Monday, March 26, 2018

Holy Week and Easter at St Stephen



We of the St. Stephen Faith Family hope and pray that you will join us 
as we celebrate the solemn mysteries of Jesus Christ's Passion and Resurrection.

Maundy Thursday - 7:30 p.m., March 29

The Proclamation of Forgiveness
The Gospel of the Foot-washing
The Holy Eucharist
The Stripping of the Altar

Good Friday - 12:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., March 30

The Passion according to St John
The Solemn Reproaches
The Adoration of the Crucified

The Great Vigil of Easter - 6:30 p.m., Saturday, March 31

The Lighting of the New Fire
The Readings from Salvation History
The Affirmation of Baptism
The First Eucharist of Easter

Easter Sunday - 10:30 a.m., April 1
(Easter Breakfast, 9 a.m., Children's Egg Hunt, 9:30 a.m.)




Thursday, March 22, 2018

Sermon 5th Sunday in Lent, March 18 2018

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. - John 12:20-33

Lent 5 Year B/March 18, 2018
St. Stephen Lutheran Church
Pastor Maurice Frontz

I have a book on my shelf –
well, actually I have a lot of books on my shelves.
This book is called What Was the World of Jesus?[1]
and it goes into detail about the hopes and realities
of people 2,000 years ago.

The hopes were that God would act to fulfill his promises,
one of which we have today in our reading from Jeremiah,
that God would make a new covenant with his people,
that he would forgive their sins
and put new desires in their hearts,
so that they would finally fulfill their destiny,
to be a people of God not only in name, but in word and deed.

Monday, March 12, 2018

Sermon March 11, 2018 (4th Sunday in Lent)





Lent 4 Year B/March 11, 2018                                                                                                        
Pastor Maurice Frontz

When we look at the cross,
we see darkness and death.
But worse than even having to contemplate the act of crucifixion,
we must contemplate who is on the cross.
If it were Hitler, Castro, or Madame Mao,
Jerry Sandusky, Harvey Weinstein, or Bernie Madoff,
we might take some grim satisfaction from the sight:
but this is the One who spoke words of hope, peace, and life.

Thursday, March 8, 2018

The Way of Discipleship (The Body of Christ) - Sermon Wednesday in 3 Lent


Wednesday in 3 Lent;
Sermon based on Discipleship, chapter Ten
Pastor Maurice Frontz

Though he is alive, we no longer have the body of Jesus with us.
The church confesses that he bodily ascended into heaven
and ‘is seated at the right hand of the Father,’
which means that he has been given all the authority of God.

We also confess that he will come again from heaven
to judge the living and the dead;
his authority, which now we acknowledge by faith,
will be seen by all.
Those who have rejected the rule of God,
who have done evil and loved falsehood,
will continue in that rejection,
and those who have sought God
will find his mercy in the glorious and gentle rule of Christ.

But still, his disciples are called –
and they are called to be in community with Jesus.
How can this happen,
when Jesus’ body is ascended into heaven?
For to be in community means to be in bodily community.