Over the last several months we have looked at the why and theology of the Divine Service, in particular Divine

service setting 3. However, there are other services, some are used for the midweek services where there is no

communion, we typically use the service of evening prayer, on which I’ll do a series down the road, these are

called daily offices. These services, while typically are done at churches, seminaries, and colleges, are also good

for personal and or private devotions. You do not have to be a Pastor to lead one of these services at home, they

can be chanted or spoken, if you would like to chant them and need help, let me know and I can show you how

it is to sound. But, for the next couple of months I figured we would look at my favorite daily office, the service

of Compline found in the LSB on page 253.

Compline is service done in the evening, ideally close to when you go to bed, and the themes in the service fit

with bedtime thoughts and prayers. If used as a church service, the people are to enter in silence, this is done so

each individual can have a few moments of silent thought and prayer to the Lord or simply to show reverence to

the Lord. Note also that you will see throughout the service the letters L and C. The L means liturgist who is the

one leading the service, and the C is the congregation.

The service starts out with a few responsories. This is a back-and-forth confession of the Lord’s presence, here

in this devotion or service, in which we give the evening and our sleeping hours over to the Lord, so that we

may have a restful and peaceful night. We also give thanks in these responsories to the Lord for the day we just

had, as well as looking forward to the day the Lord gives us next.

We then continue with confession and absolution, note that this confession and absolution is different from the

one we receive in the Divine service. First, a Pastor is not required for this daily office, unlike the Divine

service where the Pastor is in the stead of Christ giving the forgiveness of sins from the Father. Here we have

the liturgist who is forgiving their brothers and sisters in the faith as a baptized child of God in the order of

James 5:16. Notice how the sign of the cross is not on the page here (pg. 254) as it is in the Divine Service (see

pg. 185), again the liturgist doesn’t have to be ordained to lead this service. Observe also the wording of the

absolution it does not have the letter “I” but the word “The” to indicate even calling of liturgist and congregant.

But something beautiful happens in this daily office, the liturgist first confesses and receives the forgiveness of

sins from his brothers and sisters in the faith; it is a humbling moment and a reminder that the Pastor is just as

much in need of the Father’s forgiveness as the congregation.

The service continues with a psalm and a hymn, I recommend a psalm and a hymn that has an evening theme

(hymns 877-891). My favorite is 880 Now Rest beneath Night’s Shadow.

Christ blessings

Rev. David J. Walsh