Sunday, July 20, 2008

Evening Devotions with the ECCE and Youth


Several weeks ago, the Concordia admissions staff was waiting outside after chapel to enlist the aid of the seminary community to conduct the assorted activities planned for the Exploring Church Careers Event. They were eager to provide the visiting youth with activities ranging from pick-up at the airport, devotions at the close of the day, sports activities during free times, scheduled visits to the zoo, the St. Louis Arch and a Cardinals baseball game.

Two friends, JJ and Matt, signed up with me to lead the evening devotions. We met a couple of times to discuss how we wanted the devotions to "hang together" and reviewed the planned content with Rev. Philp before getting started last night.

JJ started us off last night during the opening devotion at 6:30 by leading youth through Evening Prayer (found in the Lutheran Service Book (LSB) on page 297) reading Ephesians 2:1-10 and singing "By Grace I'm Saved" (LSB 566).

Then, at 10:30, I was given the opportunity to lead the group through prayer at the Close of Day (page 298 in the LSB). We had originally selected Colossians 3:12-17 and 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 for our texts, but I added Matthew 6:25-34. Prior to our closing prayers, we responded to the word by singing "Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive" (LSB 843).

Matt will lead the last devotional for the ECCE tonight. The principal text will be Ephesians 4, and Matt plans for us to join together in two hymns: "All Christians Who Have Been Baptized" and "God's Own Child".

Fortunately, many of the youth will stay on for the ECCE-Amplified, which continues until Friday. Because they will be participating in the evening chapels already offered at the seminary, we will gather together one more time for closing devotions on Wednesday. The texts for that night will be Matt. 9:35-38 and Romans 12:1-12. We will conclude by singing "Take My Life and Let it Be" (LSB 783).

It is a joy to see so many youth from so many different places engaged receiving the Word and responding in praise of our Lord and Savior!

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