The idea for creating a hymn festival on the Lord's Prayer with the Heidelberg Catechism came from a Lutheran hymn festival held during a conference of the Hymn Society of the US and Canada. This newly constructed service was led by the Calvin Theological Seminary's choir at four congregations, two in Michigan and two in California.
The chorale melody for the Lord's Prayer was published on of the earliest Reformation hymnals (1539) to a setting of the Lord's Prayer by Martin Luther. The tune, appropriately named VATER UNSER, has been associated with the Lord's Prayer ever since. The text by Marie Post, "Our Father Clothed in Majesty" is based on the exposition of the Lord's Prayer in the Heidelberg Catechism (Q and A 120-129). For variety, the congregation sang a few stanzas and the choir the rest; the choir sang some stanzas in unison and others using the Bach harmonization. The text of each stanza could be projected or inserted in a bulletin, so congregants do not have to look up the number each time.
Call to Worship:
"Built on the Rock" Grundtvig
[stanzas 1-2, choir, stanza 3, all]
Greetings
Our Father in Heaven
Hymn:
"Our Father, Clothed with Majesty," Post
[stanza 1]
Why did Christ command us to call God "our Father"?
At the very beginning of our prayer
Christ wants to kindle in us
what is basic to our prayer—
the childlike awe and trust
that God through Christ has become
our Father.
Our fathers do not refuse us,
the things of this life;
God our Father will even less refuse to give us
what we ask in faith.
(Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 120)
Why the words "in heaven"?
These words teach us
not to think of God's heavenly majesty
as something earthly,
and to expect everything
for body and soul
from his almighty power.
(Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 121)
Hymn:
"Children of the Heavenly Father" Sandell Berg
Hallowed be Your Name
Choir:
"Our Father, Clothed with Majesty," Post
[stanza 2]
Leader: What does the first request mean?
Hallowed be your name means,
Help us to really know you,
to bless, worship, and praise you
for all your works
and for all that shines forth from them:
your almighty power, wisdom, kindness,
justice, mercy, and truth.
And it means,
Help us to direct all our living—
what we think, say, and do—
so that your name will never be blasphemed because of us
but always honored and praised.
(Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 122)
Hymn:
"Holy God, We Praise Your Name [St. 1-2, choir; St. 3, choir; with all joining on the words, "And from morn to set of sun . . .."; St. 4, all]
(PH 460, PsH 504, RL 619, TH 103)
YOUR KINGDOM COME
Choir:
"Our Father, Clothed with Majesty,"
[stanza 3]
Leader: What does the second request mean?
Your kingdom come means,
Rule us by your Word and Spirit in such a way
that more and more we submit to you.
Keep your church strong, and add to it.
Destroy the devil's work;
destroy every force which revolts against you
and every conspiracy against your Word.
Do this until your kingdom is so complete and perfect
that in it you are
all in all.
(Heidelberg Catechism, Q & A 123)
Hymn:
"Lead On, O King Eternal"
(PH 447-448, PsH 555, RL 423, TH 580)
YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN
Choir:
"Our Father, Clothed with Majesty," Post
[stanza 4]
Leader: What does the third request mean?
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven means,
Help us and all people
to reject our own wills
and to obey your will without any back talk.
Your will alone is good.
Help us one and all to carry out the work we are called to,
as willingly and faithfully as the angels in heaven.
(Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 124)
Hymn:
"Breathe on Me, Breath of God" Hatch
Scripture
Sermon
GIVE US TODAY OUR DAILY BREAD
Hymn:
"Our Father, Clothed with Majesty," Post
[stanza 5]
Leader: What does the fourth request mean?
Give us today our daily bread means, Do take care of all our physical needs
so that we come to know
that you are the only source of everything good,
and that neither our work and worry
nor your gifts
can do us any good without your blessing.
And so help us to give up our trust in creatures
and to put trust in you alone.
(Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 125)
Solo:
"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread" Otte
Offering
Offertory:
Variation on vater unser (Our Father)
FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS
Choir:
"Our Father, Clothed With Majesty," Post
[stanza 6]
Leader: What does the fifth request mean?
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors means,
Because of Christ's blood,
do not hold against us, poor sinners that we are,
any of the sins we do
or the evil that constantly clings to us.
Forgive us just as we are fully determined,
as evidence of your grace in us,
to forgive our neighbors.
(Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 126)
Hymn: "Forgive Our Sins, As We Forgive"
(PH 347, PsH 266, TH 494)
AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE
Choir: "Our Father, Clothed with Majesty," [stanza 7]
Leader: what does the sixth request mean?
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one means,
By ourselves we are too weak
to hold our own even for a moment.
And our sworn enemies—
the devil, the world, and our own flesh—
never stop attacking us.
And so, Lord,
uphold us and make us strong
with the strength of your Holy Spirit,
so that we may not go down to defeat
in this spiritual struggle,
but may firmly resist our enemies
until we finally win the complete victory.
(Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 127)
Hymn: "Lead Me, Guide Me"
(PsH 544)
FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY FOREVER
Hymn: "Our Father, Clothed with Majesty," [stanza 8]
Leader: what does your conclusion to this prayer mean?
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever means,
We have made all these requests of you
because, as our all-powerful king,
you not only want to,
but are able to give us all that is good;
and because your holy name,
and not we ourselves,
should receive all the praise, forever.
(Heidelberg Catechism Q & A 128)
Doxology: "To God Be the Glory"
(PsH 632)
Benediction
Postlude: Variation on vater unser (Our Father).
