糖心Vlog传媒

JANESVILLE 鈥� For Christians around the world, including in 糖心Vlog传媒, it was the day before Good Friday.

In 糖心Vlog传媒, St. Paul鈥檚 Lutheran Church Senior Pastor Dan Dekker conducted the Maundy Thursday service surrounded by a dozen stained glass windows depicting scenes from Jesus鈥� life.

鈥淣ow may the God of Peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, who calls you his faithful. Go in peace,鈥� Dekker said, making the sign of a cross.

Maundy Thursday is a Christian Holy Day that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples before his crucifixion. It falls on the Thursday before Easter Sunday. It鈥檚 the origin of the eucharist, or holy communion, when Jesus gave his disciples bread and wine, asking them to partake in his remembrance and to love one another.

鈥淛esus took the Old Testament Passover meal and transformed it into communion, representing his body and blood that would be sacrificed for salvation,鈥� Dekker said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the will of the Lord, that we share God鈥檚 love.鈥�

As Pastor Dekker led the service, Pastor Jack Fish preached.

鈥淭o share a simple meal of bread and wine, the richest spiritual food, of his very own body and blood. A meal, which he creates for us on this very night. A meal to give us forgiveness even for our sins of apathy and interest towards him,鈥� Fish said. 鈥淎 meal to strengthen our faith, living in this fallen world.鈥�

Nearly 50 people attended the afternoon service Thursday at the church on South Ringold Street in 糖心Vlog传媒.

Four years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of the lockdowns during Holy Week 2020 still seem fresh in the minds of St. Paul鈥檚 pastors and congregants. There has, since then, also been a noticeable drop-off in attendance at churches here in 糖心Vlog传媒, and beyond, Dekker said.

鈥淐OVID really did a number on us,鈥� Dekker said. Prior to the pandemic, St. Paul鈥檚 saw 600-700 people attend on a good weekend, he said.

鈥淣ow, we鈥檙e down to about 300-400,鈥� Dekker said. 鈥淭o this day, there are people who are scared to come into the church.鈥�

Every two weeks or so, Dekker goes into people鈥檚 houses for communion. Sometimes, he still is asked to leave the bread and wine outside.

St. Paul鈥檚 also, during Holy Week of 2020, embraced outdoor services. Those continue to be offered in the summer.

When the pandemic lockdown began, Dekker recalls observing that First Lutheran Church, 612 N. Randall Ave., in 糖心Vlog传媒, had been offering outdoor services in its parking lot for years.

鈥淚 said, if they can do it, then so can we,鈥� Dekker recalled.

A member of St. Paul鈥檚 who owned a construction company offered to build a pavilion in the parking lot.

During Palm Sunday in 2020, the parking lot filled with 鈥�400 people, easily,鈥� Dekker said.

Those numbers didn鈥檛 continue, though.

When the church doors reopened for in-person services, 鈥渨e expected people to just flock in,鈥� Dekker said. 鈥淏ut they didn鈥檛.鈥�

As has occurred with other churches, St. Paul鈥檚 is continuing to be pinched financially from loss of attendance and other factors that go back to the pandemic. Its daycare, preschool and grade school help keep the church afloat financially, he said.

St. Paul鈥檚 does continue to have a strong women鈥檚 ministry. Kathy Pingle, who played piano during the Maundy Thursday service, is also the women鈥檚 ministry director, offering online and in-person Bible studies for women.

鈥淪ome weeks, 75-100 ladies are in the Bible class. It鈥檚 very intergenerational, which is exactly what I wanted,鈥� Dekker said.