ST. JOHN MESSENGER

March 2026

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VERSES FROM ISAIAH 53

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed his stricken, smitten by God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was crushed for iniquities. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. V. 4-5
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord has laid upon him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, like a sheep that before the shearer is silent, so he opened not his mouth. V 6-7

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant make many to be accounted righteous. And he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he will divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death V 10

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

During the majority of the month of March this year, we will be observing the holy season of Lent. But since Holy Week falls at the end of the month and Easter on the first Sunday in April, I’ll be using this newsletter to share a few things about Holy Week and Easter. 
It is not an overstatement to call Holy Week the holiest and most important week of the year.

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, which is March 29th this year. And while the hymns and mood of the day have a somewhat festive and celebratory feeling, we also remember that as the crowd and little children sing their “Hosannas,” the Scribes and Pharisees are plotting behind the scenes. 

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We will start the 9:00 service at St. John–Tigerton and the 10:30 service at St. John–Caroline with the Palm Procession again this year. The Service will begin in the back of the church with the congregation facing the rear of the church to hear the Palm Sunday account from John 12. Then as the hymn “All Glory, Laud, and Honor” is sung, the Sunday school kids, along with any congregation members that also want to participate, will carry their palm branches forward during the hymn and place them at the foot of the cross. After placing the palms at the foot of the cross, everyone returns to their seats. The other reading for the day is part of the Passion from the Gospel of Matthew which helps to reinforce the two themes of the day. One of gladness and another of sadness. 
 
Being the holiest and most important week of the year, it should come as no surprise that there will be several church services throughout the week. Please plan to attend all of them! The first service after Palm Sunday will be the Holy (Maundy) Thursday services. Holy Thursday begins what is known as the Triduum or the “three days.” The Holy Thursday service ends with the stripping of the altar and the congregation leaving in silence. This is meant to remind us that while we get to go home after the service what our Lord endured in the Garden of Gethsemane and at the High Priest’s Palace on the night when he was betrayed lasted through the whole night. 

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The Good Friday services begin in silence, to remind us that what began on Thursday night is not yet over. Having moved from the High Priest’s Palace to Pilate’s headquarters early on Friday morning our Lord is condemned to die having done no wrong, and uncomplaining he goes to suffer hell and all that justice demands for our salvation on the cross. Again, we leave the church in silence, meditating on what our Lord has done and eagerly awaiting his resurrection. 

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The third day of the Triduum is Holy Saturday, which ends with the Great Vigil of Easter. This year on Saturday, April 4, St. Jakobi Lutheran Church- Shawano will be hosting the Great Vigil of Easter at 6:30 p.m. The Vigil rotates between our parish and the Missouri Synod parishes at Bear Creek, Embarrass, and St. Jakobi-Shawano. I hope you can make this service at St. Jakobi this year. It is a one-of-a-kind service and has over the years become one of my favorites!

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Which brings us at last to Easter Sunday or as it is more formally known, “The Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord”. Because that is what we are celebrating! Not bunnies or candy (as fun as those things are). No, we welcome the happiest morning of all boldly singing that our Lord is risen from the dead, never to die again. He has conquered sin, death and hell in the fight. He rises on the third day, as the Victorious One, and we along with him, who by faith, by baptism, by his body and blood in the Holy Communion are united to him, to his death and resurrection. If there was ever something to celebrate, this is it!

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Pastor Suehring
 

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