Our routine may be on hold, but God's Word is our Stronghold.
Stay in The Word with free online resources for Bible, devotions, and home worship. We encourage you to take advantage of opportunities to praise and honor God and to share the joy of Christ.
Things continue to change very rapidly with COVID-19. On Sunday afternoon, the CDC put out guidelines limiting groups to 50 or less. Yesterday afternoon, the White House called for limiting group sizes to no more than 10, and Governor Rickets followed the exact same advice when he recommended canceling all gatherings where there are 10 or more, including worship services, weddings, and funerals.
I have said, we would not cancel services unless this was the strong recommendation of our governing authorities or we had an outbreak in the congregation. Thankfully, we are not dealing with the later. So, at this time, we are cancelling all worship services, Bible studies and in person meetings for the next two weeks. After the two weeks, we’ll reevaluate the situation.
Psalm 46 reminds us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
This weekend we were blessed with a special visit from the Concordia Junior-High Orchestra and their director, Sarah Jay. Thank you to the orchestra for filling the church with wonderful music for our worship services.
The Lenten season is the fourth season in the church year (after Advent, Christmas and Epiphany). It begins with Ash Wednesday and is the oldest season of the church year. The original period of Lent seems to have been 40 hours. It was spent in fasting and contemplation on the sufferings of Christ. Later it became 30 days, then 36, and finally, in the reign of Charlemagne (about 800 AD), 40 days. Lent originally had one purpose — to prepare candidates for Baptism. For hundreds of years, the Baptism itself took place late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning before the dawn of Resurrection Day, during an all-night vigil.
The 40 days of Lent do not include the Sundays. Sundays in Lent - like every other Sunday - were to be “mini” resurrection days celebrating Jesus’ resurrection and not part of the Lenten fast. The 40 days of Lent correspond to Christ’s 40 days in the wilderness. The date of Lent is determined by the date of Resurrection Sunday. The Council of Nicea (held in 325 AD) determined that Resurrection Sunday would be observed on the first Sunday following the 14th day of the paschal moon. Lent probably comes from the old English word for Spring: Lenten (it may also be related to the German word for the time when the days lengthen: lenz).
Philip Chawech, recently shared with the members of Pacific Hills Lutheran Church his missionary work in South Sudan over the last several years as well has his current projects. During the Bible Study hour in Aker Hall, on Sunday, February, March 2, Philip told his story of fleeing South Sudan in 1994 to the United States. At one time Omaha was home to 8,000 Sudanese immigrants. The Sudanese members of Pacific Hills are members of the Nuer tribe. They were citizens of two villages in southern Sudan, Khoromchar and Uleng. The Sudan has been in civil wars for the past 50 years and only recently has been in relative peace. Philip, in partnership with local churches, has led missionary trips back to the South Sudan periodically as funds and the government allow him to return. Philip's wife and children remain back in South Sudan.
Through local churches, and charities like UNICEF and Maiwut Christians Charity Community Action Group (MCCCAG), Philip has been able to provide assistance to the South Sudanese people back home. One of Philips past projects involved transporting a 150 lb clinic tent and medical supplies 100 miles on foot across the Ethiopia border into South Sudan.
Join us this year to find out more and be a part of God’s work here in Omaha. Attend a Sunday service, Bible study, or other event. Click on the Ministries menu above. Follow along on the journey of substantial renovations to our facility. We’ll have all the updates here.
Attend our one-day VBS in June. You will be able to register online to enjoy learning about Jesus at this fun event. Help us celebrate 65 years as a congregation! We’re celebrating in a big way. While our facility will be undergoing major work, we’ll have an off-site event and service. Update: Many events have been cancelled due to the virus crisis.
“Come unto Me,” Jesus said. Come, and join us as we together Share Christ and Serve Others.
Pacific HIlls Lutheran Church is looking for a Director of Music (Organist/Choir Director). This is a full time/one person position with a total weekly amount of part time hours.
Pacific Hills has just completed an $111,000 renovation of its 3 manual Schantz pipe organ. Available in the Sanctuary is a beautiful Steinway Grand Piano for use.
Pacific Hills has traditional Lutheran Liturgy worship services Sunday at 8 AM and 10:30 AM and seasonal Advent and Lenten worship services on Wednesdays at 2 PM and 7 PM. Others services include: Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve and Day, Holy Week Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. On occasion other special services might be required, for ex. Reformation. Weddings and funerals would be extra services with extra compensation.
Applicants should provide a resume of education, training and professional experience both as organist/choir director including religious/church positions. Please send to the contact person listed: Dennis Grindle. He can answer any further questions as needed. An interview/audition will be set up with selected applicants. There are 5 members of the Pacific Hills Congregation on the committee you would meet during this process.
We look forward to hearing from all interested candidates. THANK YOU!
Dennis Grindle can be contacted by telephone (402-690-1103) or email (
Many thanks to Pastor Joel Fritsche, for nourishing us with preaching and sacrament on Sunday, January 19th. He also shared his ministries in the Dominican Republic during the Sunday School hour. Pr. Fritsche and his family serve in Santiago at the Lutheran seminary, and with a local growing congregation. He was in the U.S. for meetings, and we were blessed to have him as a guest at Pacific Hills.
Rev. Joel and Clarion Fritsche serve the Lord as missionaries of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in the Dominican Republic. In this role, Joel plants new churches. He also serves as the Director of Concordia Seminary and Mercy Center in Palmar Arriba (which is in the Santiago province of the Dominican Republic). As director, he teaches courses and helps prepare men to be pastors who proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
The month of January is regarded as Sanctity of Life Month and January 19 will be observed as Sanctity of Life Sunday. The Rev. Joel Fritsche, Missionary to the Dominican Republic and Director of Concordia Seminary and Mercy Center in Palmar Arriba, located in the Santiago province, will be our guest preacher.
This year we are once again partnering with Essential Pregnancy Services of Omaha in our effort to make a difference in the lives of at risk mothers and their unborn and newly born children. As such you are encouraged to bring baby items and diapers for children newborn to age 2 and place them in the bins in the narthex. Diapers are in great need.
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