Las Vegas Church Gives Up Worship for Lent
Many Christians give up something to observe Lent but perhaps it is a first for a church to give up worship services. Good Samaritan Lutheran Church of Las Vegas was forced to deal with a space issue and decided to go into the community to "be the church" instead of holding traditional midweek services during the season of Lent.
Las Vegas, NV, March 20, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Good Samaritan Lutheran Church in Las Vegas decided to give up something rather unique for Lent this year; namely midweek worship services.
Forced to deal with the reality of a school bulging at the seams and a challenge to find space for evening worship services, Pastor Don Lorfing said “We decided instead of doing church we would go out and be the church!”
Last week, over 30 of Good Samaritan’s parishioners went to the Acacia Springs assisted living facility and sang for the residents. After the music ended, the church members gave gifts to over 120 residents and visited with them.
Lorfing said that the church members had a great time interacting with the residents and that a number of families brought their kids in order to teach them the importance of serving others. Some of the residents couldn’t believe they were getting a gift from a church they had never attended.
“We often say that it is important that a church not become a club; but, that we reach out to our community, just as Jesus would have done,” Lorfing added. “When we first approached our members about giving up evening worship for Lent we weren’t sure how they would react but the response has been great!”
In the weeks ahead, members of Good Samaritan will help sort food and stock shelves at the 3 Square Food Bank, help serve dinner at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, visit the homes of shut ins and will prepare Easter baskets for distribution to needy children throughout the Las Vegas valley with donations given by the congregation.
All of this will happen in place of the traditional mid-week Lenten services. “Many Christian traditions teach the practice of giving up something for Lent; we might just be the first Christian church that gave up worship for Lent,” Lorfing said. “But we think we might have replaced it with something that will reach more people than an in-house church service. And, I think that might be exactly what Jesus would do,” he concluded.
Forced to deal with the reality of a school bulging at the seams and a challenge to find space for evening worship services, Pastor Don Lorfing said “We decided instead of doing church we would go out and be the church!”
Last week, over 30 of Good Samaritan’s parishioners went to the Acacia Springs assisted living facility and sang for the residents. After the music ended, the church members gave gifts to over 120 residents and visited with them.
Lorfing said that the church members had a great time interacting with the residents and that a number of families brought their kids in order to teach them the importance of serving others. Some of the residents couldn’t believe they were getting a gift from a church they had never attended.
“We often say that it is important that a church not become a club; but, that we reach out to our community, just as Jesus would have done,” Lorfing added. “When we first approached our members about giving up evening worship for Lent we weren’t sure how they would react but the response has been great!”
In the weeks ahead, members of Good Samaritan will help sort food and stock shelves at the 3 Square Food Bank, help serve dinner at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, visit the homes of shut ins and will prepare Easter baskets for distribution to needy children throughout the Las Vegas valley with donations given by the congregation.
All of this will happen in place of the traditional mid-week Lenten services. “Many Christian traditions teach the practice of giving up something for Lent; we might just be the first Christian church that gave up worship for Lent,” Lorfing said. “But we think we might have replaced it with something that will reach more people than an in-house church service. And, I think that might be exactly what Jesus would do,” he concluded.
Contact
Good Samaritan Lutheran Church
Scott Hove
(702) 873-3589
www.goodsamlv.com
Scott Hove
(702) 873-3589
www.goodsamlv.com
Contact
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