LENTEN WORSHIP SERVICE – WEEK 4

 

WARM-UP

What is your favorite thing about Easter Lutheran Church? 

 

READ 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.

May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

We believe that we are better together. However, in the United States we tend to think of faith as a personal, private thing. It is indeed good to have times of prayer, Bible study, and reflection on our own as we grow in faith. In addition, this reading from 1 Thessalonians makes it seem that faith is something we do together, too.

 

DISCUSS

  1. Confirmation Students: You can do confirmation on your own, checking off lessons on the web site, watching worship videos online, and serving on your own, too. BUT how do you think confirmation is better when done together with your small group?
    Non-Confirmation Participants: We can watch worship online and never really gather in Christian community. Is it possible to be a Christian alone? Is there a benefit to being with others? 

  2. How can prayer be “better” when done together? (here’s a hint: sharing each other’s highs and lows, sharing where we experienced God, and praying for each other can be very uplifting!)

  3. What are some things you do on your own to feel connected to God?

  4. What are some things that happen at Easter Lutheran Church that allow you to be in community, feel connected to God, and have fun?

 

WEEKLY QUESTION

Easter’s leadership wants to hear from you about what God is up to among us. The Weekly Question will help us get a wider picture of life at Easter. Here’s this week’s question: