Calling everyone from St. John's Lutheran Church & School - Members and Students!

You can help us make a virtual Palm Sunday procession like we've never done before!



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Since we are all stuck at home as we enter into the holiest week of the church's year to celebrate our Lord's passion, death, and resurrection, we're going to think of some unique ways that we can celebrate.

This week we're going to put together a virtual Palm Sunday procession. Here's how you can participate:

Making the Palms

Our palm branches are not going to be delivered this year. So let's make our own. 

Click here for one "Palm Branch" project idea. You can also search the internet or use your own ingenuity to produce some palms for our parade.

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Singing a Song

With your newly minted palm branches, take a video of you and your family singing "All Glory, Laud, and Honor" (click here for music and words). 

To keep it simple (and the file sizes small) record the refrain and each verse separately. Here are the assignments:

Pre through 1st: refrain & verse 1 (practice video)
2nd-3rd: refrain & verses 2 & 3 (practice video)
4th and up: refrain & verses 4 and 5 (practice video)
Everyone else: Refrain and pick your favorite verse or two

We'll compile all of our videos together into one song for Palm Sunday. Don't worry about singing well; we want to make a joyful noise to the Lord!

Click here to upload your video files. (This will work best if you transfer your videos to your computer first, and then follow the link through your web browser).


Join the Parade!

This coming Sunday, take your palms on a procession around your block, around your yard, or around your house. Sing our Palm Sunday hymn if you'd like, but make sure to take a picture and email them to office@stjohnschicago.org. We'll post a "virtual Palm Sunday Procession" later on Sunday.

​Click the image below for a pdf file of all prayer services for the week. 

Click on the images below for a pdf file of worship folder for the Fifth Sunday in Lent.

 Service will be live streamed on Facebook live Wednesday, March 25 at 8 p.m. at
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www.facebook.com/StJohnsLutheranChicago

and archived on our Youtube channel:

www.youtube.com/stjohnschicagolcms

Worship folder (click image)

Tune in to Facebook Live Friday, March 20 at 7 p.m.

https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsLutheranChicago

Archived video will be posted below.

Click below for this week's worship folder and insert.

​Continued Ministry at St. John’s during “Social Distancing”

We will continue to have all regularly scheduled worship services at St. John’s during the week of March 15. In addition to our 8 & 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. services, we will live stream our 11 a.m. service for those who are unable to attend in person. Lent services will continue on Wednesday at 4:30 & 7 p.m. We will suspend our coffee hour and Lent soup suppers for at least the next 30 days. Adult Bible class will continue between Sunday morning services. Children’s Sunday School will be suspended until after Easter.

While we want to avoid panic and rest in the assurance of our faith, we also want to take reasonable precautions. 

What we are doing to facilitate “social distancing”:

• No handshaking or other close contact before or after services
• The offering will be collected in the narthex as you come in rather than passing offering plates
• Each service will utilize a washed (and sanitized) set of communion vessels
• Each service will utilize a fresh purificator soaked with grain alcohol to cleanse the rim of the chalice between communicants
• Individual cups will be spaced with at least one open slot between cups to minimize contact with hands 
• No intinction in the chalice
• Communion assistants will wash their hands thoroughly before the beginning of the service and use hand sanitizer before distributing communion

What you can do to facilitate “social distancing”:

• Stay home if you feel ill, and especially if they are exhibiting any cold or flu-like symptoms. 
• Members who are most at risk--those who are over 60 or who have other potential complications--are advised to remain at home until the threat of community spread has diminished. 
• Consider attending Sunday evening or midweek services, which are generally opportunities to worship with fewer in attendance.
• Consider supporting our ongoing ministry through online giving at www.stjohnschicago.church/give-now 

Because the news and recommendations from health officials are constantly changing, we will avoid making any decisions prematurely. We will continue to post an update every Saturday concerning our services for the following week. In addition, we will provide resources for individual and family devotions, especially for families who find themselves at home for the next several weeks. We will also provide some opportunities for meditation and prayer at St. John’s or online over the next several weeks. Please check back often at www.stjohnschicago.church/blog or follow our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/StJohnsLutheranChicago for updates. 

Let us pray. Lord God, heavenly Father, You have daily and richly blessed us with all that we need to support our bodies and lives. Give us confidence that you will continue to deliver us from evil. Let us receive our daily bread with thanksgiving. Quiet our hearts and show us opportunities to love and serve our neighbors in this time of uncertainty. Protect us from all that would harm us, through Jesus and in His name. Amen.