Weekly Update Jan 29-Feb 4 2024

T Septuagesima T

Prayer Requests:

Gene & Doris Sieck

All those dealing with illnesses and recovering from surgery

Let Pastor know of anyone needing prayers or a visit

Bible Class Formula of Concord – Wednesdays at 9:00 am

Revelation – Sundays – St Peter 11am, Grace 6pm

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This Week’s Schedule...

·  Monday (29th) –

o  Matins 8am

o  Upper Iowa 7pm

·  Tuesday (30th) –

o  Matins 8am

·  Wednesday (31st)

o  Matins 8am

o  Bible Study 9am

o  Midweek 5:30pm

·  Thursday (1st)

o  Matins at St Peter 8am

o  Matins at Grace 9am

·  Friday (2nd)

·  Saturday (3rd)

o  St Peter Voters’ Meeting 1pm

·  Sunday (4th)- Sexagesima  

o  8am – Matins Service at Grace

o  10am – Divine Service at St Peter

o  11am Bible Study at St Peter

o  6pm Bible Study at Grace

Feasts, Festivals, and Commemorations this week...

2/01 – The Purification of Mary and The Presentation of Jesus

Upcoming Events...

Choir News: The Adult Choir will meet on Wednesday evenings at 6pm beginning February 7. Adult Choir will join together with the Midweek Choir on occasion, but will also sing at other times with just the adults. We are still looking for new members to join us. Anyone who likes to sing is welcome and this includes high schoolers.

Installation of Officers: on Sunday Feb. 4th at St Peter the newly elected officers will be installed during the service.

Ember Day Prayer Vigil: On Saturday, February 24th, one of the Ember Days of Lent, St Peter will have an all-day prayer vigil.

What is a vigil?

A vigil is keeping watch as our Lord says, "Stay awake; watch!" Because we watch by faith, looking for the coming of the Christ, we also "watch" by prayer which is the voice of faith. A vigil is a pre-set time set aside for the congregation to focus her prayers together as a congregation. Historically, vigils have been from sundown to sunup, but modernity doesn't really afford this (yet!), so our vigil will be from 6am – 6pm.

The Divine Offices or hours, such as Matins and Vespers, are the framework for a vigil. Our vigil will begin with Matins at 6am and conclude with Vespers at 6pm. There will also be three other Divine Offices at 9am, noon, and 3pm, known as Terce, Sext, and None (3rd, 6th, & 9th hours). These are short, lasting about 15 minutes. They consist of the invocation, psalms, a hymn, a reading from Scripture, and prayers.

The Divine Offices (the hours) build the framework, but you may come and go as you wish or have need. The congregation, even those who are unable to come to the vigil, is also encouraged to fast that day in keeping with our Lord’s words in Matthew 6, “When you fast…when you pray” and the oft found connection in the Scriptures between fasting and prayer.