When considering Who it is that comes before us in the Divine Liturgy, Whose place it is, Whose altar, Whose Word and Sacrament, something is called out of us also. Reverence is the respect and awe that fills our hearts with love, tunes our minds in attention and finds expression in the outward acts that comprise the conduct of the service. This session will reflect on how we do what we do in the Service of the Sacrament and why. We’ll pursue reverence, not as stuffy or robotic, but as the conduct befitting one standing on holy ground.

Bio:

The Rev. Dr. Geoffrey Boyle has served on the faculty of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne (CTSFW), since 2022. He teaches homiletics, catechetics, Hebrew, Pentateuch and prophets. He studied at the University of Michigan (B.A., 2005), CTSFW (M.Div., 2009) and the University of Toronto (Ph.D., 2019). His dissertation was titled “The Real Presence of Christ in Scripture: A Sacramental Approach to the Old Testament.” He served as senior pastor of Grace and Trinity Lutheran Churches, Wichita, Kan., from 2010–2022. He is currently writing the Concordia Commentary Series volume on Psalms 51–100 for Concordia Publishing House and teaches regularly for Seminario Concordia El Reformador—República Dominicana. He and his wife, Nicole, are blessed with five children: Ana, Claire, Gabriela, Micah and Brigit.

This session recording is from the 2024 LCMS Institute on Liturgy, Preaching and Church Music held July 9–12, 2024 in Seward, Neb. For more information on the Institute, please visit https://resources.lcms.org/worship-planning/2024-institute-on-liturgy-preaching-and-church-music-resources.

Morning Prayer Venite from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. Setting by Paul Soulek.

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s (LCMS) Worship ministry aims to nurture a culture of confessional faithfulness, artistic excellence and integrity in the presentation, distribution and reception of God’s life-giving gifts in Word and Sacraments. This ministry seeks to develop and deepen an understanding and love for the Lutheran heritage in Christian worship, and promotes the Lutheran Service Book as the core worship resource for the LCMS while also identifying and encouraging the many musical treasures and gifts that the Holy Spirit continues to pour upon the church. For more information: lcms.org/worship/institutes ; lcms.org/worship

Learn more about LCMS National Mission lcms.org/nationalmission

Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.