Church Ceremonies and Chanting
It’s often said that actions speak louder than words. God is holy. Therefore, we come into his presence with reverence and humility. The purpose of liturgical ceremonies is to give form and order to our reverence and remind us of Whose presence we are in. Or, as our Lutheran Confessions put it, “The purpose of all ceremonies is to teach the people what they need to know about Christ.”
One thing many people notice is that most of the services here at Beautiful Savior are chanted. Chanting is an elevated form of speech, which honors the words and makes them more distinct and easier to hear. In its purest forms, the music of chanting follows the natural flow and rhythm of the text, rather than imposing itself upon the words. Its purpose is simply to carry the words, not embellish them. This is part of what distinguishes chanting from singing. Chanting does, however, help to set Divine Words apart from the routine chatter of everyday speaking.