Wednesday, December 5, 2001

Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran announces Advent services

By SALLIE SATTERTHWAITE
sallies@juno.com

Advent is a time of both eager anticipation and deep reflection, as Christians worldwide prepare to celebrate the coming of their Lord as an infant born in Judea.

Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church will mark the four-week period with special worship services on Thursday evenings, as well as by using alternative music in the liturgies during weekend worship.

David Beecher, minister of music for the Peachtree City congregation, said that the traditional Lutheran liturgies used at Saturday evening and Sunday worship will instead use hymns and responses from other sources.

"Martin Luther substituted chorales in the language of the people for Latin liturgies which had until then been sung only by the clergy and choir," Beecher commented. "During Advent, we will use hymns and responses in place of the liturgical music with which we have become accustomed."

In addition, one candle on the church's Advent wreath will be lighted each week.

Midweek Advent services will center around a dramatic presentation on Thursdays at 7 p.m. Rebecca McGuire and a number of the congregation's young people will present several scenes and a monologue each week.

The themes of these 30-40 minute presentations are: Dec. 6: No Peace at Church - The Story of Zechariah and Elizabeth; Dec. 13: No Peace at Home - The Story of Mary; Dec. 20: Know Peace.

"The approach is visual, the atmosphere, interactive," Beecher said. "I hope people will carve out short breaks from holiday stress and make a point to attend."

The community is invited to these informal services, he added. The church is at the intersection of Ga. Highway 54 and Peachtree Parkway. For further information, call 770-487-8717.

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