But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

Worship is the center of the Christian’s life with God.  On Sundays, and other festival days throughout the church year, we gather together with other Christians to offer God thanks and praise; confess our sins and receive assurance of God’s forgiveness; listen to God’s word; offer prayers to God; and celebrate the gift of the sacraments, Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. Our worship of God continues when we are sent from the assembly to serve God by serving our neighbors.  We use a liturgy, which is a specific order of prayers and hymns.  We also use a lectionary, a schedule of Sunday Bible readings used by many churches. Each worship service is made unique by different music, the children’s sermon, the regular sermon, and prayers. While our worship feels familiar to those acquainted with a Catholic or Episcopal service, it’s easy to follow for everyone. Although we bring our experience, thoughts, and feeling to worship, the focus of worship is God, not people.  Children of all ages are welcome to worship, but if they wish, parents may bring them to the Nursery Care provided during worship. Just off the sanctuary there is a Crying Room from which you can hear and see the service while attending babies.

Our music has the high quality you’d expect from a larger richer church. We are blessed to have a number of very  talented musicians in our community who bring their gifts to bear in a variety of forms in our weekly worship.  In addition to regular anthems from our liturgical choir, our bell choir adds a special touch to our worship from time to time. The songs and music they provide uplift, inspire, and sometimes even challenge us. Both choirs include all ages from high schoolers through senior citizens and are open to all. Vocal choir practices Wednesday evenings 7:30 – 9:00. Bell choir meets Sunday mornings at 11:00. Each week members of the congregation read lessons from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, followed by a message from one of the Gospels. Prayer time mid-service is alive.  Congregation members have a chance to speak aloud if they wish.  Some weeks we hear spoken prayers each one closed with the congregation’s response, “Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.” Sometimes the prayers are silent within our hearts.

 Lutherans celebrate two sacraments:  Holy Baptism and Holy Communion.  The sacraments are another form of God’s word, another way God speaks loving works into our ears.  Lutherans teach that a sacrament is a holy and sacred act that imparts God’s grace, uses visible means, such as water or bread and wine, is connected with God’s word, and was commanded by Christ. People are made members of the family of God through the sacrament of Holy Baptism, and Christians are sustained for the life of faith through the sacrament of Holy Communion.  We call the sacraments “means of grace” because God communicated divine love in and among us through them.  We celebrate the sacraments because to receive faith and forgiveness from God is truly a joy.  We celebrate Holy Communion frequently because we are hungry for God.