Word-up Wednesday Worship Starting Nov. 30

Old Testament prophecy, contemporary poetry, easy-to-sing music, and participant Bible study will all be part of the new Word-up Wednesday church service, which will start on November 30, at St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 537 Bolton St., Marlborough. The weekly 6:30 p.m. service will be about an hour long, and will include communion.
    “This is a opportunity for people who can’t get to church on Sundays to come and experience Jesus,” says the Rev. Joseph Graumann, St. Stephen pastor. “It’s a great choice for people who want to learn,” he adds, and, through the Bible study discussion, to “be part of the conversation.” The pastor notes Word-up Wednesday is designed to be “meditative, spiritual, and relevant to today.”
    The service, which begins during the pre-Christmas season of Advent, will be more like a gathering in the catacombs than a formal service in the cathedral. Traditionally, in the first century church, for example, “early Christians sang songs you didn’t need a hymnbook for, shared stories of their ancestors, talked about God at work in the world, and shared communion,” Graumann added.  At St. Stephen, everyone who wishes to share the bread and wine is welcome at communion.
    Readings for the Bible study will correspond with the church season. For advent, stories will range from Isaiah in the Old Testament to the story of Mary in the New Testament, and how they speak to us today.
     For more information about the church, visit our website or the church’s Facebook page. Saint Stephen is a member of the New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  The church is a Reconciling in Christ congregation, inviting people of every gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability, marital status, or class. Parishioners come from Marlborough, Hudson, Berlin, Northborough, Southborough, Westborough, Shrewsbury, Sudbury, and Bolton. In addition to Word-up Wednesday services, worship takes place each Sunday at 9:30 a.m., followed by coffee and fellowship.