Assistant pastor Matthew Barry of St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Jefferson Township will lead his first solo service during New Year's Eve at the church.

JEFFERSON TWP — St. Luke's Lutheran Church is opening its doors to allow the community to start the New Year with a church service.

“It is secular, and there is nothing religious about it in our church holiday, but it's natural that people will look to some type of religious service to help bring about the end of the year and the beginning of a new year,” said associate pastor Matthew Barry.

Barry has been with St. Luke's, 330 Hannahstown Road, for nearly eight months and will be leading the New Year's Eve service Monday.

“I've assisted with several, but this is my first solo,” Barry said.

He will discuss a passage from Luke and Psalms 8.

“In the Psalms it's talking about the name of God and also in the Luke passage we are talking about the name of Jesus,” Barry said. “So we are looking at the blessings that come from both of these names.”

With the taking of Communion in the service, Barry hopes those in attendance remember God's forgiveness.

“As we look back at the year, there are always things that we do, always things that we regret doing, things that we are looking to move past before the break of a new day, life, year,” Barry said. “(The service) is a way for us to assure people of God's forgiveness and also move forward.”

One of Barry's favorite New Year's Eve sermons is about turning a new page.

“We always talk about the story of our lives and even though the pages turn over, the story remains the same, which works well for your own life, that works well for the story of the world and for God's story in our life,” Barry said.

St. Luke's average Sunday attendance is 500, but anywhere from 60 to 120 people usually attend the New Year's Eve service due to weather and other events.

For everyone in the New Year, Barry said, “As we look forward, look at all this uncertainty, we're saying God is there with you and he has a purpose for your life and will continue to bless you in the New Year.”

St. Luke's is part of the Eastern District Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and many of the district's 136 churches will be having similar services, said the district's president, the Rev. Chris Wicher.

“It is a popular thing. Many congregations have a New Year's Eve service. Many do not. It's up to the congregation. It's their choice,” said Wicher.

“It's a great way to celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of another. It's a way to turn to the Lord in prayer for direction and guidance,” said Wicher.

<B>WHAT:</B> New Year's Eve service<B>WHERE:</B> St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 330 Hannahstown Road<B>WHEN: </B>7 p.m. Monday