St. Stephen Lutheran Church
Announcements
Small Group Bible Study: Pew Sisters
This 12-session study for women features 12 different women sharing stories of God’s faithfulness.
Each session includes a Scripture reading, a real-life narrative, and eight study questions
designed to help participants apply these lessons to their lives in Christ.
Schedule: Fridays: February 20th-April 17th
Time: 9:30am-10:30am
Location: St. Stephen Lutheran Church
The Season of Lent
As we enter the season of Lent, you will notice some changes to our Divine Service liturgy.
Key Changes to the Liturgy:
· Confession: A more self-reflective sentence added at the end of our corporate confession.
“Forgive me all my sins and grant me the power of your Holy Spirit that I may amend my sinful life”.
· Omitting the “Alleluia” and “the Hymn of Praise”: During Lent, we “bury the Alleluia” and omit the Hymn of Praise. We set them aside to reflect our focus on repentance and our need for God’s mercy.
· The Liturgical Color Purple: The altar and Pastor will be vested in purple, the color of penitence and royal sorrow.
· Midweek Services: In addition to Sunday worship, we invite you to join us for our Midweek Lenten Services every Wednesday at 7pm. These services will follow the Service of Evening Prayer (LSB p. 243). You can find a link to audio files on the homepage of our website so you may familiarize yourself with the liturgy, www.ststephenwaterford.org
Our Midweek Lenten Theme will be based on the “Seven Deadly Sins”-pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony, and sloth.
Easter Plant Orders
We are now taking orders for Easter plants. Order forms are available on the Welcome Desk in the lobby. Include your cash or check, made out to St. Stephen Lutheran Church with your order form and place in the collection box. All orders must be turned in no later than Sunday, March 8, 2026. Plants will have a name tag and may be picked up on Easter Sunday.
Questions? Contact the church office 248-673-6621.
Open Door North @ St. Stephen Update!
The shelves, refrigerator, and freezer are stocked and our shopping carts have arrived, ready to serve those in need in our community. Open Door Outreach Client Services Manager, Tina Davis, is setting up appointments with clients residing in our zip code so that they can come to our location. Both Tina Davis & Jackie Redick will be working alongside our volunteers for some time until we can become more experienced with the process. We are open one day a week on Tuesdays, 10am-4pm. Volunteers will work a three hour shift, either morning or afternoon. Those who are unable to volunteer on Tuesdays will have other opportunities to get involved. If you signed up to volunteer you will be contacted by Jackie Redick or Tina Davis from Open Door who will be putting a schedule together for the coming weeks and lining people up for driving and stocking.
What can you do to help?
· Spread the Word– Encourage those in need of help to call 248-360-2960 to set up an appointment with Client Services.
· Volunteer- at our location or at Open Door’s main location (7124 Cooley Lake Rd, Waterford)
· Visit– Open Door’s main location to learn more about what services they offer and what they are doing in the community.
· Donate– We are collecting hygiene & household items for distribution at the food pantry.
· Pray-Please continue to pray for our partnership with Open Door, for the volunteers and staff, and for those we will be helping to serve in our community!
Midweek Lenten Soup Suppers
Wednesdays, February 25-March 25th
5:30pm-6:15pm
Watch for sign up sheets on the Welcome Desk for food donations & kitchen help
Midweek Lenten Worship Services
Begin Wednesday, February 25th, 7:00pm
Service of Evening Prayer
Lenten Theme– Seven Deadly Sins
LCMS offers audio files from our hymnal so you may familiarize yourself with the liturgy, pgs. 243-252
https://resources.lcms.org/worship-planning/liturgy-audio-collection-daily-office-evening-prayers/
Easter Egg Hunt-Saturday, March 21st @ 10:30am
We will be hosting our Easter Egg Hunt once again on Saturday, March 21st @ 10:30am. We are looking for donations to fill the eggs with individually wrapped candy, small toys, and loose change. We are also in need of a crew prior to the event to fill the eggs and help with the event. Please sign up on the sheet on the Welcome Center. Thanks for your help!
We have some exciting news for those of you looking to dive deeper into our Lutheran Confessions!
Concordia Publishing House (CPH) recently launched a brand-new, fully digital version of the Book of Concord. It is now available to everyone at no cost. You can find the online edition directly at bookofconcord.cph.org or simply head over to our church website, www.ststephenwaterford.org, where we’ve added a link for easy access.
Worship When You Can’t Be Here: Worship Anew
Do you or a loved one find it difficult to join us in person for Sunday service? Whether it’s due to health, mobility, or travel, you can remain connected to God’s Word and our community of faith. Worship Anew is a weekly, 30-minute Lutheran worship service
designed specifically for aging adults and those who are homebound.
How to Watch or Listen:
· Television: Detroit - WKBD 50 (CW) - Sunday 8:00 AM
· Streaming: Watch anytime on YouTube, the Worship Anew App or directly at WorshipAnew.org
· By Phone: If you don’t have internet or cable, you can listen to the latest service 24/7 by calling (888) 286-8002 or (260) 440-8476
If you know someone who could benefit from this resource, please share this information with them.
Save the Date!
Kensington Circuit Churches Event
Barn Dance
Saturday, May 16th, 2026
Lazy J Ranch, Milford
More Information Coming Soon!