Bible Study Times
Currently, masks are optional.
As our congregation continues to experience a vacancy situation, we have four retired ministers who have agreed to help us on Sunday mornings with our worship services. For May, these men include:
Our Church Year includes different seasons, starting in Advent and going through Christmas, Epiphany, The Transfiguration of Our Lord (Special Sunday), Lent, Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, Reformation Sunday (Special Sunday), All Saints' Day (Special Sunday) and after all the Sundays of Pentecost are done, we are back into Advent.
Following our most recently celebrated season of Easter, our church next celebrates Ascension (May 18) and the Day of Pentecost (May 28). After Jesus ascended into Heaven following His resurrection and last 40 days on earth (Ascension), we go another 10 days and come to Pentecost (50 days after Easter) and begin the longest season of our church calendar year.
The word “Pentecost” (pronounced PEN-tuh-kost) comes from the Greek word pentekostos which means “fiftieth.” Exactly 50 days after Jesus rose from the dead, the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the form of flames of fire. Acts 2:1-21 tells of the story of the first Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on the heads of the apostles as they were preaching and they were given the special gift of preaching in everyone's language whose language was not native Greek. Being accused of having been imbibing at such an early hour of the day, the apostles continued to tell the news of Jesus and His work of redemption.
The color of the paraments on the altar on Pentecost Sunday is red, a color of power and a reminder of God's greatness in the world. On this day, we remember the power and fire of “the Lord and Giver of Life,” who revealed himself as the promised one. The color red communicates the motif of strength-strength and power the Holy Spirit gives in order for God’s people to call on the name of Jesus Christ and share that powerful name with others. (LCMS.org)
The following Sunday is Holy Trinity, at which time, the altar will be adorned with white, which is the color of purity and completeness. This color assists in bearing the message that “though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” Christ’s triumph from the grave on Resurrection Day is the cause for our rejoicing. His purity before his Father becomes our purity. White reinforces that message of joy (LCMS.org)
Following Holy Trinity Sunday, the paraments are green throughout the rest of the Pentecost season until Advent.