Ash Wednesday
February 18, 2026

Services at 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. It is a season focused on repentance, reflection, and preparation for the celebration of Easter. 

What Ash Wednesday Represents 

•          Human mortality: The ashes remind us that because of sin, our earthly lives are temporary. The words often spoken—“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”—echo God’s words in Scripture.

•          Repentance: Ash Wednesday calls Christians to confess their sins and trust in the forgiveness won by Jesus Christ on the cross.

•          The start of Lent: This day begins a 40‑day period (excluding Sundays) of reflection on Christ’s passion, emphasizing His sacrifice for the salvation of the world.

Why Ashes Are Used

While the use of ashes is optional in LCMS congregations, Zion includes this historic practice:

•          The ashes come from burning the previous year’s Palm Sunday palms.

•          They are placed on the forehead in the shape of a cross, pointing not to our works but to Christ’s redeeming work.

•          In Lutheran theology, ashes symbolize repentance, humility, and the reality of sin—yet the cross proclaims the Gospel and the certainty of forgiveness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Palm Sunday / Sunday of the Passion
March 29, 2026

Services at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM

Holy Week begins with both joy and solemnity. We wave palm branches in celebration of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, even as the readings turn our attention toward His coming Passion. This day sets the tone for the week: Christ is the King who reigns through the cross.

Traditionally, the children of our congregation walk in a joyful procession, waving palm branches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maundy Thursday
April 2, 2026

Services at 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM

Maundy Thursday marks the beginning of the Three Holy Days (the Triduum).

This service centers on:

•          The Institution of the Lord’s Supper, where Christ gives His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins

•          The Mandatum, Jesus’ command to love one another as He has loved us

•          The Stripping of the Altar, symbolizing Christ being abandoned, arrested, and taken away

The tone shifts from the intimacy of the Upper Room to the darkness of Gethsemane, where Jesus is betrayed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Friday
April 3, 2026

Services at 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM

Good Friday is the most solemn day of the church year. We gather to meditate on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, who willingly bears the sin of the world.

Many LCMS congregations observe:

•          The Chief Service, focused on the reading of the Passion and the Adoration of the Cross

•          Tenebrae (Service of Darkness), where candles are gradually extinguished as the story of Christ’s death unfolds

•          Silent prayer and contemplation, remembering the depth of Christ’s sacrifice

Good Friday is not a funeral for Jesus — it is the proclamation of His victory through the cross.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Resurrection of Our Lord — Easter Sunday
April 5, 2026

Services at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM

Easter morning bursts with joy as we celebrate the victory of Jesus Christ over sin, death, and the grave. The alleluias return, the church is filled with flowers and song, and the Gospel proclaims the good news: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Easter worship often includes:

•          Festive music and hymns

•          The Lord’s Supper

•          A proclamation of the empty tomb and the promise of eternal life

Easter is not only a day — it is the beginning of a season of celebration that lasts fifty days.

Christ Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed!