by Pastor Justin Eller
Liturgy is from a Greek word that means, “the work of the people or public service.” Liturgy is our response to what God has done for us. Each time we come together for worship, we are gathered by the Holy Spirit. At First Lutheran Church, we begin each worship by pouring water into the baptismal font. In this way, we are giving thanks to God for our baptism and the grace extended to us in this gift. By starting with a thanksgiving for baptism, we are grounding who we are as disciples of Jesus and everything we do in worship with the understanding that we are raised to new life in Christ through the saving waters of baptism. After the water is poured, we begin in the name of the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You may see people tracing the cross over themselves. One way to meditate on this movement is: (head to heart) “God came down from heaven…” (left shoulder to right shoulder) “Died on the cross…” (right shoulder to heart) “and lives in my heart.”
