Augustana Lutheran Church of Hyde Park

We now have a votive candle stand in the back of the nave. You can go to it at any time during worship to light a candle to help you pray. Many people find that the action of lighting a candle centers them as they remember that Jesus is the light of the world, the light no darkness can overcome. Take a moment to pray for someone, offer thanks, or ask God for help.

You can also focus your prayers on one of the saints. Each week you will see an icon by Protestant icon writer Ben Lansing. For Lutherans, saints are believers just like the rest of us, but believers who are examples of great faith. They are spiritual heroes from all times and places who make up the “great cloud of witnesses,” as the writer of Hebrews puts it. They inspire us to increase in faith, something worth pondering no matter who you are and where you are on your spiritual journey.

St. Francis of Assisi – through October 5, 2025

Where there is love and wisdom, there is neither fear nor ignorance. Where there is patience and humility there is neither anger nor vexation.” – Francis of Assisi (1182-1226), Friar and Deacon, Reformer of the Church

Francis of Assisi was deeply troubled by the opulence, power, and pride that defined so much of the church of his day. He founded a monastic order devoted to simplicity and poverty that imitated the life of Jesus. Members of the Franciscan order gave up personal possessions and traveled throughout the world, preaching the good news of the Gospel of Peace. Francis proclaimed hope not only to all people, but also animals. He believed all of creation reflected God’s glory and was made good, but groaned because of human sin and eagerly awaited Christ’s return. Francis was said to preach to animals – proclaiming the good news of the New Creation in Christ. Francis ministered to the sick, the outcasts, and enemies. During the 5th Crusade, he traveled with a small company of unarmed brothers and preached the Gospel to the Egyptian Sultan al-Kamil. Because of Francis’ charity and grace, Islamic rulers gave concessions to the Franciscans. The Franciscans were allowed to serve as the sole representatives of Roman Catholicism in the Holy Land, after the Crusades. Today, members of Franciscan orders can be found around the world, in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran traditions.