Holy Week Schedule for Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 190 S. Main St., Wilkes-Barre:
Thursday, March 29, – 7:00 pm Maunday Thursday Communion Service with stripping of altar.
Friday, March 30, – 7:00 pm Good Friday Tenebrae Service
Sunday, April 1, Easter Sunday, The Resurrection of Our Lord, Traditional Service of Holy Communion with choir, 8:00 am & 11:00 am. Hot Breakfast available in our Fellowship Hall 9:00 – 10:30 am. (Free will offering )
This Sunday is the Second Sunday in the season of Lent. During this season we hear of God’s relationship with God’s people. This relationship is a story of promises fulfilled. We hear the story of Abraham and Sarah and God’s covenant with them. St. Paul in his writings reminds us that we are the multitudes of nations that were promised to Abraham. In baptism, Jesus Christ binds us to God into his death. God’s story with creation is that God persists in loving us.
Scripture readings: Genesis 17: 1- 7, 15 – 16; Psalm 22: 23-31; Romans 4:13-25; Mark 8:31-38
Prayer of the Day: “O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life. Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. ” Amen.
The gospel for the first Sunday in Lent takes us to the wilderness after Jesus is baptized. There the devil tempts him. So often in our life we are distracted from fully living as God’s people in the world. The good news for us is that through Christ we are saved and are reminded of God’s love for us in our struggles.
Scripture readings: Genesis 9: 8-17, Psalm 25: 1-10, 1 Peter 3:18-22, Mark 1:9-15
Prayer of the Day: “Holy God, heavenly Father, in the waters of the flood you saved the chosen, and in the wilderness of temptation you protected your Son from sin. Renew us in the gift of baptism. May your holy angels be with us, that the wicked foe may have no power over us, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” Amen
Good Shepherd observes the beginning of Lent on February 14th, with two worship services: A brief service of scripture and prayer at Noon, and a full service of proclamation and Holy Communion at 7:00 pm. Both services will offer the imposition of ashes. These worship services sound the call to repentance as we begin our journey to the baptismal waters of Easter. Now is the acceptable time to return to the Lord. The sign of ashes suggests our human mortality and frailty. What seems like an ending is really an invitation to make each day a new beginning, in which we are washed in God’s mercy and forgiveness. With the cross on our brow, we long for the spiritual renewal that flows from the springtime Easter feast to come.
This Sunday’s gospel lesson tells of a “mountaintop experience” shared by three of Jesus’ disciples. As Jesus is transfigured before their eyes, a voice from the cloud implores hearers to “listen to Jesus”. As Jesus’ disciples are we following him? Just as God made light to shine out of darkness at creation, God makes the light of Jesus Christ shine in our lives through our service to others. Scripture lessons: 2 Kings 2:1-12; Psalm 50:1-6; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9
Prayer of the Day: “Almighty God, resplendent light of your truth shines from the mountaintop into our hearts. Transfigure us by your beloved Son, and illumine the world with your image, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” Amen
The February/March Flocks News is now available online.
Due to road and sidewalk conditions the scheduled WELCA Bible Study for 10:30 am today has been re-rescheduled to Thursday,Feb. 22, 10:30 am
Sunday’s gospel lesson (Mark 1:29-39), tells the story of Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law. Like her we too are lifted up in our baptism and the promise of resurrection to health and service. Following Jesus, we strengthen the powerless.
With all eyes on the Super Bowl, an event that a lot of wealth is spent to support the powerful, we will have an opportunity to make a donation to St. Vincent de Paul Kitchen a local ministry that provides free meals to the hungry and needy.
Besides our regular worship services at 8:30 am and 11:00, there will be a casual, kids-friendly communion worship service at 9:45 am.
Scripture readings: Isaiah 40:21-31; Psalm 147: 1-11; 1 Corinthians 9:16-23; Mark 1:29-39.
Prayer of the Day: “Everlasting God, you give strength to the weak and power to the faint. Make us agents of your healing and wholeness, that your good news may be made known to the ends of your creation, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.” Amen
As the church season of Epiphany continues, scriptures continue to reveal to us that Jesus comes into our lives with authority. Through him God has the power to forgive, to love, and to heal. In fact, Jesus challenges all the forces of evil in this world. In worship we encounter that authority in God’s word. The word that trumps any lesser spirit that would claim power over us, freeing us to follow Jesus.
Scripture for this Sunday: Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 111; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13; Mark 1:21-28.
Prayer of the Day: “Compassionate God, you gather the whole universe into your radiant presence and continually reveal your Son as our Savior. Bring wholeness to all that is broken and speak truth to us in our confusion, that all creation will see and know your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.” Amen
Third Sunday after the Epiphany —- Stories of the call to discipleship continue as the time after Epiphany play out the implications of our baptismal calling to show Christ to the world. The church father Tertullian once said, “But we, little fishes, after the example of our Christ, are born in water, nor have we safety in any other way than by permanently abiding in water.” The call to discipleship is not one of water to dry land but one of water to other waters. Water is the visible sign of our call to follow Christ and bring others to the waters of baptism.
Scripture readings: Jonah 3:1-5,10; Psalm 62:5-12; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20
Prayer of the Day: “Almighty God, by grace alone you call us and accept us in your service. Strengthen us by your Spirit and make us worthy of your call, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.” Amen