Worship is the Central Act of the Christian

Everything we do and are as followers of God find its beginning in worship.  A worship life necessarily leads us deeper into lives of fellowship, discipleship, and service.  We are nourished, refreshed, and energized to be the presence of God in the world today.


Along with our regularly scheduled, weekly worship opportunities, there are several times in the year when we purposefully set aside specific time to worship in very important ways.  Here you will find our yearly Schedule and some words about the special worship services and their meaning in the course of our life together.

Reformation Sunday

Reformation Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday closest to Reformation Day (October 31 of each year) October 31 is the date that Luther posted his 95 theses (propositions for debate) on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517


In 2023, Reformation Sunday falls on October 29.  Reformation Sunday is a time in our Lutheran heritage where we remember and honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther (1492-1546) who broke with the Catholic Church and began the Protestant Reformation of the Church.  


We celebrate during our regularly scheduled Sunday Morning Worship (9am and 11am)  Services and encourage everyone to wear Red in honor of the day!


More Information

Festival of Gratitude

Part and parcel of the Christian life is being thankful. The Christian idea of Stewardship (routinely associated only with fundraising) is a recognition that everything we have is a gift from God.  The national day of giving Thanks is a time for our nation to remember how blessed we all are - and on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, the people of Faith Journey gather to dedicate specific time, centering our hearts and minds on a posture of gratitude. 


Festival of Gratitude

Tuesday, November 21, 6:30pm

Faith Journey Fellowship Hall




Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation

Advent

In our liturgical tradition, we are now at the beginning of the Christmas experience and a new year on the church's cycle of seasons. The season of Advent is the four weeks leading up to the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord and then Epiphany. They are all connected.


In Advent this year we have a theme - "Why Wait: Meeting Jesus Right Now". The weekly themes are: Come Now, Comfort Now, Lament Now and Peace Now. As we move into this season of wonder and joy in the midst of the difficult realities of life, we hope you all will join in the worship experiences intended to help us to meet Jesus right now.


Midweek Advent Worship

November 29

December 6, 13 and 20

6:30pm


Hanging of the Greens

Join us for the Hanging of the Greens on Wednesday, November 29,  following worship.

Christmas Eve

The culmination of the season of Advent is, of course, Christmas Eve or the Vigil of the Nativity of our Lord.


Second only to Easter in importance, we gather on Christmas Eve to be reminded, once again, of the incredible lengths God has gone to dwell with us and be present in our lives.


We tell the story, again, as if it is the very first time we heard it - recapturing the awe and the majesty of the holiest of nights.


We will celebrate with story, song, candles, Holy Communion, singing Silent Night, and celebrating the love of God with family and friends.


CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SCHEDULE


Christmas Carols and Coffee

Sunday, December 24, 10am

(in place of regular worship services)


December 24, 2023 (Christmas Eve)

2:30 and 6pm

Christmas Carol Sing-along

3:00 and 6:30pm

Worship with Holy Communion



December 25 (Christmas Day) 

Worship at 10 am


Epiphany

The word "Epiphany" literally means to suddenly see or understand something.  Epiphanies are the "ah, ha" or "eureka!" moments of life.


For the Christian, the season of Epiphany centers our minds around ideas of the revealing, unveiling, the realization that Jesus is the Son of God - the Messiah.  It begins on January 6 which is the day that we commemorate the visit of the Magi as the first unveiling of Jesus as the long awaited Messiah.


While there are no special worship services in Epiphany - we do visit the theme of the revealing of Jesus as the Word of God, the Messiah, the manifestation of God's love for all creation in Sunday sermons and song.

Ash Wednesday/Lent/Palm Sunday

Ash Wednesday ends the Season of Epiphany and begins the Season of Lent.  Ash Wednesday is a deeply holy night. Ash Wednesday comes from the ancient Jewish tradition of penance and fasting. 


The practice includes the wearing of ashes on the head. The ashes symbolize the dust from which God made us. As the ashes are applied to a person's forehead,  the words: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." are spoken to remind us that we are indeed mortal.


Lent is the season of self examination and reflection as we prepare, as best we can for Easter.  Like Advent, the Wednesdays of Lent have a special them and reflect the the themes of faith, repentance, and being penitent.  The Worship Services of Lent are moving, spiritually deep, and reflective.


Lent ends on Palm Sunday which is the celebration of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem - the begging of Holy Week and the march of Jesus to the Cross.


Ash Wednesday is February 14, 2024 Worship services at  

12 noon and 6:30pm


All Midweek Lenten services will be at 6:30pm

Lenten Soup Supper will be served from 5:30-6:45pm


Palm Sunday is March 24, 2024

Worship at 9am and 11am


Kings Men Pancake Breakfast

9:00am-12:30pm

Holy Week

Holy Week, also known as the Great Three Days or the Tridiuum (literally three+days) consist of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday (or Easter Vigil)


Each of these days has their own significance - together they are the last two days of Jesus earthly ministry and one day of anxious anticipation.


Maundy Thursday is the night that Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, washed the feet of the Disciples and gave the great Commandment to love others as God has loved us. 

            March 28, 2024 at 6:30pm



Good Friday - the day of Jesus' death on the cross. 

           March 29, 2024 at 6:30pm


Holy Saturday - No Services

Easter

Although it may not seem like it, the entire life of the worshipper revolves around Easter!  It's is the BIG ONE in the Christian faith for Easter celebrates God's victory of death and the grave and the opening of eternal life with God to all.


We celebrate Easter on Easter Sunday, this year falling on Sunday, March 31, 2024.  We really pull out the stops on Easter as a reflection of our awe and excitement in what God has done.


Worship Services on Easter

 

7am - Traditional

9am - Traditional

11am - Contemporary

Pentecost

Pentecost is seen as the "Birthday of the Church."  It was on Pentecost that the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the disciples - the same disciples that were huddled in fear in the upper room.  Pentecost Sunday opens the longest season of the church year.  The season of Pentecost focuses our attention on the work of the church in the world as the physical presence of Jesus. Together we do what Jesus would do, say what Jesus would say, go where Jesus would go - making a difference in the lives of those in need.


Pentecost Sunday is Celebrated at  our regular Sunday morning Worship.

Everyone is invited to wear red

to commemorate the work of the

Holy Spirit.  

Pentecost 2024 is May 19, 2024.