Tag: Lent

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Reflect and Rejoice: Holy Week Services at Good Shepherd

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Holy Week and Easter at The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

We invite you to join us for worship and reflection as we walk together through the sacred moments of Christ’s journey this Holy Week. On Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, we will gather at 7:00 PM, both in person and online via YouTube, to remember the Last Supper and the sacrifice of the cross. Through scripture, prayer, and music, we will pause to reflect on the depth of Christ’s love and grace poured out for all. These services will prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter, reminding us of the hope we find in His promise.

Then, on Easter Sunday at 10:30 AM, we will come together to celebrate the risen Christ with a festive communion service. Whether you join us in the sanctuary or from the comfort of your home via YouTube, we welcome you to experience the triumphant message of resurrection and renewal. This special service will feature inspiring music, joyous hymns, and powerful expressions of praise that reflect the beauty of new life in Christ. The celebration of Easter is a time for us to rejoice in the fullness of God’s love and embrace the hope that it brings.

We encourage you to be part of these meaningful services, to worship, reflect, and celebrate with us. Holy Week and Easter remind us of God’s unwavering love and the promise of life anew. Together, as a community of faith, we will gather in gratitude and anticipation, embracing the profound beauty of this sacred season. Join us at The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and let us rejoice in the glory of Christ’s resurrection!

Visit our Holy Week Hub

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Palm Sunday Readers Theater – A TGSLC Tradition

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This Palm Sunday, April 13, our congregation will offer a special presentation of a readers theater performance during worship. Through a dramatic reading of the Passion story, members of our church will bring the events of Jesus’ final days to life in a powerful and moving way. Rather than a traditional sermon, the story will be told in the voices of many—disciples, bystanders, religious leaders, and Jesus himself—inviting us to enter more deeply into the sacred mystery of Holy Week.

Readers theater allows Scripture to speak directly to our hearts, not through elaborate sets or costumes, but through the power of the Word and the shared voices of our community. This simple yet profound form of storytelling helps us hear the familiar story in a new way. We hope you will join us for this meaningful service as we begin our journey toward the cross and the joy of Easter morning.

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Pray with us this Holy Week

As we enter into the the holiest time of the church year, many of us are searching for ways to deepen our spiritual journey and connect more deeply with our faith. One such opportunity is the Holy Week prayer vigil, a time of quiet reflection and renewal held in our prayer chapel.

Introspective and moving.
A renewal for all.

Michele, past participant

Beginning after the Good Friday worship and running until Easter morning, the prayer vigil offers a sacred space for individuals and families to spend time in prayer and contemplation. Our attendants are present during nighttime shifts to ensure the comfort and security of all participants.

In the prayer chapel, a variety of prayer resources are available, including hymnals, devotionals, and other materials to help guide your spiritual journey. We also provide a private restroom and light refreshments for your convenience.

This is a time for quiet reflection and renewal, a time to step away from the busyness of life and connect more deeply with God. Whether you come alone or with a friend, the transformative power of prayer is waiting for you in our prayer chapel.

We invite you to sign up for a one-hour shift and experience the grace and beauty of this sacred space. Allow prayer to transform your heart and spirit during this holy season of Lent, and discover new strength and renewal for the journey ahead.

Join us for the Holy Week prayer vigil and find solace, peace, and grace in the transformative power of prayer.

Learn More and Sign Up
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Lent and Easter 2025

We look forward to seeing you this Lent and Easter! You can use these daily resources to deepen your faith and open your heart during your Lenten journey.

View Daily Prayer

This daily program is produced by Pastor Bob and available on YouTube and anywhere you get your podcasts.

Read More

Read Daily Devotions

A daily meditation from the community of Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

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Lent and Easter 2024 schedule

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We are pleased to announce our schedule for Lent and Easter:

PosterDownload

Ash Wednesday – February 14

11:30am – 1:30pmAshes to Go (Drive-In Style)
7:00pmWorship w/Holy Communion and Imposition of Ashes

Every Week During Lent

Daily Prayer on YouTube
Daily Devotional from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

Palm Sunday – March 24

10:30amWorship w/Holy Communion
12:30pmCommunity Easter Egg Hunt

Maundy Thursday – March 28

7:00pmWorship w/Holy Communion

Good Friday – March 29

7:00pmGood Friday worship

Prayer Vigil – March 29-31

Learn more…

Easter Sunday – March 31

10:30amFestive Worship w/Holy Communion
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Prayer Vigil shifts are still available

We invite you to join us in our Holy Week prayer vigil, a time of reflection and devotion to prepare for Easter. Shifts are still available on Saturday and Sunday for those who wish to participate in this sacred experience. Please sign up online or contact the church office to reserve your spot. Thank you for your commitment and faithfulness!

