NEWS

The people of First Lutheran wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!

As we give thanks for the past year, and especially for God’s abiding love for us, we offer this prayer:

Almighty God our Father, your generous goodness comes to us new every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen

(from Evangelical Lutheran Worship)

Through bible readings, hymn singing and anthems by our Chancel Choir, we will re-tell the story of how God sent Jesus to us as a little baby.

Join us for this beautiful candlelight service and for Christmas cookies in the Atrium after!

Our next American Red Cross blood drive is quickly approaching! To see available appointments and pre-register for our drive, just click here: BLOOD DRIVE SCHEDULE

NOTE: You can also go to the ARC website https://www.redcross.org , click on “Give Blood” and then “Find a Blood Drive”, to find other local blood drives in your area.

Please join our lifesaving mission and schedule an appointment today!

A scene from a past blood drive

The Appalachian Wind Quintet will kick off the 2024-25 Fine Arts at First concert series on Sunday, September 22, 4 p.m., with a delightful program of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, including the Quintet for Piano and Winds Mozart considered one of his best pieces.

Members of the Appalachian Wind Quintet are flutist Barbara Spicher, oboist Ed Stanley, clarinetist Rick Mogensen, bassoonist Scott Cassada, and horn player Stephen Pastena. The Quintet will be joined for the concert by violinist Tim McClure, violist Alice BIsh and pianist David Erickson

All Fine Arts at First concerts are free and open to the public. A free will offering will be taken. Parking is available in the church’s main lot, accessible from High Street, or the overflow lot, accessible from Liberty Avenue (which runs behind the church parallel to High Street). Street parking is also available on High and Bedford streets.

Attendees are invited to enjoy a reception in the Martin Luther Room after the concert. Please join us!

First Lutheran is delighted to host the second concert in a summer series being offered by local singers Nina Cline (soprano), Leah Kaye Serr (mezzo-soprano), Christyan Seay (tenor), and Matthew Robinson (baritone), with Daniel Dorty, collaborative pianist, featuring solo and ensemble selections of opera, operetta, musical theater and sacred music.

The concert is free and open to the public. A free will offering will be taken.

Parking is available on High Street (unmetered on our block), our large main parking lot (accessed via High Street) and our overflow lot (accessed via Liberty Avenue).

Join us for a wonderful afternoon of music!

Pictured: Nina, Leah, Christyan and Matthew at the first concert of the series on June 23 at Saint Patrick Roman Catholic Cathedral in Harrisburg.

On Sunday, June 23rd, we will hold one communion service at 9:15 a.m., followed by a continental breakfast in the Martin Luther Room. This is an opportunity for our two worshiping communities – the ‘early’ folks and the ‘late’ folks – to gather together around Christ’s table…and then the breakfast table! All are invited!

Scenes from a past Fellowship Sunday breakfast!

On Saturday, April 20, the 2023-24 Fine Arts at First series will conclude with a concert by the Lebanon Valley College Choir. This fifty-plus member ensemble, directed by Tyler Canonico, sings a variety of repertoire including fine music drawn from centuries past and newly-composed pieces.

All Fine Arts at First concerts are free and open to the public. A free will offering will be taken.

Attendees are invited to greet the musicians and enjoy a cookie reception in the Martin Luther Room after the concert.

Parking is available on High Street (unmetered on our block), our large main parking lot (accessed via High Street) and our overflow lot (accessed via Liberty Avenue).

Maundy Thursday is the first of the great Three Days (also known as the Triduum). On Maundy Thursday we remember the new commandment Jesus gave us to love one another, which he modeled for us by washing his disciples’ feet. We also remember the last supper Jesus shared with his disciples, a meal we continue to celebrate more than two millennia later.

Please join us at 7 p.m. for Holy Communion with the stripping of the chancel.

Good Friday is the second of the great Three Days (also known as the Triduum). On Good Friday, our focus is on the Passion of Our Lord and prayers for the world He died to save.

Our nave will be open for prayer, meditation and reflection from 12 noon to 3 p.m. on Good Friday. At noon and at 3 p.m., Pastor Leber will offer brief sung prayers known as the Solemn Reproaches. Please enter through the Atrium entrance (off the main parking lot). You may take either the elevator or the stairs up to the nave. The High Street doors will not be open during this time, except from 1:30-2 p.m. when participants in the Carlisle community Stations of the Cross walk will enter to pray two stations in the nave.

At 7 p.m. we will gather for the reading of the Passion according to St. John. The service will include hymns, several anthems by a small choral ensemble, the traditional bidding prayer for Good Friday and adoration of the cross.

Please join us as we reflect upon the life-giving cross, on which was hung the Savior of the world.

Join us as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord with festival Holy Communion at 8 and 10:30 a.m. Between services (from 9-10 a.m.), enjoy fellowship, a light breakfast, and egg hunts for the kids (at 9:30)!

Lent, the 40-day period (not including Sundays) preceding Easter Sunday, is a time of repentance, reflection and preparation.

