen at convention, and can also be accessed via the QR codes below.

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About This Evening’s Service

In the latter years of the early church era, there arose – in addition to the developing church year calendar—special times of giving thanks to God for the fruits of the earth, of fasting, penitential prayer, and almsgiving called Ember Days.

These were observed four times a year on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday around the beginning of the four natural seasons: after the First Sunday in Lent (spring); after the Day of Pentecost (summer); after Holy Cross Day on September 14 (fall); and after the Commemoration of St. Lucia on December 13 (winter).

The word ‘ember’ itself is derived from the Latin quatuor tempora or ‘four times.’ The German translation is ‘quatember’; and, by dropping the first syllable, we get the English word ‘ember.’

Originally, Ember Days were occasions of thanksgiving for the three great harvests of wheat, grapes, and olives – all of which played a central part in the church’s sacramental and liturgical life. In time, they became special days of repentance and fasting. The Harvest Observance and Day of Supplication and Prayer, listed under Occasions in the Lutheran Service Book, are remnants that we have today from these Ember Days.

Although never universally observed in the western Church, Ember Days were retained by the Church of the Reformation as a time especially devoted to preaching on the catechism – the Lenten Ember Days derived in part from Cyril of Jerusalem’s catechetical lectures prior to Easter; the Pentecost Ember Days based on the description of the early Christians who devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching; the Holy Cross Ember Days coming at the beginning of the academic year and informed by St. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians that Christ and Him crucified is to be preached and taught in the church; and the St. Lucia or Advent Ember Days drawn from the ministry of John the Baptist who prepared the way for the coming Lord through his preaching of repentance.

At the beginning of his December 1528 series of sermons on the catechism, Luther makes this comment: “It has hitherto been our custom to teach the elements and fundamentals of Christian knowledge and life four times each year.” This practice continued for many years in various parts of the Lutheran Church. So Martin Chemnitz gave these directives in his ‘Church Order for Braunschweig’ of 1569: “All pastors and preachers in the cities shall at every quatember take up the catechism and divide it up, that all of it may be set before the people and usefully explained throughout. And they shall also earnestly admonish the people that they, together with their children and domestic servants, be diligent in attending such useful and very necessary teaching and not be absent.” Hymns of repentance were also prescribed, along with praying the Litany.

As today is one of these Ember Days, our service this evening incorporates in the scripture readings, hymns, prayers, and sermon the fourfold theme of Pentecost, the harvest, repentance, and catechism instruction. May such inspire, equip and strengthen all of us to ‘Stand Firm In The Faith.’

Presiding Minister & Preacher:
  • Rev. Timothy Teuscher – President, Lutheran Church–Canada
Assisting Ministers:
  • Rev. Marvin Bublitz – Regional Pastor, East Region, Lutheran Church–Canada
  • Rev. Robert Mohns – Regional Pastor, West Region, Lutheran Church–Canada
  • Rev. David Haberstock – Regional Pastor, Central Region, Lutheran Church–Canada
  • Rev. Russell Howard – Pastor, King of Kings Lutheran Church, Spruce View AB, Circuit Counsellor, Wetaskiwin Circuit, West Region
  • Rev. Vincent Moore – Pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Fort Saskatchewan AB, Circuit Counsellor, Elk Island Circuit, West Region
  • Rev. Mark Hennig – Pastor, Concordia Lutheran Church, Edmonton AB, Circuit Counsellor, Edmonton Circuit, West Region
  • Rev. Keith Hoveland – Zion Lutheran Church, Golden Spike AB, Circuit Counsellor, Stony Plain Circuit, West Region
  • Rev. Alexandre Vieira – Professor, Concordia Lutheran Seminary, Edmonton AB
  • Rev. Scott Lyons – Pastor, Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Edmonton AB, LCC Convention Chaplain
Organist:
  • Jennifer Maxfield – Member of All Saints Lutheran Church, Edmonton AB
Trumpeter:
  • Rev. Scott Brayall – Pastor, Faith Lutheran Church, Grande Prairie AB
Crucifer:
  • Sasha Sam – Member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Edmonton AB
Virtual Choir Director:
  • Rev. Paulo Brum – Pastor, New Beginnings Lutheran Church, Regina SK
Virtual Choir Members:
  • Members of LCC Congregations
Virtual Choir Coordinator & Audio Editor:
  • Rev. Paulo Brum – New Beginnings Lutheran Church, Regina SK
Virtual Choir Video Editors:
  • Martin Jagnow, New Beginnings Lutheran Church, Regina SK
  • Rev. Lucas Albrecht – Pastor, Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Regina SK
Virtual Choir Assistant in Audio and Video Editors:
  • Dr. Eduardo Farias (Saint Catharines)
Altar Guild & Ushers:
  • Members of Concordia Lutheran Church, Edmonton AB