If you're interested in visiting our congregations, you might be looking for answers to the following questions. We’re happy to provide you with the answers here.

 

“What time are your services?”

 

Sundays at 9 am and Mondays at 7 pm.

 

We also have daily prayer services Monday through Friday at 9 am. These services typically last between 20-25 minutes.

 

During the seasons of Advent and Lent, we have services on Wednesdays at 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm with dinner in between.

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“Where are you located?”

 

We’re found at 8646 New Sappington Rd in Crestwood, just south of the intersection of Sappington and Watson. Click here for directions.

 

“Where do I park?”

 

We have a spacious lot right in front of the building.

 

“Where do I go when I enter the building?” 

 

Once you enter the front doors and pass through the entranceway, you’ll walk into the narthex, the area just outside the sanctuary. The sanctuary will be on your right, just past the library.

 

“What do I do once I enter?”

 

Outside of the sanctuary, there is a circular table where you can find bulletins for that day’s service. There is a bit of flipping back and forth between the liturgy, the hymns, and the bulletin during the service, so if you’re not familiar with how to use our hymnal,, feel free to ask an usher for one of our visitor bulletins.  The visitor’s bulletin includes the entire liturgy, our readings, and hymns for the day in the proper order, with no flipping back and forth required. If you still have trouble, don’t be afraid to ask one of our members to help you follow along. It may take you a few weeks to get used to our service, but we believe the beauty of our liturgy makes the learning curve worth it in the end.

 

“Where do I sit?”

 

Anywhere you like! There is no assigned seating.

 

“Do my kids stay with me during the service?”

 

Yes! We are always overjoyed when Christ’s little ones gather with us to receive the gifts of salvation. While children may often fidget and fuss as they learn to sit and hear God’s word, we consider the noise that they make in our sanctuary to be a form of sacred music, as this is the sound of God’s children learning more and more what it means to be Christians. Likewise, we believe the worship service is for all ages. Even if children don’t grasp everything that happens during the service, they are still hearing the Word of God and growing in the faith, however imperceptible that may be to us at times. For these reasons, we don’t offer “children’s church” or ask the children to leave at any point during the service.

 

If you feel your child is being disruptive, our library also functions as a nursery room. You can find the library to your left as you exit the sanctuary. The library features a monitor where you can watch the service and speakers where you can hear it as well. 

 

While there are times when children may need a little break, we encourage you to keep your children in the sanctuary even if they’re being a bit fussy. And, as counter-intuitive as it may seem, we also encourage those with young children to sit up front, as doing so makes it easier for them to see what’s happening, which tends to hold their attention longer.

 

“What does your congregation believe?"

 

You can find a brief description of our congregation's beliefs here.

 

“What are your services like?”

 

In order to understand our services, there are three important things to know about Prince of Peace.

 

1. As Lutherans, we believe that Christ won our salvation in His death and resurrection.

 

2. We believe that Christ established His Church to be the place where we could receive the salvation won for us on the cross and in the empty tomb.

 

3. We believe that we receive this salvation through the preached word of forgiveness, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.

 

It’s for this reason that we worship the way we do—beginning every service by confessing our sins and hearing Christ’s word of absolution, singing of God’s mercy in our hymns, confessing His triune nature in the Creed, listening to preaching that covers us in the love of Christ, feasting upon His body and blood in Holy Communion, and concluding with the benediction promise that we now have peace with God through His Son who dwells with us in Word and Sacrament.

 

For our Sunday morning liturgy, we follow the Divine Service settings in Lutheran Service Book every week. And for our hymns, we avail ourselves of the great treasures found in that same hymnal. The organ is the primary instrument for our musical accompaniment.

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To view videos of our Sunday morning services, click here.

 

To listen to our sermons, click here.

 

“May I take communion?”

 

The Scriptures teach that, in Holy Communion, we receive the same body and blood of Jesus Christ that were broken and shed for us upon the cross. (Matt. 26:26-28, Mar 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, 1 Cor. 11:23-26). The Scriptures also teach that Holy Communion is a sacred meal that Christians should only share together once they have put away all their divisions and are of the same mind and judgment (1 Cor. 1:10, 11:18). Furthermore, the Scriptures teach that pastors are to be “stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1) and that this mystery called the Lord’s Supper brings condemnation to those who eat and drink of it in an unworthy manner (1 Cor. 11:27-30).

 

It is for these reasons that we require all who commune at our altar to be of the same mind and judgment as our congregation, that they prepare their hearts to receive this sacrament worthily, and that they announce their intent to commune to Pastor Fiene so that he may faithfully carry out his stewardship of this mystery by ensuring that all who receive the sacrament from him do so to their benefit.

 

If you are a communicant member of an LCMS congregation (or a congregation in the LCMS' fellowship), we recognize that you have been taught to receive the sacrament in a worthy manner and have made a public confession that you are of the same mind and judgment as our congregation. Therefore, if you still hold to the faith you confessed in your confirmation, we welcome you to receive the Lord’s Supper with us. But we do ask that you announce your intent to commune with Pastor Fiene prior to the beginning of the Divine Service.

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If you are not a communicant member of an LCMS congregation, we require that you first be instructed in our teachings and publicly confess them as your own before you share the Lord’s Supper with us. If you are interested in doing so, Pastor Fiene will be happy to speak with you about going through his adult instruction class.

 

​“How do I join?”

 

If you are currently a member of another LCMS congregation and would like to join Prince of Peace, please speak to Pastor Fiene and your current pastor about requesting a transfer of membership.

 

If you are not currently a member of an LCMS congregation, please speak with Pastor Fiene about how to come into membership. While the length of preparation for membership may vary from person to person depending on various circumstances, the standard length for Pastor Fiene’s adult instruction class is sixteen sessions of a two-hour class called “That I May Be His Own.”