In these waning days of Lent, as we look toward the keeping of The Great Three Days, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and The Great Vigil of Easter, and the beginning of the 50 Day Feast of Easter, let us embrace the paradox – entering fully into the disciplines of Lent in the remaining couple of weeks, and committing ourselves to fully keeping the 50 Day Feast that lies ahead – knowing full well that what we share is but a foretaste of the eternal reality yet to unfold.

Maundy Thursday Dinner Church – A 3 course pot-luck dinner. We are very excited about our plans for our next Dinner Church Experience on Maundy Thursday (the Thursday of Holy Week, April 18, 6:00 pm). Our Dinner Church Experience on Maundy Thursday this year is going to be intentionally interactive in ways we’ve not done before. Here’s the plan for worship that night…

We’ll begin with Confession and Forgiveness, including, for those who desire it, individual absolution and the laying on of hands.

During the salad course, we’ll hear a reading, the Pastor will preach and we’ll sing a hymn.

As one of the primary things that occurred on Maundy Thursday was Christ’s prayer in Gethsemane, during our main course, we will circulate through several prayer stations, each with a unique form of prayer:

  • An assortment of news headlines and stories – praying for the needs of the world
  • A cross – write prayers of confession and forgiveness and attach them to the cross
  • Prayer block – roll the block and pray according to what you roll
  • Healing Prayer – receive anointing with oil and laying on of hands by Pastor Matt
  • Rocks – drop a rock, representing something you need to let go of, into a pool of water

Before our dessert course, we’ll commune one another at our tables.

Once dessert is done, we’ll process together into the sanctuary for the reading of the Gospel, the foot washing, the stripping of the altar, and the opportunity for people to stay for as long as they desire for private prayer.

 

GOOD FRIDAY:      April 19: 3:00 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy from Evangelical Lutheran Worship

                                                  7:30 p.m. A service of light and shadows – traditionally called Tenebrae

 

THE GREAT VIGIL OF EASTER:  April 20:  7:30 p.m. The Great Vigil of Easter – This service is long – though it could be longer still if we included all of the readings available in the service of readings.  It lasts between 2 and 2 1/2 hours.  We’ll light the new fire and process into the great room, the vigil readings will take place in the great room. We’ll then process in to the sanctuary to complete our Service of Holy Communion

                                                                                   

EASTER SUNDAY:              April 21: Festival Service of Holy Communion at 9:30

                                                (No Sunday Church School on Easter Sunday or Nursery)