Since the 1920’s, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Wilkes-Barre, has hosted an annual series of weekly Lenten Services for the Community, led by clergy from participating Wilkes-Barre churches of various denominations, both Catholic and Protestant. Over the years, this series has grown in popularity and now includes organ recitals (at 11:30 a.m.) the service (at 12 p.m.), and a soup and sandwich lunch (immediately after the service) for $4.00 in the Auditorium of St. Stephen’s Parish House.
The featured organ recitalists this year represent a splendid group of both local and regional performers. The list follows here ….
Wednesday, March 4
Jane Bourdow
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Alexandria VA
Wednesday, March 11
Victor Fields
Trinity United Church of Christ, York PA
Wednesday, March 18
Stephen Buzard
Trinity Episcopal Church, Princeton NJ
Wednesday, March 25
Stephen Williams
St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Allentown PA
Wednesday, April 1
Kevin O’Malia
First United Methodist Church of Germantown, PA
Wednesday, April 8
Alain Truche
Covenant Presbyterian Church, Scranton PA
The series of ecumenical services this year will feature the theme, “The Beatitudes”. Officiants and homilists will include clergy from participating Wilkes-Barre churches, including Central United Methodist, Christ United Presbyterian, First Presbyterian, Good Shepherd Lutheran, St. Clement’s & St. Peter’s Episcopal, St. Nicholas’ Roman Catholic, St. Stephen’s, Unity, and Westminster Presbyterian. The organist and music coordinator for these services is Mark Laubach, organist and choirmaster of St. Stephen’s. The noon services will also feature special music presented by gifted individuals and ensembles from our community. These will include the Marywood University Chamber Singers, the Wyoming Seminary Madrigal Singers, mezzo-soprano Carol Tome, oboist Thomas Heinze, the Misericordia University Chamber Singers, soprano Judy Ann Curtis, and pianist John Curtis.
The lunches that follow each Wednesday’s service are provided by volunteers from the various participating churches. A donation of $4.00 per person is requested for lunch.
Proceeds from offerings received at this series are given to many organizations and institutions that provide food, clothing, and other forms of assistance to those in need in our community. St. Stephen’s Church is located on South Franklin Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre.
