Easter and Holy Week

You are invited to join us for Holy Week worship here at Mt Zion.

• Sunday, March 24: Palm Sunday, 9:30am
• Thursday, March 28: Maundy Thursday, 6:30pm
• Friday, March 29: Good Friday, 6:30pm
• Saturday, March 30: Easter Vigil, 7:00pm
• Sunday, March 31: Easter - Resurrection Sunday! - 9:30am
  • With an Easter brunch after worship!

With all those worship services, you might be asking, "What is this all about?" The short answer is: Remembering and celebrating the center event of Christian faith, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. :-) But if you would like a longer answer...

Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday we remember Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. He comes as a king, but not like a king of this world. While Pilate is entering the other side of the city on a stallion and surrounded by armed guards, Jesus is on a donkey and surrounded by beggers, lepers, country bumpkins, and red district workers. But even as we celebrate, the scene quickly shifts as Jesus enters his passion, is anointed for burial, and betrayed by a close friend.

Maundy Thursday
Maundy means commandment. On this night we remember Jesus' commandment to us: To love one another like he's loved us, and we embrace this commandment by engaging in washing one another's feet and hands. We also hear the words of Christ on the Cross proclaimed to us, words we've been waiting for since Ash Wednesday: You Are Forgiven.

Good Friday
On this day we remember the heart of our faith, the moment Jesus was raised up on the Cross, driving out the ruler of this world while drawing in all people to his grace and mercy. Though we encounter the pain of this moment, we recognize the day as good, and like the best funeral, we both remember and celebrate the life that was broken so that we could have true life.

Easter Vigil
This service is likely new to many people, even though it is one of the most ancient services in the Christian tradition. On this night, we remember the faithfulness of God throughout history, retelling the ancient stories of the Old Testament. And then, upon hearing the Good News of Easter, we gather around the Font, where we remember the faithfulness of God to us now, as we reaffirm our baptisms and the work of the Holy Spirit within it.

Easter Sunday
Sometimes called Resurrection Sunday, this is the day all the other days have been leading toward. Having been wrapped in praise (Palm Sunday), forgiveness (Maundy Thursday), deep love (Good Friday), and complete faithfulness (Easter Vigil), we now encounter the full truth of the Resurrection: Death has been defeated, and this world has been given true life! Christ is risen, and the new creation has begun!

One final note...
So many people only come to Easter Sunday, and I'm so glad to have all these people with us to celebrate this joyous moment! Like championship events or capstone moments, it is beautiful to be surrounded by so many people cheering and praising. But at the same time, I wish everyone had been able to experience the full story, had been with us for all the moments. Easter wonderful, but it is so much richer because of the journey through Holy Week. I hope you can join us not just for our Easter celebrations, but for the whole journey to the Cross and the Resurrection.

Blessings and Happy Easter!