Special Services
In addition to our regular Sunday morning worship service, the congregation of St. John also comes together to worship and celebrate at a variety of other times and for other occasions.
Healing Service:
Periodically throughout the year (Pastor Andersen tries to schedule them quarterly) Pastor Andersen conducts a healing service. The healing service generally consists of a relatively brief service of word and prayer, punctuated with an opportunity for congregants to come forward and receive the laying on of hands, and anointing with oil accompanied by a blessing for healing.
Confession and Absolution:
Pastor Andersen often quips that he is in the "absolution business" but as flippant as he may seem, he is serious about that. Most Wednesday afternoons Pastor Andersen sits for individual confession and absolution. While most Lutherans have never experienced the practice of individual confession and absolution, Martin Luther believed very strongly in the practice and referred to it as a third sacrament. Pastor Andersen practices the ritual in accordance with the format presented in the Lutheran Book of Worship and it's replacement, Evangelical Lutheran Worship. The exercise of the office of the keys, and the receiving of absolution is one of the central acts of the church in the life of the Christian.
Advent:
During the Season of Advent, the 4 Sundays prior to Christmas, the congregation gathers for a candlelight Christmas eve service. Generally this takes place in the evening and includes a calibration of holy communion; part of the service conducted in candlelight. The service tends to be festive and contemplative.
Christmas morning the hardiest of the congregation gather again for a celebration of Holy Communion. This service resembles a more traditional Sunday service.
Lent:
On Ash Wednesday, the official beginning of the Lenten season, the congregation assembles in the evening for a service of Holy Communion, including the imposition of ashes in which the members are reminded in the traditional form that "you are dust, and to dust you will return." The worship experience provides opportunity for powerful reflection on our place in the universe, which has consequences for the way we live our lives, not only during the coming 40 days of lent, but also for the rest of the year.
During the season of Lent, the 40 days prior to Easter, the congregation assembles Wednesday evenings for a relatively brief service of word and prayer. In keeping with the penitential nature of the season, the tone of these services tend toward the somber, but are certainly not stodgy. In the past the Pastors of local Lutheran church's have participated in a "Round Robin" allowing each pastors to visit neighboring congregations for these services.
Holy Week:
Palm Sunday The season of lent concludes with holy week, begun on Palm Sunday in which worshippers gather outside the worship space and process into it bearing palm fronds, in a small reenactment of the Savior's triumphal entry to Jerusalem the week before the Passover.
Maundy Thursday is the next major festival during Holy Week. The congregation gathers for Holy Communion for the last time before the festival of the resurrection on Easter. The texts of the day focus on the last supper and on Christ's salutary command to serve one another, not as we wish to be served, but rather as we have been served by Christ, with our entire lives. This service concludes in silence as the alter is stripped of it's paraments and left bare.
Good Friday is the celebration of the crucifixion of Jesus the Christ. Many new Christians wonder what is good about it, the more mature Christian identify the crucifixion as the height of Christ's sacrifice, and thus glory. That is the central tension in the Christian faith, strength from weakness, life from death. Holy Communion is never celebrated at this service.
Easter Sunday, along with being the acknowledged birthday of the church is the first, and most festive celebration of the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus the Christ. This is the day on which we celebrate the finding of the empty tomb, the resurrection of our Lord. This service ALWAYS involves a celebration of Holy Communion. There is also a Sunrise service on this morning, led largely by the members of the confirmation class. Between services breakfast is served by the talented ladies of the church.
Blessing of the Hunt:
At the beginning of the season, the local equestrian hunt club comes out mounted in full regalia, with boots, helmets, pinques, breaches, hounds and all in order to receive a blessing for a good, safe hunt, as well as a Saint Hubertus medal. The blessing is conducted in the parking lot of the church and as long as Pastor Andersen is not "watered" by any of the hounds, and the horses can keep from eating the parsonage flowers, a good time is had by all.
Blessing of the Backpacks:
The 2006 Northern Illinois Synod Assembly was honored to have Paul G. Hill as the Guest speaker. Paul Hill pointed out that a child's backpack, or school bag, is the only thing that stays with them all day, everyday, through school, as it is carried from room to room, from one class to another, from one place to another, on the bus, off the bus, to the babysitters, to the friends house. The school back pack is the one thing the child carries with them everywhere, and it is the one thing that perhaps contains a little bit of home, be it a packed lunch, a favorite toy, or just a familiar smell. The backpack can be the only thing familiar to a child in a frightening or difficult situation. You might find a lost kid, but rarely will you find a lost backpack. And that is, as Paul pointed out, a big job for a yard or so of nylon and leather, held together with thread and zippers. They (and the children too) need our blessings. So we took the idea and ran with it. On the loathsome last Sunday before School starts we have all of the kids in the congregation (and we are blessed to have many of them) bring their shiny new backpacks and school supplies with them to church, and we have them come forward to receive that blessing that they so sorely need.
Confirmation:
Confirmations are performed on Reformation Sunday. A good time is had by all, particularly the confirmation students who must no longer suffer the cruelty Pastor Andersen inflicts upon them. Having confirmation on Reformation Sunday instead of on Pentecost allows the students a few extra (often needed) weeks to finish up their required work.