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Easter Vigil

Saturday, March 22    5:00pm

In the church's early years, few worship events held more significance than the Easter Vigil. It was customary in the early church that new Christians, having been instructed in the faith, were brought forward for baptism on this night. We have maintained that emphasis as in this service we shall renew our baptismal vows. Worship experiences include the Service of Light, the Service of the Readings, the Service of Baptism and the Service of Holy Communion.

      Easter Sunday

Celebration of the Resurrection

Pancake Breakfast
Traditional Celebration Worship
Children's Activities
Contemporary Celebration Worship

7:30am-10:30am
8:30am
9:45am
11:00am

Men's Pancake Breakfast   

The celebration of the risen Christ begins with the men of St. John gathering to cook pancakes and sausage for the congregation. This time together marks the end of the Lenten season, a forty-day period for reflection, sacrifice, re-dedication and preparation for Holy Week.

As we walk with Jesus from the wilderness to the cross, we take stock of our lives, our values and our faith. Traditionally, we give up certain foods and drink as we prepare for God's tremendous redemption and the resurrected life that we prayerfully seek as Christians.

Egg Hunt

Although secular traditions purport that a bunny hides Easter eggs, the religious aspects symbolized by eggs is rooted in Lent. 

In Western Christianity, eggs were viewed as meat which would have been forbidden during Lenten fasting. 

In Jewish tradition, the Passover Seder service uses a hard-cooked egg flavored with salt water to symbolize new life and the Temple service in Jerusalem.  

In the Orthodox tradition, red colored eggs are given to friends with Easter greetings to symbolize Mary Magdalene's visit to the

Emperor of Rome after the Ascension of Christ. She greeted him with "Christ is risen" as she gave him a red egg. 

At St. John, we truly love this time of fellowship, eagerness and anticipation with some of our youngest worshippers. 

We remember the crowds that cheered Jesus and laid palms before him as he rode on a donkey into Jerusalem. 

"Maundy" is the English translation of the Latin word for "commandment mandate," for the new commandment Christ gave us to "love one another as I have loved you."

Seder Meal 6:00pm

The Seder is one part of the present-day Jewish Passover celebration. This celebration of freedom originates from God's deliverance, through Moses, of the Israelites from slavery.

Christians recognize the significance surrounding this historically symbolic meal.  It was during this Passover celebration that Christ, on the night that he was betrayed, instituted Holy Communion.

Communion 7:30pm

On this evening, Jesus and his followers shared bread and wine as part of their meal. Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of me." He also taught them to serve others. Our service ends with the stripping of the alter as we anticipate Jesus' arrest.

On this day, Jesus was tried and the people called for him to be crucified. We recall Jesus' time under arrest, his death on the cross and his hasty burial in a stranger's tomb. Worship calls us to remember Jesus' self-giving sacrifice, suffering and death.

St. John Lutheran Church 215 W. Wallace Shawnee, OK 74801 405-273-1539 PastorKLFL@aol.com
A congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that is living in God's amazing grace.
"Marked with the cross of Christ forever, we are claimed, gathered, and sent for the sake of the world."
© 2007 St. John Lutheran Church All Rights Reserved