Objects of the Passion: A Shared Lenten Journey with Our Neighboring Churches

Lent invites us to slow down.

It draws us into the story of Jesus not as distant observers, but as people who walk alongside him—step by step, week by week—toward the cross and the promise of resurrection. This year, we are blessed to walk that road together with our neighboring Christian congregations through a series of shared midweek Lenten worship services.

Our theme for this season is “Objects of the Passion.” Throughout Lent, we will reflect on ordinary, tangible items that carry extraordinary meaning in the story of Jesus’ suffering and love. A basin and towel, used not for glory but for service. A stone, heavy with grief and sealed hope. A cross, rough-hewn and unavoidably central to our faith. These objects help us remember that God meets us not only in lofty ideas, but in real, physical things—water, wood, stone, bread, and wine.

A Rhythm of Table and Word

Each Wednesday evening follows the same simple, hospitable rhythm:

• 5:30pm – A light dinner of soup and salad

• 6:30pm – Worship with Holy Communion

The meal reminds us that we are fed by grace even before we come to the table of the Lord. Worship centers us in Word and Sacrament, grounding our Lenten journey in God’s promises rather than our own efforts.

Each service will be hosted at a different church, with a preacher from another congregation, reflecting the richness of the wider body of Christ. This shared leadership is a visible sign of our unity in Christ, even as we come from different traditions.

Why Objects Matter

In Lutheran theology, we trust that God works through means of grace—through water and Word, bread and wine, gathered community and spoken promise. The objects of the Passion echo this truth. They remind us that salvation is not an abstract idea, but something Christ accomplishes with his whole body, in the real world, for real people.

As we hold these objects in our minds and prayers, we are invited to notice the objects in our own lives that shape faith: kitchen tables, hospital beds, school desks, work tools, and dining-room chairs. Lent becomes not only a season of repentance, but a season of attention—learning again to see where God is already at work.

Come as You Are

You are welcome for one week or all five. You are welcome whether Lent is familiar or complicated, whether faith feels steady or fragile right now. Come hungry—for soup, for grace, for a word of hope that meets you where you are.

This Lent, let us gather around the table, walk with Christ, and discover how God’s love takes shape in the most ordinary—and holy—things.

Midweek Worship Schedule

All services include Holy Communion and are open to all.

• February 25
  St. Paul’s Lutheran Church 127 Cherry Rd NE
  Preaching: Rev. David Oliver, First United Methodist Church

• March 4
  First Baptist Church 20 Sixth St. SE, Massillon, OH 44646
  Preaching: Rev. Mark Kreemer, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

• March 11
  St. John’s UCC 101 Tremont Ave SE, Massillon, OH 44646
  Preaching: Rev. George Baum, St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church

• March 18
  Christ Lutheran Church 3545 Amherst Ave NW, Massillon, OH 44646
  Preaching: Rev. Oliver Kling, St. John’s UCC

• March 25
  First United Methodist Church 301 Lincoln Way E, Massillon, OH 44646
  Preaching: Rev. Tina Crog, St. Jacob’s Lutheran Church