Newsletter April

Maundy Thursday: (2 April 2026) The name for this day comes from the Latin word "mandatum," meaning "commandment." It refers to the two "new" commandments our Lord gave to His disciples on this day. The first is "love one another," and the second is "do this in remembrance of Me." In the early church, Maundy Thursday was also the day on which those who had fallen away from the Church were restored to full fellowship with other believers after having observed the 40-day penitential season of Lent. Today we are reminded of the reconciliation we have because of Christ’s body and blood given for the forgiveness of our sin, and the example of self-giving love shown by our Lord as He washed the feet of His disciples.

Our service today is the "first act" or portion of what the early Church observed as "the triduum," a three-day observance of the events of our Lord's suffering, death, and resurrection. Even though Christians come and go during these three days, the worship services from now through the great Vigil of Easter are considered to be one continuous service.

Good Friday: (3 April 2026 @ 6:30 PM, Friday) Good Friday is a time of somber reflection as we approach the mystery of the cross. But the austerity of the Good Friday liturgy should not obscure the fact that this is a death we celebrate because of the life and forgiveness that flow from the cross for us and for our salvation. Because Good Friday is not an isolated event or day but part of God’s planned revelation of His love, we listen to the entire story of God’s work of salvation and deliverance. The message of the cross is the message of the Scriptures, planned by God, proclaimed by the prophets, and fulfilled in Christ. This liturgy continues what was begun on Holy Thursday and adds its own message of hope and triumph.

The Easter Sunrise Service, A Cherished Tradition: The Easter Sunrise Service has been a beloved annual tradition of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Shalimar (LCMS) since 1957. When it began at the Drive-In Theater in Shalimar (now the site of Haverty Furniture) until 1968, when it was moved to Etheredge Stadium at Choctawhatchee High School. Services were held at the stadium until 1973, when the local ministerial association reserved the venue for a nationwide evangelism campaign known as “Key 73.”

Then in 1974, Good Shepherd Shalimar and Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (then ALC now ELCA) of Fort Walton Beach jointly held an Easter service at Wayside Beach, along with Chaplain Jack Bauer of Eglin AFB. The following year the Easter service moved to Beasley Park (1975). That same year, participating congregations expanded to include all of the Lutheran Churches of the Emerald Coast; Good Shepherd Shalimar, Holy Trinity Fort Walton Beach, Grace Lutheran Church (LCMS) of Destin, and St. Paul Lutheran Church (then ALC) of Niceville.

In 2019, Grace Destin withdrew citing denominational differences with the ELCA (formally ALC) and the LCMS.

In 2022, the ELCA churches, Holy Trinity Fort Walton Beach and St. Paul Niceville, withdrew due to internal denominational challenges, leaving Good Shepherd Shalimar as the sole organizer.

The annual Easter Sunrise Service at Beasley Park has had only three interruptions. In 2016, heavy rain forced cancellation. In 2020, the Okaloosa County Commissioners denied beach access due to COVID-19 restrictions. In 2025, leadership at Good Shepherd decline to pursue a permit siting restrictions imposed by construction issues on Highway 98.

In 2026, Immanuel Anglican Church of Destin took over the Easter Sunrise Beach Service when they learned it was available, carrying forward what had long been a beloved tradition among the Lutheran Churches of the Emerald Coast.