Installation of Pastor Kyle Severson as pastor of St. Luke’s on Sunday, April 21 at both services. We welcome our Synod Bishop, The Rev. Yehiel Curry, who will preside and preach at worship; and Pastor Kathy Nolte, who will install Pastor Kyle as our Lead Pastor.
Please join us Tuesday, April 2 at 8:30 a.m. upstairs in Henderson Hall for a delightful breakfast of pancakes, sausages, bacon, orange juice and coffee. Mr. Bill Scharringhausen, whose family operated a drug store, caring for the needs of Park Ridge for more than 100 years, will be our speaker. We look forward to seeing you.
Over the course of these next weeks of Easter, I hope to provide some space in this blog for reflecting on these experiences in the style of mystagogy.
Mystagogy is an ancient practice that will deepen our understanding and appreciation of the mysteries of our faith. It is more than a teaching tool; it’s a way to immerse ourselves in the sacred realities we’ve encountered in our recent liturgical celebrations.
Still singing after all these years
The Park Ridge Chorale celebrates its 40th anniversary on April 13th at 7:00 p.m. at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church.
Dear church,
As we enter Holy Week, I thought it would be appropriate to offer a little devotional based on the “Solemn Reproaches,” a series of laments often used during Good Friday services. These texts are a poignant part of the observance of Christ’s Passion, expressing the sorrow and betrayal Christ felt towards humanity that, despite his love and sacrifices, often strayed and rejected him.
Holy Week 2024 begins with Palm Sunday on March 24 and culminates with the Festival of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday, March 31. Please, join us on this sacred journey for one or all of these services in remembrance of Christ’s Passion.
So please – invite me into your home, your work, your play! Living out our faith means embodying our Christian values in every aspect of our lives, from our interactions with coworkers to our time spent with family and friends. It’s about extending love, compassion, and grace to others. By doing so, we become living testimonies to the transformative power of Christ’s love in the world around us. Now this is easier said than done…but it’s what we strive for! We hope that people will be curious about why we live so generously and desire to find out more…
I am so deeply humbled and excited to join you as we continue to live into the mission God has called each of us – to be a clear and unashamed witness to God’s love, in every aspect of our lives, in a world so desperately in need of such a life-giving message. As we enter the 110th year of faithful ministry as a congregation, God has much in store for us. Let’s us embrace that call with JOY!
Good Friday, March 29 at 12:00 noon: Sponsored by the Park Ridge Ministerial Association, held at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, will feature the Montag Ensemble playing The Seven Last Words of Christ by Franz Joseph Haydn. Spoken reflections will be provided by members of the Park Ridge Ministerial Association.
Below are the reflections and questions to guide our meditation on the laments of our lives and our opportunity to be present with others to enable their stories of lament. The reading will be Psalm 42. The psalm begins with a familiar verse: “As the deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God.” This longing for God’s presence is picked up in ELW Hymn 331: “As the deer runs to the river, parched and weary from the chase, we have come from hurt and hurry, thirsting for your healing grace.”