St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

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A Eucharistic Community of the Diocese of Kansas

Header photo is "Somewhere in the Mojave Desert" by Motographer, under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 / Cropped, text added.

NEWS: Requiem Mass for John Bannon will be Monday 3/10 at 10:30. [Obituary]

Lent is our journey towards the Resurrection

Lent is the season that leads up to the most holy and sacred time of the Christian year: the Paschal Triduum, or the great three days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, culminating in the Great Vigil of the Resurrection. Lent leads us through the desert to the cross, and from the cross to Easter.

From ancient times, Christians have prepared for Easter with a season of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. These spiritual disciplines help to strip away all the little things that get in the way of our relationship with God. It's not about punishing ourselves. We're quite capable of being hard on ourselves all the time, as we are confronted daily with our shortcomings and failures.

Rising to the Challenge
Instead, Lent is like a spiritual workout session, setting goals for ourselves that help us to rise to the challenge of living as disciples of Jesus Christ. Fasting helps us to gain control over our appetites, and to discern what our bodies really need from what they simply want. If we start to notice our cravings for fast food or potato chips, and instead of blindly giving in we stop and think, "Do I need this?", then we grow stronger, more self-controlled as people. It helps us to be more aware of our bodies and our willpower, and ultimately it can help in our struggle against all sorts of sin.

Special Services of Lent and Holy Week
The season is marked with special services and liturgies, beginning with Ash Wednesday and concluding with the Paschal Triduum. The liturgies are listed here. As Lent unfolds, click the link provided to learn more about the services.

Ash Wednesday - March 5th
Stations of the Cross. This devotion walks us through the story of Christ's suffering and crucifixion. We partner with Sacred Heart Catholic Parish and alternate churches on Friday nights in Lent
Palm Sunday - April 13th. Recounts Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and then turns towards the Crucifixion. Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week.
Tenebrae - April 16th. This service is on the Wednesday evening of Holy Week. We hear readings and psalms of lamentation, giving voice to the pain and sorrow of our own lives and making room to allow Christ to share our sufferings.
Maundy Thursday - April 17th. This service in the evening recounts the Last Supper, which was the first Eucharist. We remember Christ's eternal promise to sustain his followers in sacred meal, and we wash each other's feet as a sign of service and love.
Good Friday - April 18th. The liturgy today honors Christ's crucifixion, his courage to live the truth even to death. We hear St. John's passion gospel, offer special prayers on behalf of the whole world, and honor the holy and life-giving cross.
Holy Saturday - April 19th. At noon, a short liturgy recalls Jesus Christ's descent among the dead to bring liberation to the souls there. The church is hushed and quiet on the day when Christ was in the tomb.
The Great Vigil of the Resurrection - April 19th. At night, the church gathers to hear the stories of salvation from the Hebrew Scriptures. At the appointed time, the Resurrection is proclaimed and we rejoice with the first Eucharist of Easter. This is the highlight of the whole year, and if you haven't come to the Vigil before, you must join us!
Easter Sunday - April 20th. Lots more people come to church this day, but in a sense, it's "just another Sunday," which means that, like every Sunday, it's a celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead. But really, if you want the full experience, come to as many of these liturgies as you can.

Modern Community. Ancient Faith. St Andrew's Church.

Come to meet Jesus Christ with a Christian community that is ancient, yet modern; rooted in the mystery of God, yet connected to the reality of our lives. Whether you're a life-long Christian searching for a new church to call home, or you're feeling lost or curious about your spiritual life, we'd love to meet you.

The Annual Parish Meeting was January 19. Download materials and read Father Chris' address to the parish.

We are followers of Jesus Christ, but our church is named after St. Andrew. Learn about Andrew here.

The Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed are the summaries of our Christian faith. Learn about them here.

Worship is the heart of our spiritual life. Find out when we worship, and what our services are like.

Preparing for confession? Or just want a tool for exploring your actions and attitudes? Download a PDF of the Self-Examination from St. Augustine's Prayer Book.

First time visiting St. Andrew's? First time visiting a Christian church? Don't worry - there's a whole section just for you.

Learn about how Episcopalian Christians understand God, creation, the church, sin, redemption, prayer, and other topics. It's all in something called the Catechism.

Lent i﻿s our journey towards the Resurrection

Modern Community. Ancient Faith. St Andrew's Church.

Lent is our journey towards the Resurrection