Zion Begins Seven Weeks of Observance of Lent with Vespers
Lent is a forty day period beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending with Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. Lent has been observed by the Christian church for hundreds of years as a time of recognizing Christ's suffering and death on the cross for the sins of mankind. It is named for the Old English word for "Spring." Lent is observed in Spring, you know.
Ash Wednesday came on March 9 this year. Members and
friends gathered for a soup and sandwich supper before Vespers.
Click to enlarge.
Why forty days? It is a Biblical number associated with devotion and meditation. Today, people sometimes recognize a forty day period of fasting or prayer before Easter but may not recognize the church season of Lent. The liturgical church, however, calls its people to remember Jesus and remember God's intervention in human affairs through God the Son. God's purpose was salvation, the saving of people from sin, death, and the devil.
Supper began at 6 PM. The supper crowd adjourned for
Vespers worship at 7 PM.
Click to enlarge.
Keeping with Lutheran tradition, Zion Lutheran Church invites members and friends to a Lenten light "soup and sandwich supper" at 6 PM each Wednesday through April 13 (and Thursday, April 21) followed by a service of "vespers," a time of meditation and prayer. The theme for worship this Lenten season relates to Jesus' "Journey to the Cross" and will explore Christ's journey from the far north of the Israel of His day to Jerusalem where He would ultimately be crucified.
On Good Friday, April 22, the congregation will worship in a solemn Tenebrae service at 6 PM. Tenebrae is a service of shadow and darkness, a time for remembering the suffering and death of Christ and His three days spent in the grave before His resurrection on Easter.
Lenten Schedule
- March 9, Ash Wednesday
- Soup and Sandwich Supper 6:00 PM
- Lenten Meditation 7:00 PM ~ Mark 8:22-26
The topic place - Bethsaida
- March 16
- Soup and Sandwich Supper 6:00 PM
- Lenten Meditation 7:00 PM ~ Matthew 16:13-20
The topic place - Caesarea Philippi
- March 23
- Soup and Sandwich Supper 6:00 PM
- Lenten Meditation 7:00 PM ~ Mark 9:33-37
The topic place - Capernaum
- March 30
- Soup and Sandwich Supper 6:00 PM
- Lenten Meditation 7:00 PM ~ Luke 17:11-21
The topic place - the area of Ginae
- April 6
- Soup and Sandwich Supper 6:00 PM
- Lenten Meditation 7:00 PM ~ Luke 18:35-43
The topic place - Jericho
- April 13
- Soup and Sandwich Supper 6:00 PM
- Lenten Meditation 7:00 PM ~ John 12:2-11
The topic place - Bethany
- April 21, Maundy Thursday
- Soup and Sandwich Supper 6:00 PM
- Meditation 7:00 PM ~ Mark 14:17-21
The topic place - Jerusalem
- April 22, Good Friday
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