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Holy Week at Holy Spirit

The most significant week of the year for Christians takes us from the heights of cheers and palm branches, to the depths of death upon the cross…

HOLY WEEK at Holy Spirit

The most significant week of the year for Christians takes us from the heights of cheers and palm branches, to the depths of death upon the cross, and back to the new fire, rebirth and celebration of the resurrection. Fully enter into magnitude of this time by being present for each of these times of sacred worship.

The Sunday of the Passion – April 13th, 9:30 a.m.

We begin with the Gospel procession with palms and transition to hear of the events of the Passion of our Lord.

 

 The Great Three Days

The Triduum: one service over three days,

Maundy Thursday – April 17th at 7:00 p.m.:   On the night before his death, we hear how our Lord Jesus provides the example of humble service through the holy meal, washing feet and leaving a great commandment to love.  We transition to his arrest and trial with the stripping of all worship appointments.

Good Friday – April 18th at 12:00 noon and 7:00 p.m.: The service continues as we hear the story of the death and burial of Jesus and venerate the cross on which held the salvation of the world.

The Great Vigil of Easter – April 19th at 7:00 p.m. This year Holy Spirit hosts the culmination of the Triduum. The service of light leads us to hear stories of salvation history, to a remembrance of our baptism and the celebration of the first Eucharist of the resurrection.

 

The Resurrection of Our Lord

Easter Sunday – April 20th at 9:30 a.m. Our patience and mediation during Lent and the three days is rewarded with the glorious words and songs of resurrection. Let the celebration begin!

 

From the Pastor

March 2014

Recently someone said to me, “It must have been good to have more time to get ready for Lent.”

That can be a blessing…and a curse. I have appreciated the time to work with you on preparing for Lent. That sure is a blessing. But having this amount of time can be detrimental because we run the  possibility of becoming lazy when it comes time to put our plans into practice.

And if there is one thing we do not want to be during Lent, it is lazy. Lent is an extremely significant season of reflection, confession, prayer, fasting, and engaging in acts of charity. All these helpful disciplines center our spiritual life on the great gift of our Savior Jesus Christ. It is a season where we alter our schedules to engage God in these disciplines so that we can love and celebrate the gift of salvation we acknowledge on Easter.

Yes, during Lent we need to change some of our patterns. Our monthly parish meetings need to be shorter and fewer. We need to use that time to be in prayer and worship as one community on both Sunday, and on Wednesday. When you turn to the next page of this newsletter you will see our worship schedule for Lent. Remember it. Participate. Often. Remember we also have a time of learning following worship on Sunday and on Thursday nights. That is another precious resource. And there is also the new daily devotional booklet that your brothers and sisters at Holy Spirit have written for our use.

These times of worship and learning directs our words and our deeds into future Christian service. I commend to you both the disciplines and the opportunities of this season.

 

CLIFTON D. ESHBACH

Pastor

 

Worship in Lent

Midweek services of Holy Communion during lent are held Wednesdays at noon and 7:00 p.m. The Sermon Series this year is “The Questions of Jesus”.

Worship in Lent

Lent is an important season for us to focus on our devotional and worship life as individuals and as a parish family. Please participate as often as possible with the worship opportunities during this season.

Sundays: The Holy Communion,  9:30 a.m.

 

The Wednesdays of Lent

The Holy Communion

Noon (spoken liturgy) and 7 p.m.

The sermon series at Wednesday worship will focus on

“The Questions of Jesus”

We certainly have asked questions of Jesus in our prayers and devotional times. But what about those time when Jesus asks a question of us? Pastor Eshbach will focus his preaching during the Wednesdays of Lent on five of those questions. They are:

March 12: “Why Were You Searching for Me?” – Luke 2:41-51

March 19: “Who do You Say That I Am?” – Matthew 16:13-20

March 26: “Why is My Language Not Clear to You?” – John 8:39-47

April 2: “What Do You Want Me to Do For You?” – Mark 10:35-40

April 9: “Does This Offend You” – John 6:52-63

 

Adult Christian Education Class

A Series of Studies and Sermons for Lent.

We will study the Biblical texts of the season, as well as discuss the themes and things we can do to make this holy, penitential season more meaningful for us as we are led down the road to resurrection glory.

“The Questions of Jesus. How Do We Respond?”

A Series of Studies and Sermons for Lent. Each Sunday morning we will study a question Jesus asks us. At the mid-week Wednesday worship, Pastor Eshbach will offer a preaching perspective on each question.

 

March 9: “Why were you searching for me?”

A study of Luke 2:49

 

March 16: “Who do you say that I am?”

A study of Matthew 16:15

 

March 23: “Why is my language not clear to you?”

A study of John 8:43

 

March 30: “What do you want me to do for you?”

A study of Mark 10:36

 

April 6: “Does this offend you?”

A study of John 6:61

 

 

The Quilting Team

March 18 we will be meeting at the church…come join us!

Social Ministry and Lutheran World Relief Quilt Teams Meet “God’s Work, Our Hands”

On March 18 at 6:00 p.m. the Social Ministry Team will meet in the Pastor’s office and the Quilting Team will meet at 6:30 p.m. in the Spirit Center to work on quilts.  Our quilting group is off to a great start, having already completed one quilt.  Your hands are needed to help put these quilts together.  The quilts are made from 11” x 11” squares and are machine sewn.  Cutting the squares while others are sewing is a big help going forward with our goal of completing 5 to 6 quilts this year!  The quilts are part of the fall LWR “in-gathering” and will give needed warmth to those in need around the world.

I hope you are anxious to lend a hand with one or both of these ministries.  The work we do expresses our love and desire to do “God’s Work” All are invited to attend one or both of these meetings.  If you need more information please contact the church office!