Music

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
- Colossians 3:16

Music is an integral part of our worship and life together at St. John’s. In our service, both congregation and pastor chant much of the order of the liturgy. The custom of singing God’s Word is not new, but has its beginnings in the worship of God’s people in the Old Testament. St. Paul, in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 instructs us to sing “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” Singing and God’s Word go together.

In addition to the regular music of worship, our services are often supplemented by our choir and handbells.

Our Sunday morning services are accompanied by our 15 rank Berghaus organ. Seated in the balcony, the organ is about 17 years old and the wood chest and principal stop polished facade pipes help beautify the sanctuary.  Sunday evening services are accompanied by a piano, with a more intimate setting. On occasion, other instruments are brought in to enrich our worship.

“I am not satisfied with him who despises music, as all fanatics do; for music is an endowment and a gift of God, not a gift of men. It also drives away the devil and makes people cheerful; one forgets all anger, unchasteness, pride, and other vices. I place music next to theology and give it the highest praise. And we see how David and all saints put their pious thoughts into verse, rhyme, and songs, because music reigns in times of peace.”

- Martin Luther, What Luther Says.