God’s Word tells us both to address one another in hymns, singing and making melody to the Lord with our hearts (Ephesians 5:19), and to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly singing hymns, with thankfulness in our hearts to God (Colossians 3:16). Truly, hymns based on God’s Word are sung confessions of the faith! Pilgrim is at least somewhat familiar with the vast majority hymns in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod’s current hymnal, Lutheran Service Book (by one estimate, 85% of 635 hymns in the pew edition), but there are more hymns that the congregation will be blessed to learn and use!

From Sunday, November 29, and through the whole Winter Quarter of Pilgrim’s 2020-2021 Sunday School Year, to Sunday, February 21, the Sunday Adult Bible Class focused on what has been titled “Biblical Foundations of Hymns New to Pilgrim”. We considered the origins of hymns that we would be learning in the new Church Year that are new to the congregation, giving special attention to the hymns’ Biblical foundations and how those foundations are reflected in the hymns. (Within that same time frame, two sessions of our Sunday Adult Bible Class continued our “occasional” study “Lutheran Doctrine and Practice Today: A Study Based on Scripture and the Augsburg Confession”.)

All were welcome to join us Sunday mornings at 9:15 a.m. for Refreshments and then at 9:30 a.m. for the Class, either in-person or via the telephone or Skype. As possible, handouts and audio were posted below before and afterwards, respectively, in order for those unable to attend to participate live or to stream or download and so to listen at their convenience. Those participating online only by streaming or downloading were welcome to submit questions using the contact information at right, and we attempted to address those questions during the run of the course. (The Handouts posted below include the Sunday School Opening/Closing order.)

Week 13 – Feb 21, 2021 – “How Wide the Love of Christ” (LSB 535)
Audio       Handout       Video
Due to technical difficulties, the audio-only recording ends before the session ended.

Week 12 – Feb 14, 2021 – “Christ is risen, Christ is living” (LSB 479)
Audio       Handout       Video

Week 11 – Feb 07, 2021 – “These Things Did Thomas Count as Real” (LSB 472)
Audio       Handout       Video

Week 10 – Jan 31, 2021 – “Thee We Adore, O Hidden Savior” (LSB 640)
Audio       Handout       Video

Week 9 – Jan 24, 2021 – “Lord, Support Us All Day Long” (LSB 884)
No class held.        Handout

Week 8 – Jan 17, 2021 – No class held.

Week 7 – Jan 10, 2021 – “Who Trusts in God a Strong Abode” (LSB 714)
Audio        Handout

Week 6 – Jan 03, 2021 – Lutheran Doctrine and Practice Today (8): Ministry (off the regular topic)
Audio        Handout

Week 5 – Dec 27, 2020 – “Beautiful Savior” (LSB 537)
Audio       Handout

Week 4 – Dec 20, 2020 – “Voices Raised to You We Offer” (LSB 795)
Audio       Handout

Week 3 – Dec 13, 2020 – “O Blessed Spring” (LSB 595)
Audio       Handout

Week 2 – Dec 06, 2020 – “O Gladsome Light, O Grace” (LSB 888)
Audio       Handout

Week 1 – Nov 29, 2020 – Lutheran Doctrine and Practice Today (7): Ministry (off the regular topic)
Audio       Handout

You can find Pilgrim’s other Bible Studies here and read more about Pilgrim’s classes and groups here.