Study Group Readings:

Worship (2017):

Please read or listen to the daily readings before your Study Group meets. You can download them below or pick up printed copies at the church.

The Sunday church service at the beginning of each week will be on the same topic as the Study group. After Sunday you should be able to find a recording of the service under “Audio Sermons”.

If you need to find a Study Group to join, contact the Pastor’s office.

• Week 1: Piety and Charity or External Worship and the Worship of Life
     —Most study groups meet Jan. 8–14
  Read or listen:

  Day 1:	What is a religious life? Piety
  Day 2:	How hard it is to go to heaven?
  Day 3:	What is the difference between a good man’s good deeds and a bad man’s good deeds?
  Day 4:	How do we go to heaven?
  Day 5:	How are worship rituals “signs” of charity?
  Day 6:	What are the uses of external worship?

  Print a Readings booklet: Week 1  
• Week 2: Sunday Worship; What Spiritual States Do Our Rituals Represent?
     —Most study groups meet Jan. 15–21
  Read or listen:

  Introduction:	Worship must be from the Word.
  Day 1:	Why do we keep the Sabbath? Worship consists in humbling ourselves, receiving instruction, and consequently glorifying the Lord.
  Day 2:	Why do we have a temple or church building?
  Day 3:	Why do we begin by opening the Word and reading a sentence from it?
  Day 4:	Why do we have seven candles around the Word? Why do we kneel to pray? Why do we pray?
  Day 5:	Why do we sing hymns?
  Day 6:	Why do we stand and sit? Why do we make an offering? Why do we have a sermon? Why does the priest wear a robe?

  Print a Readings booklet: Week 2  
• Week 3: Baptism and Confession of Faith
     —Most study groups meet Jan. 22–28
  Read or listen:

  Day 1:	The Sacrament of Baptism
  Day 2:	The First Use of Baptism
  Day 3:	The Second Use of Baptism
  Day 4:	The Third Use of Baptism
  Day 5:	The Use of Baptism as Entrance into the New Church
  Day 6:	Confession of Faith or Confirmation of Baptism

  Print a Readings booklet: Week 3  
• Week 4: Holy Supper
     —Most study groups meet Jan. 29–Feb. 4
  Read or listen

  Day 1:	What is the purpose of holy supper? Why is it holy?
  Day 2:	How can we approach the holy supper worthily?
  Day 3:	Why did the Lord command that we use unleavened bread but fermented wine?
  Day 4:	Why do we break the bread instead of cutting it up? How has Providence protected the Holy Supper from profanation?
  Day 5:	Why does the Lord call the bread and wine His flesh and blood?
  Day 6:	Why is the holy supper called “communion”? Why do we kneel for holy supper, if we are able?

  Print a Readings booklet: Week 4  
• Week 5: Betrothal
     —Most study groups meet Feb. 5–11
  Read or listen

  Introduction:	Betrothal
  Day 1:	The Ancient Rite of Betrothal
  Day 2:	The Uses of Betrothal
  Day 3:	Consent and Betrothal
  Day 4:	Chastity and Betrothal
  Day 5:	The Correspondence of Betrothal
  Day 6:	Betrothals in Heaven and on Other Planets

  Print a Readings booklet: Week 5  
• Week 6: Weddings, Home Dedication, and Ordination
     —Most study groups meet Feb. 12–18
  Read or listen:

  Day 1:	Weddings on Earth
  Day 2:	The Nature of the Marriage Covenant
  Day 3:	Weddings in Heaven
  Day 4:	Blessing on a Marriage
  Day 5:	Home Dedication
  Day 6:	Inauguration and Ordination

  Print a Readings booklet: Week 6  
• Week 7: Resurrection
     —Most study groups meet Feb. 19–25
  Read or listen:

  Day 1:	What are our customs around the disposition of the body?
  Day 2:	Grief and Comfort
  Day 3:	The Purpose of Creation
  Day 4:	Divine Providence in the Time of Death
  Day 5:	Suicide
  Day 6:	Eternal Happiness

  Print a Readings booklet: Week 7