Gottesdienst= God's Service

On Sunday morning, my wife, cousin Guenter, and myself attended the Church where my mother and father were married at 9:30 AM for "Gottesdienst" without Holy Communion. The word, "Gottesdienst" means "God's Service", but is it ours to give or God's to give and for us to receive?
Because we believe in God's grace as primary and our response cannot earn forgiveness, it must be God's gift to us.

Pictures are from the ceiling, Altar, and Baptismal Font.

In Ordenskirche, my family's church, I expected a traditional Lutheran liturgy, but was not sure I would like the "Taize" music that was added for this special day. There was a youth orchestra with guitar, flutes, violins and bass and a choir. It was not overdone and yet there were all the traditional elements of confession, psalm, Epistle, and Gospel, (no Old Testament Lesson), with the Pastor preaching a somewhat understandable sermon, and announcements in the middle of the service. I tried to sing in German very uncomplicated hymns and with the simple Latin wordsfrom Taize. All done in an hour without any coffee hour afterwards!
While I was skeptical and almost unwilling to go, I received a real sense that the Holy Spirit was present and filling us with grace even if I wasn't able to give much service.