Our Lenten journey at St. Paul Lutheran this year will draw from the rich imagery and symbolism of rocks and stones found throughout Scripture.
These powerful images of stones (and our tendency to throw them) are painfully representative of our sins.
As you worship with us on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings in Lent this year, you will be invited to bring with you, each week, a rock or a stone (of any size or shape), representing the sin in your life, to be placed at the foot of our large wooden cross that will be displayed in our sanctuary throughout this season of Lent.
On Easter Sunday morning, this collection of stones and rocks will “be moved”, as the stones sealing Jesus’ tomb “were moved”, serving as a powerful and vivid illustration of how Jesus removes our stones of sin.
As usual, our mid-week Lenten services will be designed to include the liturgy and music of The Holden Evening Vespers.
Our Wednesday afternoon adult Bible studies will be a time of further reflection and conversation about the stones (sin) in our lives as we consider each week’s assigned scripture reading.
As Easter Sunday arrives, we will give thanks that what we could not do ourselves (move our stones), someone else (Jesus) has done for us! It will be a wonderful day of worship and praise as we give thanks for the removal of the stones in our lives, and the freedom and relief that is felt because of such an act of grace.
That will be the ultimate Easter message as we travel together this Lent, our Journey of Stones.
Weekly Themes will include:
Ash Wednesday, March 2 "Written In Stone" Exodus 32:1-24
Sunday, March 6 "Rejected Stones" Psalm 118; Mark 12:1-2 Sunday, March 13 "Sticks and Stones" John 8:1-12
Sunday, March 20 "Hearts of Stone" Luke 11:37-52
Sunday, March 27 "Planting Hope" Guest Preacher: Bishop Patricia Lull St. Paul Area Synod
Sunday, April 3 "Upon This Rock" Matthew 16:13-20
Palm Sunday, April 10 "Crying Stones" Luke 19:29-40
Maundy Thursday, April 14, 7:00 p.m. (Includes Stripping of the Altar and First Communion) "Stones To Bread" Matthew 4:1-11
Good Friday, April 15, 7:00 p.m. "The Final Stone" Matthew 27:60
Easter Sunday, April 17, 9:00 a.m. "The White Stone" John 20:1-18; Revelation 2:17