A Message From Our Pastor

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

This is Holy Week, and below is the schedule for worship for the remainder of the week:

Maundy Thursday (April 5, 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary)
We will celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion that Jesus instituted on this night long ago. We also bring the season of Lent to full circle: We began Lent on Ash Wednesday by having the sign of the cross marked on our foreheads with ashes created from burning last year's palm branches. On Maundy Thursday, during the singing of our opening hymn, we will receive a special blessing of forgiveness accompanied by the marking of the cross on our foreheads with oil. The service will conclude with stripping of the altar in preparation for the next night. (Traditional liturgy from Evangelical Lutheran Worship.)

Good Friday (April 6, 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary)
We mark the last night of Jesus' earthly life with the reading of the Passion Narrative in the Gospel cccording to John, which offers a rather different perspective to that which was read last Sunday from the Gospel according to Luke. The service will include the ancient "bidding prayer" (offered only on this night), and concludes with a procession of the cross and lighting of votive candles. (Traditional liturgy from Evangelical Lutheran Worship.)

THERE IS NO SATURDAY EVENING WORSHIP OR 8:15 A.,M. SUNDAY WORSHIP!

Easter Sunday, April 8
Intergenerational SCS Event, 9:15 a.m., in the fellowship hall – includes light brunch and a creative study of the origin of the Bible.

Worship, 10:30 a.m., in the sanctuary – our "Celebration of New Life in Christ" will bring all three worshiping communities into one glorious celebration on this most important day of the year. Once again, we will hear the good news of the Risen Christ, accompanied by our choirs. (More music details appear in a posting above.) The stark Lenten drabness of our sanctuary will be replaced with an explosion of living color! (Setting Four of the service of Holy Communion from Evangelical Lutheran Worship.)

Please keep our Youth in your prayers as they purchase and deliver Easter food to the families in our Adopt-A-Family Program this weekend, asking that God bless their ministry in our community.

And . . . . work on the HVAC project kicks off Monday, as asbestos abatement begins and the boiler is shut down. The Property Committee has secured an alternative heat source for the sanctuary that will be linked to our ventilation system, so we will have heat throughout April . . . . and given the turn in the weather, praise to God for the dedicated members of our Property Committee!!

May God greatly bless you this week as we worship the God who died and rose for us, and who breathes new life into us each day!

In Christ,
Gary