Ministry in two languages

The Church of the Savior, Newland, held a Spanish and English Ash Wednesday / Miércoles de Ceniza service at 6:00 p.m. on February 14.  The service was led by Fr. Miguel Alvarez, Diocesan Missioner, and by Dr. Thomas Rightmyer, part-time pastor of the Lutheran-Episcopal congregation. The text of the service can be found in both languages on line.

Fr. Alvarez celebrates the Eucharist in Spanish each Sunday at 4:00 p.m. for a growing congregation. Mrs. Ruth Ann Alexander and members of the Spanish-speaking congregation provide Christian education for the children.

An English language Eucharist is celebrated Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m. from the Book of Common Prayer (BCP) on the first and second Sundays and from Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) on the third and fourth Sundays. On the fifth Sundays the service alternates—spring and fall from ELW, winter and summer from BCP.

The congregation also supports the Avery County community ministry, the High Country Lutheran coalition, and the Mountain Deanery.
In July, 2018 the congregation will celebrate its 40th year of ecumenical worship. Our joint work is possible because of the Lutheran-Episcopal Dialogue that brought both The Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America to the Called to Common Mission agreement for full communion and shared ministry. We are especially grateful for our collaboration with The Episcopal Church.

—story by Mrs. Ruth Ann Alexander