The Triduum between Gettysburg, PA and Brooklyn, NY...Good liturgy on Holy Thursday and Good Friday at St. James in Gettysburg.It was a glorious Easter in Brooklyn, NY: celebrant at Epiphany Lutheran with 6 baptisms, and 13 first communions; attending St. Matthew/St. Luke Episcopal Church, and visiting family in the afternoon.
Champagne was the order of the evening or early morning as we celebrated my sister's 66th birthday.
Showing posts with label St. James Lutheran Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label St. James Lutheran Church. Show all posts
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Lenten Journey
There are several areas of reflection for me during this Lenten season.
For the first time in several years I have attended mid-week Lenten liturgies at St. James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg. With the Word given by a lay person and Pr. Michael Allwein presiding at the Eucharist it has been a powerful journey so far. I have heard powerful talks on "change" from three lay persons. Each talk was unique but each indicated the power of the Word of God in their lives. The talks were reminders for all of us that the Word of God continues to sustain and empower us in the more difficult of times in our lives. On this last Wednesday in Lent, Allwein summarized all the reflections that were heard. He stated, "It takes courage to walk through the changes." The question that he brought before us, "How does God work in our lives in the midst of the changes?" I will ponder the question during the post-Easter period.
On the weekend of March 21 I drove to Buffalo, New York to attend the memorial service for Pastor Kathleen Gahagen/Pastor KEG. She died at the age of 44 having lived with cystic fibrosis for all of those years. I remember her growing up in East Cleveland, OH were her father was the pastor. I recall her graduation from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and chuckle when I remember an e-mail she sent to me after meeting her confirmation class for the first time when she was called to the congregation in Buffalo. Kathleen had a passion for the gospel. Preaching, teaching, and pastoral care were important for her. She didn't let her illness define her...it was the Word of God that centered her life and interactions with all she met. That was clear in the various remembrances that were share at the liturgy. It was also clear in the sermon that was shared by her brother, Pastor Patrick Gahagen. I left the liturgy blessed that I had known Kathleen, pastor.
This has been a good Lent.
For the first time in several years I have attended mid-week Lenten liturgies at St. James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg. With the Word given by a lay person and Pr. Michael Allwein presiding at the Eucharist it has been a powerful journey so far. I have heard powerful talks on "change" from three lay persons. Each talk was unique but each indicated the power of the Word of God in their lives. The talks were reminders for all of us that the Word of God continues to sustain and empower us in the more difficult of times in our lives. On this last Wednesday in Lent, Allwein summarized all the reflections that were heard. He stated, "It takes courage to walk through the changes." The question that he brought before us, "How does God work in our lives in the midst of the changes?" I will ponder the question during the post-Easter period.
On the weekend of March 21 I drove to Buffalo, New York to attend the memorial service for Pastor Kathleen Gahagen/Pastor KEG. She died at the age of 44 having lived with cystic fibrosis for all of those years. I remember her growing up in East Cleveland, OH were her father was the pastor. I recall her graduation from Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and chuckle when I remember an e-mail she sent to me after meeting her confirmation class for the first time when she was called to the congregation in Buffalo. Kathleen had a passion for the gospel. Preaching, teaching, and pastoral care were important for her. She didn't let her illness define her...it was the Word of God that centered her life and interactions with all she met. That was clear in the various remembrances that were share at the liturgy. It was also clear in the sermon that was shared by her brother, Pastor Patrick Gahagen. I left the liturgy blessed that I had known Kathleen, pastor.
This has been a good Lent.
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