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| First Lutheran Church | 600 Homer Ave. | Palo Alto, CA 94301 | 650.322.4669 | Map/Directions | ||||
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 Worship resources:
Publications:External link: |
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Worship at First LutheranWorship is central to our life at First Lutheran. Every Sunday we gather to acknowledge the One who guides our steps and makes everything else at FLC possible.
We have taken an active role in the development of Renewing Worship, part of an upcoming new worship book for the ELCA. Music is also essential to our worship. Our congregation sings strongly, whether on music they've known for years or new music they're seeing for the first time. Music pervades Lutheran worship and its role is to enhance the Word of God and provide additional depth of understanding thereof. We reject the current trend toward providing simplistic music that does not encourage deeper interaction with our faith. We're also very supportive of our excellent choir and organ music program; for more information, see our Music page. Worship times:
Special services:(at First Lutheran unless otherwise specified)
Above all, we take seriously the admonition to live deliberately; whenever we gather, whether for choir rehearsal, committee meetings, or pizza and beer, we acknowledge God and invite Jesus to being among us.
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Our services are strongly liturgical without being stuffy. No element of the liturgy is performed merely out of habit but rather with a keen awareness of their historical basis and their contemporary relevance. In the 1970s, First Lutheran and its then-pastor, John Arthur, were at the forefront in developing some of the liturgies and canticles which are included in the Lutheran Book of Worship, and today we continue to strive to find those liturgies which give a solid structure to worship and a solid underpinning to the Word and Sacrament while meaning the most to contemporary citizens of our American society. We have used a great variety of liturgies (usually varying by church season), including not only old and new Lutheran liturgies but also Episcopal liturgies, Taizé and Gregorian chant, music from the Orthodox church and more.