Rant, Part I

I despise with great despising the “Call to Worship” found in the “service folder” of many congregations with the name “Lutheran” somewhere in their constitutions. What in all blazes is a “Call to Worship?” How in tarnation did this innovation find a place in our worship and practice? What is it? Where does it come from? What is the purpose? Isn’t that what the bells ringing are supposed to do? Why do people who should know better include them in their “liturgies” they write for “special services”? And why “special services” anyway? So that people will be kept in the dark and not know how to worship God and have their head in handouts every Sunday or Wednesday night? So the pastor will look busy, inventing all kinds of new ways to exclude the eldery, the illiterate and children from participating? Since when are Matins and Vespers not good enough? Even Evening Prayer or Morning Prayer?