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It’s Holy Week – spend some time in worship and prayer

As we enter the most sacred time of the year, we nvite you to join our church family for Holy Week worship and the prayer vigil. Holy Week is the final week of Lent, when we remember the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

On Palm Sunday, April 2, we celebrated Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem with a procession of palms.

On Maundy Thursday, April 6 at 7 pm, we will commemorate Jesus’ last supper with his disciples and his commandment to love one another with a service of Holy Communion.

On Good Friday, April 7 at 7 pm, we will meditate on Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross with a Tenebrae service of readings, prayers and hymns.

On Easter Sunday, April 9 at 10:30 am, we will rejoice in Jesus’ victory over sin and death with a festive service of praise and thanksgiving. All our services will be livestreamed on YouTube.

In addition to these worship services, we also invite you to participate in our prayer vigil from 8:00 pm on Good Friday to 10:00 am on Easter Sunday. During this time, we will keep a continuous prayer chain in our prayer chapel, praying for our church, our community and our world. You can sign up for a 60-minute slot online or by calling the church office. Shifts are available for much of Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning. This is a wonderful opportunity to deepen your relationship with God and to intercede for others in need.

We hope you will join us for this meaningful journey through Holy Week. May God bless you and your loved ones as we prepare to celebrate the mystery of our salvation.

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Lent and Easter 2023 schedule

purple leaf
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We are pleased to announce our schedule for Lent and Easter:

40 Days of Lent

Ash Wednesday – February 22

11:30am – 1:30pmAshes to Go (Drive-In Style)
7:00pmWorship w/Holy Communion and Imposition of Ashes

Every Week During Lent

Daily Prayer on YouTube
Daily Devotional from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Weekly devotional activities in your Lenten booklet

Palm Sunday – April 2

10:30amWorship w/Holy Communion

Maundy Thursday – April 6

7:00pmWorship w/Holy Communion

Good Friday – April 7

7:00pmGood Friday worship

Prayer Vigil – April 7-9

Learn more…

Easter

Easter Egg Hunt

Learn more…

Easter Sunday – April 9

10:30amFestive Worship w/Holy Communion
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Join us for worship this Holy Week!

We invite you to join us online or in person as we enter the holy mystery of Jesus’ death and resurrection for the sake of the world.

Maundy Thursday, April 14 at 7:00 pm. This service of Holy Communion recalls Jesus last meal with his friends, his washing of their feet, and his commandment (“mandatum” ➡️ mandate ➡️ Maundy) that his followers must show their love for one another by imitating Jesus’ own acts of humble, loving service. The worship concludes with the stripping of the altar – a solemn removal of all decorations and ornamentation, leaving the worship space harsh and exposed as Jesus’ story moves rapidly toward the nakedness of the cross.

Good Friday, April 15 at 7:00 pm. The great “Three Days” continue as we mark the trial, crucifixion, death and burial of Jesus. It is an awful, terrific, tremendous day in the truest sense – a day that inspires awe, terror and trembling at the power of God laid bare in the frailty of a dying human body. But we call the day “Good,” because the power at work that day was for our sake and the sake of the world. With this in mind, our service emphasizes prayer for all the wounded creation Jesus died to make new. The central image is of the dead wood of the cross in actuality being the blossoming Tree of Life, in which was hung the salvation of the world.

Easter Sunday, April 17 at 10:30 am. Just as Jesus shared in our death on Good Friday, on Easter Sunday we rejoice that he has risen so that we might share in his eternal life! The bleak emptiness of the sanctuary erupts into a glory of petals, the cross bursts forth in blooms, and the Church’s song of “Alleluia!” (“Hallelujah!” ➡️ “Praise the Lord!) returns with vigor to our worship after forty days’ absence. Musical celebrations and Holy Communion complete the air of victory and joy.

Masks and social distancing will be required at all services. We will be utilizing windows and air filters to maximize airflow in the worship space. Vaccinations (and boosters) are highly encouraged, though not required. If you are not feeling well, we invite you to join us online rather than in person.

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Evening Prayer for Lent 2022

You can join us in person or YouTube every Wednesday night during Lent for Evening Prayer. If you’re joining via YouTube, you can follow along with this order of service:

ELW-Evening-Prayer-for-Lenten-Midweek-2022Download