Our streaming services are really about home worship. Sign in alone, gather with your family and join in. These services are interactive, involving sharing together, praying together, discussing God’s Word together, and – if you desire – singing together. The live stream is here to guide and support your worship in your home.
Live stream worship will involve a live text chat. This is an important part of connecting with each other and sharing our input, feedback and prayer needs.
Road Hazards
“Isn’t it All About Me?”
March 7th, 2021
As We Gather
We start a new series this Sunday: “Road Hazards.” Lent is a journey. The Christian life is a journey. Along our journey through the wilderness of life in a fallen world on the way to the promised land, there are dangers. Road Hazards that can derail us and send us spiraling into a ditch. The Good News is that Jesus is with us and calls us to let Him drive.
Out next “Road Hazard” has to do with how we think about our relationship with God. Is God’s purpose to serve me? Or is my purpose to serve God? This question is raised by what Jesus found when He went to the temple in our Gospel today. Instead of finding a building dedicated to the glory of God, He found a marketplace dedicated to the enrichment of people. What does Jesus teach us in His words and actions at the temple that day?
Worship Notes for March 7.
Family and Children Resources
“Children’s Church Lesson” This is a weekly Sunday School/Children’s Church type lesson for parents to lead with small children. Please use this at home during this time when we are unable to offer our regular Children’s Church. Here are this week’s suggestions:
- CHILDREN’S CHURCH LESSONS (Elem & PS) Click Here
- 16 SIMPLE LENTEN ACTIVITIES FOR ALL CHRISTIAN KIDS Click Here
- LENT WEEK 3 ACTIVITIES Click Here
- LAST SUPPER COLORING PAGE Click Here
CELEBRATING THE LORD’S SUPPER
For those who are streaming, we will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper on March 14th in the same way that we have been during these days of quarantine. Please to go this page on our website for information regarding Holy Communion at St. John’s during COVID-19, as well as how to prepare. https://stjohnslutheran.net/the-lords-supper-at-st-johns-during-the-covid-19-crisis/ Also, take a look at this video with an explanation by Pastor Mike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNK0XJhQzRQ
Please click here to download an easy unleavened bread recipe
Wednesday Night Worship
Worship Notes for March 3rd
March 3rd: “A Loving God”
Our Lent Midweek series is “God of the Cross.” The cross is the primary Christian symbol. Why is it so important? Only Christianity has a cross. And for Christianity, everything is about the cross. Only our God is God of the Cross.
Tonight we see in the cross that our God is a loving God. The love of God is most accurately and completely displayed for us in the cross of Christ. The love of the Father moved Him to offer up His son for us. The Son’s love for His Father and for us moved Him to go to the cross. Love is not shaped as a heart, but rather as a cross.
The Midweek Lent services will live-stream at 7:00 PM. This will be a Communion service. Join in on Facebook or on YouTube at: Click here to join in:
Preparing for Live Stream Worship
Normally when we prepare for worship, we need to shower, get dressed, get in our cars and drive to the sanctuary. You don’t need to do any of that for the home-based streaming worship at St. John’s. But there is still some preparation (which won’t take as long as the items mentioned above!)
- Download the worship notes for the service. The worship notes contain the reading and other items for worship. The notes also include the reflection and discussion questions, as well as suggestions for singing. If you will be participating on your phone or pad, you should print the handout because you will not be able to switch windows and keep the youtube live going.
- Sign up for a google or gmail account if you do not already have one. In order to take part in the Live Chat with You Tube, you need to have a google or gmail account. It doesn’t take long to set it up. For a guide to signing up, please go here: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/56256?hl=en If you don’t want to see the chat feed, or you want to turn it off for part of the service, just click the “hide chat” button at the bottom of the feed. When you want to see the feed again, click the “show chat” button at the top.
- Prepare a comfortable place to worship. Plan to be totally engaged. Remove other things that may distract you. You may want to light a candle or use some other means of recognizing that this is a time for worship.
- Pray that the Lord prepare your heart. Perhaps the most important step. This is an very different way to worship, so we should pray for the Holy Spirit’s present and guidance.
If you need help with any of these steps, please contact Pastor Mike. He or someone else will assist you.
