As we gather for worship in our own communities during these coming Holy Days we are connected with services across the church…for example the Welcome Church in Philadelphia, PA which will offer an outdoor Maundy Thursday service for those who are homeless in Philadelphia. You can read more about the service and the Welcome Church here. This church grew out of the Welcome Center at Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion, where Rev. Steve Keiser serves as pastor. Rev. Keiser was extraordinarily ordained in January of 2009 and received onto the ELCA roster in 2011.

Grace Lutheran Church in Houston, Texas is holding services beginning today, including an Easter vigil, which Pastor Lura Groen is billing as “Fire! Story! Water! Bread! Wine! Mystery! Life!”  Pastor Lura, ELCA rostered, ELM board member and member of Proclaim, the professional community for publicly-identified LGBTQ Lutheran rostered leaders and seminarians, was on Facebook this week learning how to dye eggs in preparation for the homeless LGBTQ youth they serve through Grace Place, a new project at Grace.

How are you preparing for this Easter in your congregation or community?