Lenten Worship: The Light Shines in the Darkness
Wednesdays at 6:30 pm & Sundays at 9:30 am
Feb. 18–March 25
No worship on April 1
This Lent, we are worshiping with Unfailing Light, an evening setting of Holy Communion written by Susan Briehl, with music by Marty Haugen. Originally written for communities gathering at the close of the day, this setting draws on Scripture that speaks to transitions—between light and darkness, between what has been and what is still becoming.
Throughout the season, worship invites us to step out of time measured by clocks and calendars and into sacred time shaped by God’s story, time rooted in the past, widening toward the future, and open to eternity.
The liturgy weaves together Scripture from across the Bible, including psalms traditionally sung at sundown before Passover, the first light of creation in Genesis, and the promise of new creation from Revelation. These texts help frame our worship as a movement through gathering, word, meal, and sending, the ancient pattern of Christian worship practiced since the earliest church.
At the heart of this setting is the story of the two disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus as the sun sets on the day of Christ’s resurrection (Luke 24). Their journey shapes our prayer and reminds us that Christ often meets us along the way, sometimes before we even recognize him.
Each week, we reflect on where God’s unfailing light meets us:
Arise (Isaiah 60:1–5) — God’s light calls us to rise and shine
The Light Within Us (Genesis 1:1–5) — God’s creative light at work in us
Let Us Not Grow Weary (Galatians 6:7–10) — Hope and perseverance in doing what is right
Being Together (Matthew 18:20) — God’s presence when we gather
When the Light Seems Hidden (Luke 24:13–35) — Christ with us, even when we don’t yet recognize him
As in every season, Christ meets us in word and sacrament. Our hearts are stirred as Scripture is opened, our eyes are opened in the breaking of the bread, and we are sent out nourished, strengthened, and renewed to become what we have received, for the sake of the world God loves.
Whether you worship weekly or join us occasionally, you are welcome to walk this Lenten journey with us.