During the season of Lent we gather for worship on Wednesday evenings at St. Stephen Lutheran. These services of evening prayer are short, meditative, and focus on a topic from Luther’s Small Catechism.
The Small Catechism is a short book that summarizes the teachings of God’s Word. Lutherans have long cherished the catechism for its simplicity, brevity, and clarity. The chief parts of the catechism are:
- The Ten Commandments
- The Creed
- The Lord’s Prayer
- The Sacrament of Baptism
- The Sacrament of Holy Communion
- The Keys and Confession
This year for our Lenten Lessons we’ll be focusing on part six, “Keys and Confession.”
Schedule of Services
The schedule for worship is below:
- February 22 - Ash Wednesday
- February 29 - What is Confession?
- March 7 - What Do We Confess?
- March 14 - What Are My Duties?
- March 21 - What Is Our Authority?
- March 28 - How Do We Put Confession Into Practice?
Evening Prayer Worship
Our midweek worship this year uses elements from an order of service called “Holden Evening Prayer,” by Marty Haugen. Haugen is an American composer and church musician who has gained popularity in both Roman Catholic and Protestant circles for his appealing melodies and arrangements of liturgical worship forms. “Holden Evening Prayer” was composed by Haugen for a Christian retreat center called “Holden Village” in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington. The service has since gained wide popularity beyond the community at Holden Village.
These services will last about 30 minutes.
Lenten Suppers
Preceding each service is a congregational supper. The supper begins at 5:30 PM and will continue until 6:15. Bring your family for dinner before worship. This is a fine chance for Christian fellowship and growing in the faith.
