Upcoming Service/Holy Week

Greetings friends,

You know the expression “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade”? Well, I witnessed a really great example of that on Monday. You see, I had been recently asked if I would do a wedding at the end of May. I agreed and met the young couple on Saturday for our first session of pre-marital counseling. Monday morning my phone rings and it’s the young man saying “Pastor Ryerson, there’s been a change of plans…”. Honestly, I was fearing that maybe there was an issue between the couple and they were deciding to postpone the wedding. I could NOT have been more wrong, because the next words out of his mouth were “so we’re going to get married this Sunday.” Let’s just say my week has been quite unique, packing in the remaining six pre-marital counseling sessions, along with preparing planning to do a wedding this Sunday (4-5-20).

Ok, enough about me and onto church business…This week is Holy Week and though there will obviously be no services at the church, the plan is to produce a devotional for Maundy Thursday, a Good Friday service and of course an Easter morning service. Right now, the plan will be to do Facebook live at the scheduled time, but also have them available on the website for those that either are not on Facebook, or are planning to watch at a later time:

*Maundy Thursday 7pm
Good Friday 2pm
Easter Sunday 9:30am

*One note I would like to add, and this may not be the most popular of decisions, but I feel it best to not be attempting some sort of “virtual communion”. I have had many folks ask about it, and I too am greatly longing for that spiritual nourishment, but for reasons too long to explain here, I think it best we hold off until we can meet together again in person.

As for this week, we’ll again be streaming our service live on Facebook at 9:30am. It will be up on the website as well at www.hopefreelutheran.org/sermons . You can also find it on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLOJuoO-_Pc If you go on YouTube, you can subscribe to our Hope Free Lutheran page, and you’ll be able to always find them there.

Thank you for all those who reached out to me who are willing to record a song or two. I have a feeling that we will not be gathering again in church until at least May. I hope I am wrong about that, but if that’s the case, the more music we have, the more we can feel connected to one another. So, please feel free to reach out to me and we can arrange a time to record you.

I would like to leave you with this passage I came across as I was reading through Hebrews. As we prepare for Holy Week, this is the great reminder of why Jesus came and what he’s done for you. Hebrews 2: 14-15:

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

Thank you Lord Jesus for all that you have done for us!

Pastor Dave