Loners cannot reach the goal. On the journey, we need the community of believers. What this all means? Here is a preview of the subjects that will be treated in our divine services in October.
Training in the community of believers for eternal fellowship with God is how Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider describes the preparation for salvation in Christ. This makes it all the more important to explore and ascertain what this sense of togetherness in faith should and can do today.
October 5th: giving thanks together
Divine service is not only fellowship with Jesus Christ in word and sacrament. “Beyond that, divine service is also the fellowship of the believers gathered in the worship and praise of God,” it says in the Catechism. The focus on the first Sunday in October is therefore on collective thanksgiving.
This praise in the divine service is expressed when we sing or pray together, and in our communal “Amen”. This strengthens faith and our fellowship. But gratitude should also have its place in daily life, for example, by taking the commandments seriously, striving to model our lives on His gospel, and by being kind and doing good to our neighbour.
October 12th: standing together
The second Sunday in October ties in with this. From the very beginning, the Christian church was characterised by its attention to the suffering and needs of others and its willingness to help. In this, it followed and continues to follow the example and exhortations of Jesus Christ. And those who put their faith into practice in this way give credible testimony to the truth of the gospel.
October 19th: experiencing fellowship
Fellowship with God is synonymous with refuge and light. The community and our fellowship can give us a foretaste of this: with the help of the Holy Spirit, it strives to ensure that everyone can feel the warmth of the love of Jesus Christ. And how exactly this works is explained on the third Sunday in October.
Midweek services: more togetherness
Some of the themes of the Sunday services are also reflected in the midweek services. For example, the service on October 8th and 9th will focus on how honesty strengthens the community. On the one hand, words and deeds must be consistent. On the other, truth should always be spoken in love to build up. This requires patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.
God’s grace is universal. This is the key message on October 15th and 16th. The example of Jonah shows that God sends believers to proclaim His salvation to humankind—and not to judge them. Let us take on this mission, even if it is challenging. Because we know that His grace is greater than we understand. This divine service takes us directly to the last Sunday in October.
October 26th: fellowship without borders
The fellowship of believers is not limited to this world. It includes not only the living, but also the dead. The fourth Sunday of the month explains what can be done by recounting a story from the Bible, thereby preparing believers for the service for the departed that will take place a week later.
The story: four friends uncover a roof to lower their sick friend into a house where Jesus was. This clearly shows that love for others seeks and finds ways to help them. The bottom line: We hope that God will show grace and mercy by accepting our intercessions.
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