Reformation Sunday

[DaRev]

RED is used for a couple of different reasons. It is a representation of the Holy Spirit who was manifested as a vision of tongues of fire at Pentecost. It is also used to represent the blood of the Martyrs. Red is used for such celebrations that involve the work of the Holy Spirit (ordination, installations, Pentecost, Reformation) and also for commemorations of the martyred saints.

WHITE is used as a representation of purity and holiness. We use it at Easter, Christmas, All Saint's, Trinity Sunday, Christ the King Sunday, Thanksgiving, Ascension, and it can also be used on Maundy Thursday.

We use BLUE for the four Sundays in Advent because blue represents preparation and anticipation.

PURPLE is used during Lent because it represents pennance. It fits with the somber tone of the Lenten season.

GREEN represents life and vitality. We use green during the ordinary times of Epiphany and the season of the Church (Sundays after Pentecost).

We use BLACK on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

 

[Studeclunker]

Interesting.

In our liturgical color "scheme", WHITE is the color of glory, innocence, purity: First Sunday in Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Easter, Ascension Day, Michaelmas and Midsummer (Saint John's), sometimes also All Saints, especially toward the evening.

RED is the color of the Holy Spirit, fire, blood and witness: Pentecost, All Saints Day, apostols and martyrs (Stefanus, Henrik).

PURPLE (or BLUE) is the color of expectation, preparation, and penitence: the liturgical color on the First Sunday in Advent is white, thereafter purple (or blue), Lent, Holy Week, Maundy Thursday.

GREEN is the color of growth and vigor: between Pentecost and Advent, the general color is green, hence also Reformation Sunday.

BLACK is the color of grief for death: Good Friday, Holy Saturday.


Just curious, are there notable differences here?

RED is used for a couple of different reasons. It is a representation of the Holy Spirit who was manifested as a vision of tongues of fire at Pentecost. It is also used to represent the blood of the Martyrs. Red is used for such celebrations that involve the work of the Holy Spirit (ordination, installations, Pentecost, Reformation) and also for commemorations of the martyred saints.

WHITE is used as a representation of purity and holiness. We use it at Easter, Christmas, All Saint's, Trinity Sunday, Christ the King Sunday, Thanksgiving, Ascension, and it can also be used on Maundy Thursday.

We use BLUE for the four Sundays in Advent because blue represents preparation and anticipation.

PURPLE is used during Lent because it represents pennance. It fits with the somber tone of the Lenten season.

GREEN represents life and vitality. We use green during the ordinary times of Epiphany and the season of the Church (Sundays after Pentecost).

We use BLACK on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

The notable difference here is that between denominations. Though we are both Lutheran we are not both Missouri Synod Lutheran. Are not the altar dressings adiaphora (sp?)? Therefore, it isn't at all surprising that the church in Finland and the LCMS would have different traditions in this same area. Also, being that the Finnish church celebrates Reformation Sunday so early, it's no surprise that the altar dressings would be green (yes... good 'ol green till you can't stand it any longer...). It seems to me, as a somewhat informed layman, that Reformation Sunday in the U.S. kind of piggybacks on All Saints Sunday, therefore the altar dressing. Also, keep in mind what occured on that day. Luther posted what he was forcibly led by the Holy Spirit to do. Thus the gauntlet was thrown and he, like David, squared off with the giant.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

I am so lucky, I get to go to FOUR reformation services. Two tomorrow (our normal one and an area-wide service) and then two next week at my former church. I LOVE reformation services.

 

[Studeclunker]

Due to extenuating circumstances, I won't be able to attend services tomorrow. I could drive the one-ton into town, but the cost of fuel would wipe out my week's budget. Since they'll be doing nothing at all special, it's not much of a loss. Sigh, I really don't like attending at a liberal church.

 

[Kalevalatar]

The way I've had it explained to me is that Red is used for Reformation Sunday because of the Holy Spirit's leading the Church out of the darkness that it had fallen into with the corruption of the RCC.

I can *see* the reasoning there. Somewhat erranously, obviously, I have always associated Red with "suffering", our Lord Jesus Christ's, the martyrs', so I kind of thought that Luther didn't really "suffer" like that to "warrant" liturgical color Red. Laywoman's reasoning...

We also use Red for Ordination services.

Kae

I actually had to check pictures. The liturgical color of our Ordination services follow the liturgical color of the Church Year.

What about your Confirmation services? Holy Spirit's Red?

RED is used for a couple of different reasons. It is a representation of the Holy Spirit who was manifested as a vision of tongues of fire at Pentecost. It is also used to represent the blood of the Martyrs. Red is used for such celebrations that involve the work of the Holy Spirit (ordination, installations, Pentecost, Reformation) and also for commemorations of the martyred saints.

WHITE is used as a representation of purity and holiness. We use it at Easter, Christmas, All Saint's, Trinity Sunday, Christ the King Sunday, Thanksgiving, Ascension, and it can also be used on Maundy Thursday.

We use BLUE for the four Sundays in Advent because blue represents preparation and anticipation.

PURPLE is used during Lent because it represents pennance. It fits with the somber tone of the Lenten season.

GREEN represents life and vitality. We use green during the ordinary times of Epiphany and the season of the Church (Sundays after Pentecost).

We use BLACK on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Thanks. I admit I'm a geek. I find these differences interesting because these posts make me stop and really think about things like these liturgical colors that I took for granted.

