St Paul Lutheran Church Merced

04/19/2026

Save the date! And please, let us know if you're planning to attend. Think of what it would feel like to pray for our nation and neighbors together in community with our fellow believers from throughout Merced.

Love INC is hosting the 75th National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 7th at noon at Bob Hart Square. Come join us as we lift up prayers for our Nation,City and World!

04/06/2026

Easter morning at St. Paul was exactly what it was meant to be: full of life, full of people, and full of joy.

Thank you to everyone who served breakfast and made sure no one started the day on an empty stomach.

Thank you to our young adults and children who brought color and beauty to the cross before service.

And thank you to everyone who put together the Easter egg hunt — watching the kids search for eggs is one of those simple moments that makes this community so special.

Photos below from Keri Good. We'd love to see yours too — share them in the comments! 📷

04/05/2026

The hope of Easter shapes how we worship, teach, treat one another, and why we believe every individual who walks through our doors has immeasurable worth.

Today, breakfast is served in the Parish Hall from 8 to 9:30 a.m. — build your own omelet and enjoy fruit, juice, and coffee before the 10 a.m. service. After worship, our children's ministry team hosts an Easter Egg Hunt on the school playground beginning at 11:45 a.m.

Bring your family. Bring your neighbors. All are welcome to join us in celebrating the Good News of the empty tomb.

04/03/2026

There are over 300 prophecies about the promised Messiah in the Old Testament — all made 450 or more years before Jesus was born.

Jesus fulfilled all of them.

Tonight's 7 p.m. Good Friday Tenebrae Service will focus on some of those 24-hour prophecies. The word “Tenebrae” means darkness, which is often associated with death.

During this service, we will hear some of these prophecies and how Jesus fulfilled them. With each prophecy, the church will get a little darker.

After hearing the last one, the sanctuary will be totally dark with the exception of the “Christ Candle.” It will then be taken out of the Sanctuary, symbolizing Jesus’ burial, and there will be total darkness. It will look like the darkness has won. But then the Christ candle is brought back in, still shining brightly, because Jesus Rose!

The whole sanctuary will be lit up and we will head home eagerly awaiting the good news of Easter.

Join us to share in this powerful experience.

04/02/2026

Holy Week is one of the most meaningful times of the year in the Christian faith. Please join us tonight for the start of our Holy Week services:

- Maundy Thursday Communion Service — TONIGHT at 6:30 p.m.
- Good Friday Tenebrae Service — TOMORROW at 7 p.m.
- Easter Service — SUNDAY at 10 a.m.

Sunday is a big day at St. Paul. We will have breakfast in the Parish Hall from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Build your own omelet, and enjoy fruit, juice and coffee. And after our 10 a.m. service, our children's ministry is hosting an egg hunt for kids 10 and under.

We would love to see you!

03/28/2026

Tomorrow is our congregation-wide potluck. Please join us in the Parish Hall after service for lunch and fellowship.

No chicken or chicken-based ingredients, please. We have a member with a severe allergy.

03/27/2026

What's so "Good" about Good Friday?

After all, Jesus died a terrible death. Maybe it's good for us — but it was horrible for Him.

The answer comes in layers.

First, let's deal with the word "good." Historically, "good" was a synonym for "holy, sanctified, or set apart."

In some cultures, this day has been and still is called "Holy Friday." "Good" was never meant to be understood as joyful in the context of this holy day. It is a somber remembrance that Christ set Himself apart to save us.

Which leads us to another dimension, righteousness.

Our God is a good and righteous God who loves His Creation — He loves us! He did what was "right" and "just" for our salvation. He is truly a "Good God!"

And finally, it is Good News — Gospel.

Jesus loves us so much that He willingly went to the Cross to make atonement for us, while also fulfilling all the prophecies concerning the 24 hours between Christ's preparation for the Lord's Supper and His death on the Cross.

Please join us for all Holy Week services next week:
✝ Sunday, March 29 -- Worship begins at 10; join us for a potluck at 8:30 a.m. in the Parish Hall
✝ Thursday, April 2 -- Maundy Thursday Communion Service at 6:30 p.m.
✝ Friday, April 3 -- Good Friday Tenebrae Service at 7 p.m.
✝ Sunday, April 5 -- Easter Service at 10 a.m.

On Easter, join us for breakfast in the Parish Hall from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Build your own omelet, and enjoy fruit, juice and coffee.

03/26/2026

Why do we call the day that Jesus celebrated His final Passover meal with His disciples “Maundy Thursday?”

Maundy comes from the Latin “Mandatum” which means “Mandate.”

During that Passover meal, Jesus gave His Disciples these mandates:

Love one another as I have loved you. If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, You must become the servants of all and wash each other’s feet. Do this in remembrance of Me.

That final one is why we celebrate the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday. Please join us for service at 7 p.m. on April 2.

03/25/2026

Sunday is our congregation-wide potluck. Please join us in the Parish Hall after service for lunch and fellowship.

No chicken or chicken-based ingredients, please. We have a member with a severe allergy and we want everyone to enjoy the day together.

03/24/2026

Holy Week is one of the most meaningful times of the year in the Christian faith, and we invite everyone — especially those without a church home — to celebrate it with us.

You are welcome to invite your friends, family and neighbors to any of our Holy Week services:

Maundy Thursday Communion Service — 6:30 p.m. on April 2

Good Friday Tenebrae Service — 7 p.m. on April 3

Easter Service — 10 a.m. on April 5

On Easter, we will have breakfast in the Parish Hall from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Build your own omelet, and enjoy fruit, juice and coffee. A freewill offering will be taken to offset the cost.

We will conclude our Wednesday Lent series tomorrow night. The theme is "The True Vine," with a soup supper at 5:45 p.m. and the service at 6:30 p.m.