‘Community’ is Lenten Focus at St. Stephen Lutheran Church

“Community” is the theme for Wednesdays in Lent at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Marlborough, beginning with Ash Wednesday worship on March 2 at 7 pm at the church at 537 Bolton St. Marlborough. Wednesday worship continues through Lent on March 9, 16, 23, 30 and April 6.
    “After two years of being kept apart, and as we’re increasingly able to gather again, this Lent we focus on what brings us together,” said pastor Joseph Graumann. The prayer service will explore community with creation, all the saints, our neighbors, the marginalized, and community with Christ. At this time, masks are still required at worship.
    Wednesday services will follow the format of Holden Evening Prayer. Written in 1985-86 by Marty Haugen during a musical residency at Holden Village, a scenic Lutheran camp in the mountains of Washington State, Holden Evening Prayer is a simple Lutheran vespers service that follows traditional form while using contemporary and inclusive language. Since then, the service has been adopted around the world. Haugen is a composer of liturgical music for Lutheran, Roman Catholic and other denominations, with over 400 compositions.
    “God creates each of us for community with others, and so we’re never truly alone., pastor Graumann added. “If you’re feeling lonely and isolated after two years of pandemic living, come make friends at church.”
    As Lent draws to a close, St. Stephen will mark Palm Sunday on April 10 at 10 am, hold a Maundy Thursday worship and soup supper on April 14 at 7 pm, and Good Friday worship April 15, also at 7 pm. The Saturday April 16  Easter Vigil  at 7:30 pm will focus on seven Bible passages, with insight and interpretation by parishioners. On Sunday, April 17, festive Easter worship will take place at 10 am, followed by a potluck brunch.
    For more information about St. Stephen Lutheran Church, visit www.saintstephenlutheran.com  or the church’s Facebook page. Saint Stephen is a member of the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (www.elca.org) . The church is a Reconciling in Christ congregation, inviting people of every gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability, marital status, or class. Parishioners come from Marlborough, Hudson, Berlin, Northborough, Southborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, Stow, and Bolton
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