HOLY WEEK

Holy Week Worship Schedule:

Festival Worship with Palms                                                                                March 27 – 10:30am

Healing Service                                                                                                    March 28 – 7:00pm

Maundy Thursday                                                                                               March 29 – 7:00pm

Good Friday                                                                                                        March 30 – 7:00pm

Vigil of Easter                                                                                                      March 31 – 7:00pm

Easter Festival Worship                                                                          April 1 – 8:30am & 10:30am

Click here for the 2018 Holy Week Bulletin

Welcome to Holy Week…

You are welcome to join us for these next eight days as we tell the amazing story of Jesus’ final week of suffering, death, and resurrection.  Instead of viewing the worship opportunities of Holy Week as individual, self-contained worship, I hope you will seek the interconnectedness.  That is, the way in which the celebrations of Jesus’ entrance to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday flow through to Easter Sunday.  Each day of worship contributes to the telling of the story of God’s great plan of salvation for the world:  God’s love through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Please join us as we seek to encounter our God who desires to love us in every moment of our lives, and who sends us to share that same sort of love through life, death, and beyond.

·       During our festival worship with Palms, our journey begins as we celebrate Jesus’ jubilant entrance into Jerusalem.  We wave our palm branches as we join in the procession shouting “Hosanna!”…even as we know how his stay in Jerusalem will end.

·       At various designated times throughout the week, we will have the opportunity to participate in confession and forgiveness of sin.  New this year, you may come as individuals or as small groups of people.  It is an opportunity to add to our Lenten discipline, make right relationships, and to hear the words of forgiveness.

·       At the Wednesday evening healing worship, we will have the opportunity to find God’s comfort and grace through the Taize style music and liturgy.  There will be space for you to receive the physical signs of grace: the laying on of hands and anointing.

·       On Maundy Thursday, we begin the Triduum worship by telling the story of Jesus’ final meal with his disciples before the Passover.  At this Eucharistic meal, Jesus predicts his own betrayal and death, and institutes for us the sacrament of Holy Communion. Finally, the altar is stripped of its paraments and all symbols of Christian faith in preparation for tomorrow’s events.  We leave in silence.

·       On Good Friday, the Triduum continues as we hear of Jesus betrayal, trial, crucifixion, and death. We come before the cross to confess our own guilt in the death of Jesus, and pray for forgiveness.  We pray for the needs, well-being, and future of this world. We leave in silence.

·       On Saturday, the Triduum arrives at its dramatic finish.  As Jesus lies in the tomb, we keep vigil.  We watch and wait for the resurrection we know is to come.  As the light continues to grow in the worship space, we hear of God’s promises to all humanity; from creation to God’s covenant in baptism.  We end our Vigil by affirming our Baptismal vows as a tangible reminder that we belong to Christ.  Worship concludes with the traditional Euchristic meal and then we move to celebration and refreshments in the lounge!

·       Finally, on Easter morning, we celebrate the empty tomb through festival worship.  Here, we celebrate unabashedly and unashamedly.  God has won!  Love wins!


 © House of Prayer Lutheran Church 2014 | 2100 Irwin St, Aliquippa, PA  15001 | 724.375.2033