The notable difference here is that between denominations. Though we are both Lutheran we are not both Missouri Synod Lutheran. Are not the altar dressings adiaphora (sp?)? Therefore, it isn't at all surprising that the church in Finland and the LCMS would have different traditions in this same area. Also, being that the Finnish church celebrates Reformation Sunday so early, it's no surprise that the altar dressings would be green (yes... good 'ol green till you can't stand it any longer...). It seems to me, as a somewhat informed layman, that Reformation Sunday in the U.S. kind of piggybacks on All Saints Sunday, therefore the altar dressing. Also, keep in mind what occured on that day. Luther posted what he was forcibly led by the Holy Spirit to do. Thus the gauntlet was thrown and he, like David, squared off with the giant.

Makes me wonder if our Reformation Sunday was actually moved earlier to "make room" for All Saints.


Blessed Reformation Sunday to you all!

 

[Studeclunker]

Blessed Reformation Sunday to you all!

And also to you.

 

[Zoness]

I went to an ELCA reformation sunday service today!

 

[WildStrawberry]

<snipped>What about your Confirmation services? Holy Spirit's Red?

Yep. But then, our Confirmands are Confirmed on Pentecost so...*G*

It used to not be so in my congregation though. I was confirmed on Palm Sunday (without communion!!!) and took my First Communion on Maundy Thursday.

Then for a time, the kids were being confirmed on Pentecost but communed on Maunday Thursday. Oy. Our current Pastor moved everything to Pentecost.

Kae

 

[Edial]

I went to an ELCA reformation sunday service today!

How was it?

 

[DaRev]

I can *see* the reasoning there. Somewhat erranously, obviously, I have always associated Red with "suffering", our Lord Jesus Christ's, the martyrs', so I kind of thought that Luther didn't really "suffer" like that to "warrant" liturgical color Red.

That's one of the representations we give red. We also associate it with the Holy Spirit, thus it's use on the Day of Pentecost.

What about your Confirmation services? Holy Spirit's Red?

Yes. Here, we normally have Confirmation on the last Sunday in May. Even though Confirmation is not the bestowing of the Holy Spirit as the RCC teaches, we associate it with the work of the Holy Spirit in those youth who are making their public confession of faith within the Confirmation Rite.

Makes me wonder if our Reformation Sunday was actually moved earlier to "make room" for All Saints.

I wonder if 10/31/1517 occured during the week of Pentecost 22, which could be why your church celebrates Reformation Day on Pentecost 22 instead of the Sunday closest to 10/31. That would also put a little more time and emphasis on All Saint's Day except on those occasions when 10/31 is also the 22nd Sunday after Pentecost as it was in 2004.

 

[HappyChicken]

I went to an ELCA reformation sunday service today!

I went to one too and really enjoyed it. I'm thinking we have found our church home (finally).

 

[Zoness]

I went to one too and really enjoyed it. I'm thinking we have found our church home (finally).

Great! In total I have been to two different ELCA churches I don't know where I will keep going yet.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

I was a wee bit disappointed in the two services that I went to today, at least musically.

Couldn't ask for much at our own Reformation service as our organist had to be out at her school because the kids were singing for that church's reformation service. So she had to "record" everything beforehand.

The area reformation service was okay - played in the orchestra with mildly interesting parts. Hard to have a decent orchestra when there are a ton of brass and only a couple of woodwinds, but it worked out okay. Some parts of the music were a little more "contemporary" than I like.

However, the message in both services was amazing and biblical and spot on. And that's the most important thing.

 

[HappyChicken]

I was a wee bit disappointed in the two services that I went to today, at least musically.

Couldn't ask for much at our own Reformation service as our organist had to be out at her school because the kids were singing for that church's reformation service. So she had to "record" everything beforehand.

The area reformation service was okay - played in the orchestra with mildly interesting parts. Hard to have a decent orchestra when there are a ton of brass and only a couple of woodwinds, but it worked out okay. Some parts of the music were a little more "contemporary" than I like.

The bell choir played in our service, and it was neat. It's been years since I heard a bell choir.

 

[QuiltAngel]

Since we are doing a Reformation Service on Friday, we did not focus on Reformation Sunday morning. I have to wait until Friday.

 

[seajoy]

We had our Mission sunday yesterday. We had a retired Pastor talk about his 30yrs in Africa. It was awesome.

Our Reformation Service will be this coming sunday. I always look forward to that. It's one of my favorite Services.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

The bell choir played in our service, and it was neat. It's been years since I heard a bell choir.

We've had bell choirs before. I think the pastor that was hosting the joint service bit off more than he could chew. I got two of my pieces of music five minutes before the service started.

 

[HappyChicken]

We had our Mission sunday yesterday. We had a retired Pastor talk about his 30yrs in Africa. It was awesome.

Our Reformation Service will be this coming sunday. I always look forward to that. It's one of my favorite Services.

This coming Sunday is All Saints at the church we are now attending.

 

[Studeclunker]

We had our Mission sunday yesterday. We had a retired Pastor talk about his 30yrs in Africa. It was awesome.

Our Reformation Service will be this coming sunday. I always look forward to that. It's one of my favorite Services.

Toward he beginning of The Gods Must Be Crazy the Mission's new schoolteacher is welcomed by the singing of the local Africans. It's really one of the most beautiful scenes in the entire movie.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

Toward he beginning of The Gods Must Be Crazy the Mission's new schoolteacher is welcomed by the singing of the local Africans. It's really one of the most beautiful scenes in the entire movie.

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I LOVED that movie!!

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