Six downtown Butler churches have joined together for community Wednesday evening Lenten services.

The six churches — St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran, St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, St. Peter's Anglican Church, Covenant Presbyterian. Saint Andrew Presbyterian and First United Methodist — will take turns hosting the 45-minute services and following receptions.

The first was Feb. 17 at St. Mark's, said its pastor, the Rev. Alden Towberman.

“It's a great thing. For so many years, we have not had the wherewithal to know one another and support one another and serve the community together,” said Towberman.

“This allows us to come to know each other, encourage each other and share the common witness of God's grace and service to the Butler community,” Towberman added.

Towberman said it's been more than 30 years since Butler churches came together in an ecumenical service, not since the Council of Churches ceased to exist.

The Council of Churches ended when differing social agendas and interpretations of Scripture forced the downtown churches to go their separate ways, he said.

Towberman said church members are encouraged to make daily prayers during Lent from the daily devotion, “Seek God for the City 2016,” which contains prayers for the mayor, police and schools.

Each Lenten service starts at 7 p.m.

Everyone is invited to any and all of the Wednesday services.

“We want people to be engaged, meet Christ, make a difference,” said Towberman.

“This is intentionally ecumenical to appeal to the community rather than just one or two denominations,” said Towberman.

Towberman said two months ago he started to see if there was support for the ecumenical series.

“I asked the clergy to come together,” said Towberman. “It was an opportunity to step forward, to meet and plan together, to share common witness of God's compassion.”

The Rev. Harry Bielewicz, pastor of St. Paul, said, “He called and asked me, and he got the pastors together and we agreed it was a good thing to do.”

The services will continue through March 16. Each church will have its own services during Holy Week.

“It's wonderful to go to different churches and pray together and meet together at the receptions afterward,” said Bielewicz.

The Rev. Jim Swanson, the pastor of Covenant Presbyterian, said he was happy to join with the other churches.

“Two years ago, the Rev. Jim Dolhopf at First English Lutheran Church approached me about hosting a Lenten service,” Swanson said, adding the area Lutheran churches had a hole in their Wednesday Lenten service schedule and asked Covenant Presbyterian to fill in as “honorary Lutherans.”

This year, Swanson said, “I was more than happy to say yes. It's a good experience to involve all the denominations. It's good for our people to be invited to other houses of worship. It's good to come together in the community.”

The Rev. Andrew DeFusco, pastor of St. Peter's Anglican Church, said, “I think it is really good anytime the broader church gets to express the shared faith we have in Jesus. In many ways we have more in common than we do differences.”

Towberman said, “For some people, religion is not a high priority. We have to strengthen the faith of those who are part of the church, try to better the community by sharing appropriate times of worship and service.”

“I think there is a new spirit in town of pastors who support one another,” said Towberman.

And that mutual support may continue after Easter.

Towberman said, “We are going to talk about that following Easter, other ways to work together in support of one another and the community.”

“I'm sure there will be other services,” said Bielewicz.

“I hope so,” said Swanson. “We've talked about it. We're hoping we don't wait until next Lent. With a little bit of thought and some planning, we can do something as a ministerial organization.”

Towberman said the offerings from the Wednesday Lenten services will be going to the Salvation Army to help it repair flood damage.