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Worship
Worship at Shiner Lutheran begins at 10:15AM. You'll notice a variety of musical expressions from week to week.
We value youth and families and include them as active worship leaders and participants. Most Sunday services include Holy Communion, and all are always welcome to receive the bread and wine (or grape juice). Our worship services are streamed on Facebook; other seasonal worship services meet at various times.
Following the liturgical church year, the seasons of Lent and Advent include special Wednesday services. Christmasn Eve and Holy Week services are alwasy offered. And sprinkled throughout the year are Youth services and healing services.
Children are active participants in the Shiner Lutheran community and are welcome at worship services! Some ideas to help keep our children engaged include:
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A "Prayground." As you enter the worship space from the Gathering Place, you will find a children's "prayground" with a brightly colored rug, soft toys, puzzles, books, and special fabric envelopes with felt shapes that mirror the communion elements, allowing children a hands-on way to participate during the service.
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A Children' Sermon. Children are encouraged to come forward for the Children's Sermon during worship. Parents are welcome to accompany their children.
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We encourage children to participate in the service by following along: by singing, praying, and standing with the rest of the congregation.
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As worship leaders, children carry cups of water to the font during a baptism, serve as acolytes, help as gift bearers who bring the communion elements forward, and gather at the end of the service to speak the dismissal. They are a vital part of our worshiping community.
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​Activity bags are available in the prayground for young children to take to their seat if they would like to have some quiet seatwork.
Music is an integral part of our worship. Our musicians are predominately volunteers, using their talents in various capacities, depending on the service. Besides traditional organists and pianists, we gather musicians of all ages into a group we call the Blended Blessings Band to regularly lead worship. Specialized band groups include the Polka Spirit Band and the Country Gospel Band. These groups frequently travel to other congregations to share our unique Lutheran style found at Shiner Lutheran Church.
Like worship, music at Shiner Lutheran involves all ages from preschool singers through youth singers/band to lifelong musicians. Opportunities abound to participate in choral singing groups, small ensembles, instrumental groups, or worship accompanists. Children's bells, hand chimes, choirs, bands are all flexible and welcome new participants. Toghether we lift our voices and talents to praise God and seek to enable meaningful worship.
Learning
GIFT: With a strong heritage of valuing Christian Education, Shiner Lutheran pivoted to a renewed emphasis on faith formation through a ministry named GIFT -- Growing in Faith Together. Learning times shifted from a traditional Sunday School model to a Wednesday evening gathering of all ages and all faith traditions seeking to learn and grow together.
Following the Shiner ISD school calendar, volunteers provide a full meal at 5:30PM. Parents are invited to accompany the very young. High and Junior High sometimes come straight from sports practice. Adults join as they finish their workdays. After food and fellowship, age groups head into various class areas to learn and grow in faith formation. All are welcomed to have a hot meal, experience authentic fellowship, and participate in quality Christian Education programming.
Godly Play: GIFT participants age 3 through sixth grade engage in Godly Play, a curriculum developed by Jerome Berryman using a Montessori approach to encourage children to WONDER about God while becoming connected in a relationship with God. The goal of Godly Play is to teach children and adults the art of using religious language and to help them become more fully aware of God's presence in their lives. Through parable, sacred stories, and liturgical action, the wonder of God is opened, focusing on the innate spirituality of children. We are a Godly Play congregation with trained Godly Play teachers and pastors, joining educators of many Christian denominations in this method of faith formation.
Confirmation: During GIFT, Junior High youth spend 45 minutes with the pastor in confirmation each Wednesday evening. Students learn important stories in the Bible, and they also learn how to begin thinking theologically. For example, what does it mean that God promises to give me daily bread? What does it mean that Jesus calls me to be a disciple? How do I live into my faith as a Christian? How can I forgive someone who hurt me? Students who complete this curriculum with the pastor are invited to be confirmed at the end of their 8th grade year!
High School: High School youth gather in our fun, upstairs Youth Room during GIFT classes. Together with adult facilitators, they explore what certain faith topics mean to them as teenagers. High School youth know they are welcomed no matter where they are in their faith.
Adults: Parents and adults have an opportunity to join in conversation and study while their children attend GIFT classes.
Shiner Lutheran Church also offers Adult Bible Study on Wednesday mornings at 10:30AM during the school year, inviting adults to take a deeper dive into the Bible. The Wednesday morning Bible study is thematic, and usually studies one book of the Bible at a time.
There is a Sunday morning adult Sunday School class at 9:00AM. This class meets before worship and studies the appointed Bible passages that will be used that morning in worship. Participants in this class say they enjoy worship and sermon even more because they have already had a chance to start thinking about the scriptures and how God is speaking to them.
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