[Magdalen] End of an Era.

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/1/2015 9:52:23 A.M.

most  ELCA churches have also moved in that direction in the last 25
>  years.>>>>
 
But the "Antecommunion" format is still much beloved of my Norwegian
brothers and sisters.  The full Communion Liturgy is more likely to  be
found in ELCA parishes with German or Swedish heritage.  The  Swedes,
especially, have always had a reputation for being high church.
 
When I would visit my relatives in the Twin Ports (Duluth, MN/Superior  WI)
and attend the family Norwegian Synod (now ELCA) church, it always
struck me (please forgive the seeming irreverence!) as an hour  long
foreplay without orgasm.
 
For example, they would have a nice, sung Kyrie, followed by the sung  first
sentence of the Gloria and then it was over, truncated as it  were.  They 
only
once a month got into the real substance of the Eucharist.
 
I have little familiarity with LCMS (Missouri Synod) so I don't know  what
constitutes ordinary Sunday worship there.
 
I suspect that the two minor Lutheran Synods descending from the  Norwegian
Pietists (Evangelical Lutheran Synod = ELS and Church of the Lutheran
Brethren = CLB) hold to the once a month format as well.
 
The other minor extremely conservative Lutheran synod of German  origin,
(Church of the Lutheran Confession = CLC) sticks to the twice per  month
communion.
 
I need to get back to Eau Claire, an epicenter for all these groups, and  
get
myself off to church to find out what they are doing!
 
 
David Strang....Whose Norwegian ancestors appear never to have been
                        real Pietists.