Holy Week, which begins this Sunday, means we will have several services. Here is what they are, what they mean, what you can expect if you attend.
Palm/Passion Sunday: Jesus shows up in Jerusalem, and the people made a parade out of it. They laid palm branches down in front of him as a sign of respect. We will have palm branches for everyone. We will also teach you to say “Hosanna,” which means God help us…. or God save us, like you mean it.
About half way through the service we will switch from the parade to the arrest of Jesus. This is just in case you don’t get to one of the services below or forget that between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, there is a holy/hell week for Jesus.
Maundy Thursday: In John 13:37 on that last night Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment that you love one another just as I have loved you.” When you translate the phrase “new commandment” back to Latin (the language the Bible was originally translated into) it comes out Mandatum Novum. So it’s really “The new commandment to love one another as Jesus has loved us” Thursday.
On this night Jesus eats what some call “The Last Supper.” Others call it… the first “Lord’s Supper”; we call it “Holy Communion.” We’ll have Holy Communion.
Good Friday: This is the day of Jesus’ trial and death. There are a lot of explanations for calling this “Good Friday” and they all come down to saying, bad for Jesus, good for us.
At our service we will read the seven last words or phrases that Jesus speaks as his death approaches. It is a very solemn reflective service with several anthems offered by our choir.
EASTER DAY
You gotta be here for this day….It would be easier if we just called it…RESURRECTION SUNDAY because we celebrate that Christ has risen. Resurrection means death does not have power over God. God never gives up on us.
6:30: Sunrise: We meet at the Eden Prairie Cemetery rain or shine, snow or heat at 6:30. People show up to have that visceral experience of the beginning of a new day… which is one way of describing what the resurrection means.
8:30: Bring the kids, it’s okay to be a bit different at this service because it’s meant to reflect a party. And like any good party, we’ll have a movie and something to eat. This year the movie has two kids telling the Easter story, and we will have Holy Communion standing together at the altar table.
9:15: Easter Breakfast Although it’s not a worship service, there is something about our church that says, “On a special day like Easter we have to have the opportunity to eat together.” Come early, stay late…eat what you want… drop a few bucks in a basket if you want…. have fun…
10:00: Our worship will be glorious. The choir will be fantastic. And then at the very end, we invite anyone up to the choir to take part in singing the Hallelujah Chorus. How can you beat that!
Keep the Faith,
Pastor Dan
Palm/Passion Sunday: Jesus shows up in Jerusalem, and the people made a parade out of it. They laid palm branches down in front of him as a sign of respect. We will have palm branches for everyone. We will also teach you to say “Hosanna,” which means God help us…. or God save us, like you mean it.
About half way through the service we will switch from the parade to the arrest of Jesus. This is just in case you don’t get to one of the services below or forget that between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, there is a holy/hell week for Jesus.
Maundy Thursday: In John 13:37 on that last night Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment that you love one another just as I have loved you.” When you translate the phrase “new commandment” back to Latin (the language the Bible was originally translated into) it comes out Mandatum Novum. So it’s really “The new commandment to love one another as Jesus has loved us” Thursday.
On this night Jesus eats what some call “The Last Supper.” Others call it… the first “Lord’s Supper”; we call it “Holy Communion.” We’ll have Holy Communion.
Good Friday: This is the day of Jesus’ trial and death. There are a lot of explanations for calling this “Good Friday” and they all come down to saying, bad for Jesus, good for us.
At our service we will read the seven last words or phrases that Jesus speaks as his death approaches. It is a very solemn reflective service with several anthems offered by our choir.
EASTER DAY
You gotta be here for this day….It would be easier if we just called it…RESURRECTION SUNDAY because we celebrate that Christ has risen. Resurrection means death does not have power over God. God never gives up on us.
6:30: Sunrise: We meet at the Eden Prairie Cemetery rain or shine, snow or heat at 6:30. People show up to have that visceral experience of the beginning of a new day… which is one way of describing what the resurrection means.
8:30: Bring the kids, it’s okay to be a bit different at this service because it’s meant to reflect a party. And like any good party, we’ll have a movie and something to eat. This year the movie has two kids telling the Easter story, and we will have Holy Communion standing together at the altar table.
9:15: Easter Breakfast Although it’s not a worship service, there is something about our church that says, “On a special day like Easter we have to have the opportunity to eat together.” Come early, stay late…eat what you want… drop a few bucks in a basket if you want…. have fun…
10:00: Our worship will be glorious. The choir will be fantastic. And then at the very end, we invite anyone up to the choir to take part in singing the Hallelujah Chorus. How can you beat that!
Keep the Faith,
Pastor Dan
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