On Sunday, October 30, (Reformation Sunday) Sunday, October 23 (this date was changed just after River Crossings went to print due to elections in Colombia) our partners in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Colombia (IELCO), a companion synod of the Southeastern Minnesota Synod, will be having a festival celebrating their 75 years as a Lutheran church in Colombia. Congregations are encouraged to celebrate with them in worship on October 30 23. If October 30 23 does not work well, consider having an observance on another Sunday.

The Colombia Task Force offers you some ideas to incorporate into your worship service(s). Please pick and choose what works best for you. We encourage you to make use of people who know how to pronounce the Spanish to serve as worship assistants. High school or even middle school students are often a good resource! Thank you for joining in the celebration.

Liturgy:

The following portions of liturgy are published by Augsburg Fortress. The Spanish translations come from the Libro de Liturgia y Cántico. They are reprinted here by permission and congregations in the Southeastern Minnesota Synod have permission to reprint on a Sunday in October or November 2011. For future use, these and more Spanish language resources are available on SundaysandSeasons.com.

Invocation

P En el nombre del Padre, y del (+) Hijo, y del Espíritu Santo.
C Amén
–
P In the name of the Father, and of the (+) Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen

Pastoral Greeting

P La gracia de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, el amor de Dios, y la communión del Espíritu Santo sean con ustedes.
C Y también contigo.
–
P The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C and also with you.

Sharing of the Peace

P La paz del Señor sea siempre con ustedes.
C Y también contigo.
–
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C And also with you.

When exchanging the peace with others in the congregation…

La paz de Dios.
–
God’s peace (be with you).

Blessing

P Dios todopoderoso, Padre, (+) Hijo y Espíritu Santo, les bendiga ahora y siempre.
C Amén
–
P Almighty God, Father, (+) Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.
C Amen

Or…

P El Señor te bendiga y te guarde.
El Señor haga resplandecer su rostro sobre ti
y tenga de ti misericordia.
El Señor vuelva hacia ti su rostro y (+) te conceda su paz.
C Amén
–
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord’s face shine on you with grace and mercy.
The Lord look upon you with favor and (+) give you peace.
C Amen

Lord’s Prayer:

Padre nuestro que estás en los cielos,
Santificado sea tu nombre;
Venga a nos tu reino;
Hágase tu voluntad, así en la tierra como en el cielo;
El pan nuestro de cada día, dánoslo hoy;
Y perdónanos nuestras deudas
Así como nosotros perdonamos a nuestros deudores;
Y no nos dejes caer en la tentación;
Mas líbranos del mal.
Porque tuyo es el reino, el poder y la gloria
Por los siglos de los siglos. Amén

Songs

The following is a list of some of the songs in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship and With One Voice hymnals that include Spanish translations. Numbers are ELW numbers unless otherwise indicated. For some songs you may consider singing a verse or two in Spanish and others in English. Use guitar, piano and/or rhythm instruments.

* = easiest ** = more difficult *** = most challenging

375*** Aleluya! Cristo resucitó (Suggestion: Spanish-singing soloist on verses, congregation on refrain)

473** Santo, santo, santo

523*** Vamos todos al banquete (Suggestion: Spanish-singing soloist/group on verses, congregation on refrain)

538** Enviado soy de Dios

555/WOV 726*** Cantemos al Señor (Suggestion: Spanish-singing soloist/group on verses, congregation on refrain)

583*** Toma, oh Dios, mi vountad (Fun rhythm, nice duet harmony on verses)

639** Pues si vivimos

646** La Paz del Señor

817/WOV 784*** Tú has venido a la orilla

822/WOV 795* Cantad al Señor (Fairly easy because it repeats lines)

849* Tuya es la Gloria

WOV 791* Alabaré (This version uses English for the verses so it’s more easily done.)

The next two songs are a little easier and can be a good way to include children. Sing the refrain of “Jesus Loves Me” (Cristo me ama) in Spanish. (Lyrics and tune in the public domain.)

1. Jesus loves me! this I know,
for the Bible tells me so;
little ones to him belong,
they are weak, but he is strong.

Refrain
Cristo me ama,
Cristo me ama,
Cristo me ama;
la Biblia dice así.

2. Jesus loves me! He who died
heaven’s gates to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
let his little child come in. Refrain

3. Jesus loves me! He will stay
close beside me all the way;
when at last I come to die,
he will take me home on high. Refrain

Do you remember the two-part “stand up, sit down” song, “Allelu, allelu, allelu, alleluia, praise ye the Lord”?

One group stands and sings, “Allelu, allelu, allelu, alleluia.” Then the second group stands and sings, “Praise ye the Lord.”

First group: “Allelu, allelu, allelu, alleluia”
Second group: “Praise ye the Lord”
Second group “Praise ye the Lord”
First group “Alleluia”
Second group “Praise ye the Lord”
First group “Alleluia”
Second group “Praise ye the Lord”
First group “Alleluia”
ALL: “Praise ye the Lord”

To sing it in Spanish, the Allelus and alleluias are the same, just sing “Gloria a Dios” (run the last “a” in Gloria in with the “a” before Dios) for “Praise ye the Lord.” Search YouTube for “Praise Ye the Lord” for other ideas of how to arrange the song.

Prayers

Rev. Byron Meline has written the following sample petition to be used during the Prayers of Intercession:

Almighty God, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to reconcile the world to himself. We praise you for the work of your Holy Spirit in the Lutheran Church in Colombia over these past 75 years and we rejoice with our brothers and sisters as (today) they gather to celebrate this joyous occasion. Strengthen the Lutheran church in Colombia as they continue to let the light of Christ shine in the midst of poverty, violence, injustice and natural disasters. Guide Bishop Eduardo Martínez and all leaders and members in the church and thank you for the ongoing partnership that we in the Southeastern Minnesota Synod are privileged to have with the church in Colombia.

Lord in your mercy…