Please join us for study and worship during this important season of the church year. On Sunday mornings, we gather for holy communion at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

From 9:15-10 a.m. on Sunday, February 18, 25, March 3, 10, 17, and 24, an adult Faith Formation series based on the book “WItness at the Cross” will be held in room 22.

On Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m. (February 21, 28, March 6, 13 and 20), Pastor Leber will lead a bible study of the gospel of Mark followed by a brief evening prayer service (location TBA).

All are welcome – all are invited!

We are delighted to announce that the renovation of 132 East High Street, Carlisle, has begun!

The 100+ year old house, owned by First Lutheran since 1997 and sitting on a parcel of its property at the corner of East High and South Bedford, was gifted by the congregation to Safe Harbour in December 2023. Safe Harbour, a non-profit, provides a continuum of services to people experiencing homelessness in Cumberland County.

Safe Harbour has received a number of grants to renovate the house into three affordable housing units.

Since the building already exists, a ground-breaking wasn’t appropriate – so several folks (including Pastor Leber) got to take a sledgehammer to a wall inside!

Our congregation is grateful to be able to help increase the number of (desperately-needed) affordable housing units in our community, and we look forward to welcoming new neighbors to our block when the renovations are completed in 12-14 months!

Special thanks to the Borough of Carlisle and HARB for their help and support during this process.

On Wednesday, February 14, we begin the season of Lent, a time of baptismal renewal and of repentance and an opportunity to engage in the Lenten disciplines of giving alms, praying and fasting.  We will gather for holy communion and imposition of ashes at 12:15 p.m. and 7 p.m.

We invite you to join us on Ash Wednesday, when we hear this holy promise: though “we are dust, and to dust we shall return,” we are also beloved children of God, saved by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Join us for worship in the weeks ahead as we focus on Jesus’ baptism and the early days of His ministry!

During the time after Epiphany, we hear how Jesus called disciples, taught, and healed. The season will conclude with the Transfiguration of our Lord on Sunday, February 11.

We gather for holy communion each Sunday at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Join us at 8 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 31, 2023, as we celebrate the First Sunday of Christmas with a service of lessons and carols and holy communion!

Merry Christmas!

We rejoice with Mary, the servant of the Lord, as we celebrate the fourth and final Sunday of Advent this Sunday. “And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.”

We will follow our normal Sunday morning worship schedule, with holy communion at 8 and 10:30 a.m.

Join us as we prepare to celebrate our Savior’s birth!

Pictured above is Mary, displayed each December at our door on High Street to bless our neighborhood and passers-by.

O come, let us adore him!

Both of our Christmas Eve services include carols, holy communion and candle lighting. Our 7 p.m. festival service will be preceded by special music beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Join us as we celebrate the birth of Jesus!

Pictured: the Nativity window in our nave.

Each year, the Salvation Army Angel Tree Project provides Christmas gifts to hundreds of children in our community. Thanks to all who have already taken an angel tree tag! A few tags are left if you still would like to participate. Gifts are due at the church no later than Monday, November 25. Items should be placed in a large black plastic bag (one for each child) with the angel tag attached to the bag.

Thank you for your generosity toward our community!

First Lutheran will be participating again this year in the downtown Carlisle trick-or-treat event known as “Spooky Saturday”. In recent years, several hundred children and parents have passed through our doors and received candy and information about our congregation. This is a great opportunity to show hospitality to our neighbors.

We will need volunteers to welcome trick-or-treaters and help give out candy on October 21. If you can help for an hour or two between noon and 3 p.m., please let the church office know. If you cannot volunteer that afternoon, you can still help by bringing a bag of candy to the church office sometime before Friday, October 20. Thank you!!

Sunday morning adult faith formation has resumed! We gather from 9:15 – 10:00 a.m. in room 22 (upper level of the Christian Education wing). 

Myths about Religion and Politics in America – September 10, 17 & 24 – Dr. Sarah Niebler

Slavery, Religion and the Civil War – October 8, 15, & 22 – Richard Wood

Coffee and tea is available in the Atrium following faith formation, from 10-10:15 a.m.

Join us!

Chancel Choir rehearsals resumed on Thursday, August 31, at 7:00 p.m. in the choir room (lower level). The choir, lead by David Erickson, will rehearse most Thursdays this fall and sing during the 10:30 a.m. worship service 1-2 times a month. The choir will also begin preparing music for the December 17th service of Lessons and Carols.

Please consider joining the Chancel Choir to “Make a Joyful Noise unto the Lord”. It’s not too late! Contact David with any questions, dve@pa.net or (717) 602-7736 (cell).

Thanks to all who helped us celebrate “Christmas in July”! Hundreds of “care kits” – socks for men, women and children filled with personal hygiene items and snacks – were assembled from your donations.

The care kits were blessed during worship on Sunday, September 3, and are being distributed through the Community CARES locations in Shippensburg and Carlisle. 

Community CARES provides emergency shelter, resources, and supportive services to individuals and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness, and First Lutheran is grateful to be able to support its ministries.

May we be inspired all year long by the joy, peace and hope of Christmas!