Tag Archives: Newsletter

Liturgy Letter Newsletter – Sixth Sunday of Easter 2019 (Year C)

Presence, Power, and Peace

Through the Holy Spirit, God opens hearts to have faith in Jesus and be baptized into His name. Like Lydia, we should share God’s grace with our own households and offer our resources to those in need (Acts 16:9-15). Throughout history, God has blessed His people and made known His salvation to all the earth (Psalm 67). He has promised to completely restore all of Creation (Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5). Until that day, Jesus Christ has left us with the hope of his return and has promised the presence of the Holy Spirit (John 14:23-29). While on earth, Jesus demonstrated his power to heal and restore (John 5:1-9). We praise God for opening the way of salvation through Jesus and wait in the light of His resurrection.

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Liturgy Letter Newsletter – Fifth Sunday of Easter 2019 (Year C)

See, I Am Making All Things New

God has opened the way of salvation for all. Through the Holy Spirit, life and freedom are given to all who believe in Jesus (Acts 11:1-18). Let the whole earth praise God for raising the horn of salvation through Jesus Christ (Psalm 148). He is the Alpha and Omega who promises to quench our thirst and make all things new (Rev 21:1-6). Life and resurrection have been promised by the one who is faithful. Because of this, we should love one another, as Christ loved us (John 13:31-35).

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Liturgy Letter Newsletter – Fourth Sunday of Easter 2019 (Year C)

Our Merciful Shepherd

“Through Christ, we are able to do more than we could in our own strength, just as Peter worked a miracle in Joppa (Acts 9:36-43). The Lord is our shepherd (Revelation 7:9-17); he takes care of all our needs (Psalm 23) and offers us eternal life (John 10:22-30).” 

-Thomas Oden, Ancient Christian Devotional

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Liturgy Letter Newsletter – Third Sunday of Easter 2019 (Year C)

Now I See

“Just as Saul heard the voice of the Lord in the road to Damascus, was blinded and then regained his sight (Acts 9: 1-6), so we who turn from our sins and follow the Lord find joy and healing (Psalm 30). Because we love and trust God’s Son, who became man and dwelled among us (John 21:1-19), we offer him all praises and glory (Revelation 5:11-14).” 

-Thomas Oden, Ancient Christian Devotional

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Liturgy Letter Newsletter – Holy Week 2019 (Thursday, Friday, Saturday)

Paschal Triduum

The most striking worship celebrations of the Christian church happen every year at the end of the Lenten season. There is no greater contrast between darkness and light than the eclipse and glory that were experienced by Jesus’ disciples between the Last Supper and Easter morning. For centuries, Christians have marked the progression of these events through worship. They reenact these bedrock events to honor Christ, celebrate salvation, and grow in the way of Jesus through imitation and reflection. This period of time in the Church’s calendar has traditionally been referred to as the Paschal Triduum or “The Three Days.”

“The events framed by Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and his resurrection are some of the most dramatic and theologically important of the entire scriptural narrative. These days feature not only the drama of the triumphal entry, trial, last supper, and crucifixion but also Jesus’ poignant prayers and prophetic teachings. John’s gospel devotes eight of its twenty-one chapters to this week alone—reminding us of a common observation that the gospels are “passion narratives with long introductions.” The week begins with Passion/Palm Sunday and ends with the “three days” (also called the Triduum, from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Easter Day), the period during which we mark Jesus’ trial, death, and resurrection.”
-from The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd Edition.

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Liturgy Letter Newsletter – Holy Week 2019 (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)

Holy Week

Lent began over five weeks ago on Ash Wednesday. Over the course of this week, Christians around the world will re-enact and remember the days leading up to Christ’s death and resurrection. This journey towards the cross began on Palm Sunday with a commemoration of Jesus entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people who confessed and praised him as the Savior King later cry out, “…crucify him, crucify him!”

On Monday and Tuesday, Jesus returned to Jerusalem from Bethany and purified the Temple, fulfilling prophecies from the Old Testament (ex. Malachi 3:1-5). In Jerusalem, tensions continued to run high between Jesus and the religious rulers. Wednesday of Holy week is traditionally called “Spy Wednesday” because the enemies of Jesus were watching him closely and looking for an opportunity to capture him. On this day, the anointing of Jesus by Mary of Bethany is juxtaposed with the tragic betrayal of Judas.  

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Liturgy Letter Newsletter – Sixth Sunday in Lent 2019 (Year C)

Hosanna to the One Who Suffered and Died

“The Lord gives us a teachable heart so that we might encourage others (Isaiah 50:4-9a). When we are grieved and discouraged, we turn to God in trust for help (Psalm 31:9-16) knowing that he gave his only son Jesus, who came to earth (Luke 19:28-40) to die for us on the cross (Philippians 2:5-11).”
-Thomas Oden, Ancient Christian Devotional

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Liturgy Letter Newsletter – Fifth Sunday in Lent 2019 (Year C)

Confidence in Christ

God continually promises to deliver his people and provide for them for his names’ sake (Isaiah 43:16-21). God’s past deliverance provides hope for those who are weeping in the present (Psalm 126). Our confidence is in Christ, and not in our selves, as we continue to press on in faith, participating in Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection (Philippians 3:4-14). In humility, we follow Mary’s example by laying all that we have at Jesus’ feet (John 12:1-8). 

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Liturgy Letter Newsletter – Fourth Sunday of Lent 2019 (Year C)

God Cares for the Lost

“God cares for his people (Joshua 5:9-12) and forgives our sins. We can trust him and his steadfast love – he is our refuge in times of distress (Psalm 32). Through Christ, we become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:16-21) and are heirs to the kingdom of God (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32).” -Thomas Oden, Ancient Christian Devotional

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Liturgy Letter Newsletter – Third Sunday in Lent 2019 (Year C)

Thirsting for God in the Wilderness

God provides refreshment for the thirsty (Isaiah 55:1-9). Humbly seek God’s presence, remember his blessings and praise his name (Psalm 63:1-8). We learn from those who have gone through the wilderness before us and ask God to help us endure our own times of temptation (1 Corinthians 10:1-13). God is gracious, but the consequences of refusing to repent stand as a warning for all (Luke 13:1-9).

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