St. Mark's Lutheran Church and School (WELS, Citrus Heights, CA)

Good Friday Service of Darkness

Maundy Thursday Service

The Ironies of the Passion

Sermon Series: The Ironies of the Passion

Tonight’s Sermon:

“I Have Found in Him No Grounds for the Death Penalty”  Luke 23:22

The Ironies of the Passion 3/9/2016

Tonight’s Sermon:

“I Have Found in Him No Grounds for the Death Penalty”  Luke 23:22

Presiding Minister  Pastor Jonathan Loescher

Accompanist Shannon Schmidt 

Cantor Greg Meyer 

The Ironies of the Passion 3/2/2016

Tonight’s Sermon:

“But Not During the Feast”  Matthew 26:5

Presiding Minister  Pastor Ronald Waterstradt

Accompanist Marty Puckett

Choir Director Paul Peterson

Cantor Pastor Johnold Strey

Violin Vince Beiderbecke

Ironies of the Passion

Ironies of the Passion

“Prayer at the Close of Day” (also known by its Latin title, “Compline”) is the last of the seven daily prayer services that developed in the medieval Christian church. These daily services, called the “Daily Office,” were most commonly used in monasteries and schools. Several of the services from the Daily Office are enjoying renewed use in the twenty-first century church. Tonight’s service sets the texts of this historic service to modern music. The setting of “Prayer at the Close of Day” we use comes from Christian Worship: New Service Settings. The music is by Dale Witte and was first published in 2002.

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday begins the Christian’s Lenten journey with a reminder of our mortality and a call to repentance. The ancient practice of imposing ashes on the foreheads of Christians gives Ash Wednesday its name; the church father Tertullian (c. 160-215 AD) writes of the practice as a public expression of repentance and of our human frailty that stands in need of Christ. Repentance over sin and our need for forgiveness are the primary emphases of worship on Ash Wednesday. This focus is distinct from the other midweek services offered during Lent, which focus on the historical account of Jesus’ suffering and death. The Ash Wednesday order of worship reflects the serious tone of the day in its confession of sins, its restrained use of music, and the omission of festive elements of the service—for example: the Gloria in Excelsis (the main song praise near the beginning of the service), the “Alleluias” in the Verse of the Day (sung just before the Gospel is read), and the Nicene Creed.

Presiding Minister . Pastor Johnold Strey
Organist . Shannon Schmidt 
Cantor . Greg Meyer