Holy Week At Reformation

Holy Week At Reformation

All Are Welcome!!!

 

PALM/PASSION SUNDAY (April 13)
The Great and Holy Week begins with the celebration of Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem accompanied  by the waving of palm branches and shouts of Hosanna! Worship begins with the Liturgy of Palms during which everyone will join the procession with the palms. The tone of the service shifts to the contemplation of the Passion of Christ as recorded in the gospel of Matthew. This long narrative will be read by a variety
of voices as has been done with the gospel readings throughout Lent.

THE THREE DAYS
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil – provides many wonderful worship opportunities for us to gather as a community and reflect on the passion of Christ. During the Three Days we hear the story of the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ as told in the gospel of John. These three worships can be seen as one continuous movement from the final night Jesus spent with his disciples, to the cross, to the burial and finally to the empty tomb!

 
Maundy Thursday (April 17 at 7:30 p.m.)
The Three Days begin as we gather to worship on Maundy Thursday. Beginning with an order of confession and forgiveness, a time is provided for all attending worship to go forward to receive individual absolution and the laying on of hands. It is also the night that we hear the words of Jesus’ new commandment (the Latin mandatum from which Maundy comes), to love one another. The altar is stripped at the end of the worship and the congregation leaves the sanctuary in silence.

 
Good Friday (April 18 at 7:30 p.m.)
This worship provides an opportunity to focus and reflect on the cross. The reading of the passion as recorded in John’s gospel is underscored by the singing of hymns that echo this great narrative. The darkness of the journey to the tomb becomes visually evident in the extinguishing of candles and the darkening of the sanctuary.

 
Easter Vigil (April 19 at 7:30 p.m.)
This worship is one of the oldest traditions in Christian worship. Echoing the words from John’s gospel that tell us that the women returned to the tomb “while it was still dark,” we gather at dusk. Kindling a new fire, we enter the sanctuary to hear of God’s great acts of salvation throughout history. The gospel reading then pronounces the great news of Easter: Christ is risen! To which we respond with the first Alleluia’s of Easter! Pastor Larry Smoose will be our guest preacher for this service which is known as
the “Queen of Liturgies.”

EASTER DAY (April 20)
Celebrate Christ’s triumph over the grave! Festival Services on Sunday, April 20, we will be held at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m. There will be no Sunday School classes on Easter Day.