On 1-3 May 2023 Dr Thomas Winger was the main speaker at the North Dakota Pastors' Conference. His presentation drew on work done for the new LSB Companion to the Services. In four parts. Description: We quite rightly treasure the liturgy that has come down to the church through the ages. The Lutheran liturgy has five hundred years of its own history and is rooted in the more ancient Roman rite. But the liturgy is not simply a product of the church. The divine service was instituted by Christ and gathers together the way of worship God had given already to His people Israel. Beginning at Eden, Dr Winger walks participants through the biblical story of the divine service, through Exodus and Leviticus and into the promised land. From these surprising Old Testament roots he uncovers how the apostolic church continued to do what Christ had mandated, from Matthew to Acts to Revelation. The New Testament teaches us that the divine service is a participation in the eternal feast of heaven. The presentations culminate with a summary and discussion of the divine service in the early church.