Field Testing: Beginning in Advent 2022

One of the questions we hear most frequently is this: “When can we expect the missal to be published?” We understand—you, like each one of us, are anxious to have a completed book in your hands, so that you can set it on your missal stand, open it up, and simply pray the prayers and read the readings without worrying about which option is the historic one, or stressing about what you’re supposed to do for your midweek service.

This is your opportunity to help us along the next step of the process—by volunteering to field test the temporal lectionary for The Lutheran Missal.

What is required of field testers?

We ask that you commit to following the lectionary for a full year (in whatever services you offer, whether on Sunday mornings or every day of the year) and provide feedback after reading and preaching on the texts.

How will this work?

Beginning in early November, we will publish electronic versions of all the texts for the temporal lectionary and its principal feasts. These will be formatted so that they can be printed out or copied into your regular bulletins. Every Sunday afternoon we will send an email requesting your feedback (if any) for the previous week, as well as providing notes on the texts for the upcoming week.

How does this compare to the LSB One-Year Lectionary?

• The traditional weekday lectionary has been restored, which provides readings for nearly every Wednesday and Friday throughout the year, for each of the forty days of Lent, for the octaves of Easter and Pentecost, and for the four sets of Ember Days. Even if your parish doesn’t observe these days with services, you are still welcome to read through the appointed texts and offer feedback.
• The Sunday Epistles and Gospels remain largely unchanged. Where LSB has provided more than one Epistle, we will provide only the historic pericope. Likewise, when LSB adjusts the beginning or ending  of a lection without support from earlier sources, the more traditional cutting will be preferred.
• The traditional lections for Christmas Dawn and Day, while appearing largely intact in the LSB Three-Year Lectionary, were changed in the LSB One-Year Lectionary. These have been restored.
• The Prophecies (Old Testament readings) for Sundays, though not historic, are nevertheless retained. The Prophecies appointed in LSB are generally thoughtfully chosen and well-suited to the day, and The Lutheran Missal largely follows these selections. It was, however, deemed necessary to make a substitution in some cases. For example, while LSB appoints Malachi 4:1-6 as the Prophecy for Advent II, it is properly a part of the historic Epistle for Wednesday of the same week. As a result, the Malachi reading was retained in its historic position and a new Prophecy was provided for Advent II.
• All supplied texts and bulletin inserts are from the NKJV rather than ESV. (It is not necessary to use the NKJV to be a field tester.)

Where do I sign up?

Click this link to add your name to the list of field testers. Alternatively, you may send an email to thelutheranmissal@gmail.com. You will receive the introductory email in mid-November with a link to all the texts for the year.

Please share this invite with any others who may be interested in field testing. You may download this post as a one-page PDF which can be emailed or printed.