Sexagesima

Awake, why sleepest Thou. O Lord! Arise, cast us not off forever.
Wherefore hidest Thou Thy face: and forgettest our affliction?
Our soul is bowed down to the dust: arise for our help and redeem us.
Ps. We have heard with our ears, O God: our fathers have told us what work Thou didst in their days.
Glory be to the Father, etc.

Septuagesima Sunday

I am trying to locate the copyright holder of a collection of the Proper of the Service according to the Common Service Book and the Evangelical Lutheran hymn Book. This volume contains the Introits, Graduals/Tracts, and proper Offertories, set to Gegorian notation. I would like to expand this to include the proper Post-Communion collects also. Beginning with this post, I will post the suggested proper Offertories.

For Septuagesima, set to Tone IV:

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord: and to song praises unto Thy Name, O Most High.
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If any of you who follow these posts know how to track down copyright owners, please let me know. However, this not the only reason for you to reply to to me.

The Birth of Our Lord

From the Martyrology:

In the year from the creation of the world, when in the beginning God created heaven and earth, five thousand one hundred and ninety-nine; from the flood two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seven; from the birth of Abraham, two thousand and fifteen; from Moses and the coming of the Israelites out of Egypt, one thousand five hundred and ten; from the anointing of King David, one thousand and thirty-two; in the sixty-fifth week, according to the prophecy of Daniel; in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad; in the year seven hundred and fifty-two from the founding of the city of Rome; in the forty-second year of the empire of Octavian Augustus, when the whole world was at peace, in the sixth age of the world, Jesus Christ, eternal God, and Son of the eternal Father, desirous to sanctify the world by His most merciful coming, having been conceived of the Holy Ghost, and nine months having elapsed since His conception, is born in Bethlehem of Juda, having become Man of the Virgin Mary.

THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO THE FLESH.

Christmas and the Freedom from Religion Foundation

It seems strange to me that groups such as the Freedom From Religion Foundation go all out to remove all traces of something that they insist does not exist in the first place.

Andrew Seidel, the group’s constitutional consultant, states that “It’s a group endorsing religion over a public right of way” in Pitman, NJ. The sign says "Keep Christ in Christmas."

The stated reason for wanting the sign removed from over a county road is the concept of the separation of church and state. According to my reading of the Constitution, there is no defined division between the church and the state. There is only the declaration that the government "shall pass no law effecting the establishment of religion (no official state church).

Based upon the following quote, action taken against organized religion seems to be unnecessary and a waste of effort:

“At this season of the Winter Solstice, may reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world. Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds,” said Seidel.

The Festival of All Saints

From the Roman Martyrology:

The Festival of All Saints, which Pope Boniface IV, after the dedication of the Pantheon, ordained to be kept generally and solemnly every year, in the city of Rome, in honor of the blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and of the holy martyrs. It was afterwards decreed by Pope Gregory IV that this feast, which was then celebrated in many dioceses, but at different times, should be on this day kept by the whole Church in honor of all saints.

It could only happen in California!

Host Bible Study Fined: Oh, California. Apparently group Bible studies are so dangerous they cannot take place without a permit.

A southern California couple has been fined $300 dollars for holding Christian Bible study sessions in their home, and could face another $500 for each additional gathering. City officials in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. say Chuck and Stephanie Fromm are in violation of municipal code 9-3.301, which prohibits “religious, fraternal or non-profit” organizations in residential neighborhoods without a permit.

You can read the full story on Glenn Beck's site The Blaze!

The Exaltation of the holy Cross - September 14

History states that Chosroes, king of Persia, carried away the relic of the True Cross to Persia; but Heraclius, ascending the throne of Judea, defeated Chosroes and himself carried the holy Cross to the Basilica on Calvary. A.D. 629. (From a 1957 edition of the Roman Missal.)

The Introit: Gal. 6:14 & Ps. 66:2.

The Collect: O God, who didst will that Thy Son should suffer for us upon the Tree of the Cross, that Thou mighest drive far from us the power of the enemy, grant unto us, Thy servants, that as we have known on earth the mysteries of our redemption, so may be accounted worthy to receive the fruits thereof in heaven; through the same Jesus Christ, etc. Amen.

The Epistle: Phil. 2:5-11.
The Gradual: Phil. 2:8,9.
The Gospel: John 12:31-36.

Office Hymn: TLH 168, SBH 75.