Recalling Jesus’ Life: Vigils, Services Reflect on Sacrifice, Suffering

Churches across Lancaster County will recall Jesus’ last days on earth with silent prayer vigils, services of Holy Communion, love feasts and Scripture readings in observance of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Remembering Christ’s sacrifice, with themes of sorrow and mourning, help Christians remember Jesus’ death so the experience of the Resurrection on Easter might be more meaningful.

Details of local services follow:

n ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH, 600 E. Penn Grant Road, Willow Street, will offer a seder at 6 p.m. and worship with Holy Communion at 7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday. The Stations of the Cross will be marked in a service at noon Good Friday, with the Good Friday liturgy at 7:30 p.m.

n BELLEVUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 810 Newport Ave., Gap, will celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in a service at 7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday. The Rev. William S. Davies Jr. will conclude his sermon series on “The Murder of Jesus” with the sermon, “What Shall I Do With Jesus?”

Davies will speak on “The Seven Words of Love” in a service at the church from noon to 1 p.m. Good Friday. Nursery care will be provided.

n BERGSTRASSE EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 9 Hahnstown Road, Ephrata, will offer a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by a 7:30 p.m. modified seder service and Holy Communion by candlelight to commemorate Christ’s Last Supper with the disciples.

n BETHANY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 25 N. West End Ave., will observe Maundy Thursday with a Lenten supper at 6 p.m., followed by a Communion service. The congregation will worship again at 7 p.m. Good Friday.

n CHURCH OF THE APOSTLES, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, 1850 Marietta Ave., will observe Maundy Thursday with the Rev. Kathryn L. Kuhn, associate pastor, leading a service of Holy Communion at 7:30 p.m. in the church sanctuary.

On Good Friday, the congregation will worship in a 7:30 p.m. Tenebrae service in the sanctuary.

n CHRIST CHURCH, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, 247 S. Market St., Elizabethtown, will worship in a Tenebrae service with Holy Communion and concluding with stripping the altar in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Worshippers will gather for a silent prayer vigil between noon and 3 p.m. Good Friday, with prayers offered by the pastors at 1 and 2 p.m.

n COLEMAN MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 1980 Furnace Hills Pike, Lititz, will observe Good Friday with a service of Holy Communion at 7 p.m. Friday.

n COVENANT UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 110 N. Mulberry St., will share a simple meal around tables, with time for conversation and singing and concluding with Holy Communion at 6:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday. The Stations of the Cross, with interactive prayer stations, will be observed at 8:30 p.m.

An Easter prayer vigil will be held from 6 p.m. Good Friday until 8 a.m. Easter Sunday. In addition, the church will host a free Easter community dinner from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday. Reservations are not needed.

n EMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 540 W. Walnut St., will worship at 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday.

n EPHRATA CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE, 110 Durlach Road, Ephrata, will worship in a Communion service at 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday.

The Celebrate Recovery Team, a church ministry group, will lead a 7 p.m. Good Friday service.

Free Easter egg hunts with door prizes will be held at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Saturday, rain or shine.

n EVANGELICAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 276 W. Main St., New Holland, will worship in a service of Holy Communion at 7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday. “Kids Alive” will be held for children.

n FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 7 Marietta Ave., Mount Joy, will worship in a service of Holy Communion at 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday.

The church will hold a “Hour of Remembrance” for people to come and go for prayer, meditation and Scripture reading at noon Good Friday.

n GEORGETOWN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 1070 Georgetown Road, Bart, will host a combined Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. with Middle Octorara Presbyterian Church and Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church. The Rev. Michael Remel, Georgetown UMC pastor, will preach.

n GRACE CHAPEL, 2535 Colebrook Road, Elizabethtown, will worship in service focusing on “The Seven Sayings of the Cross” from noon to 2 p.m. Good Friday.

n The Rev. Wil Martin, senior pastor, will preach on “Upper Room Surprises” in a Holy Communion service at GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH OF WILLOW STREET, 212 Peach Bottom Road, Willow Street, at 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday. Nursery care will be provided.

n GRACE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, 1947 New Holland Pike, will remember the last supper with a seder in the fellowship hall at 6 p.m. Maundy Thursday, followed by a Tenebrae service in the sanctuary at 7:30 p.m.

n HAHNSTOWN UNITED ZION CHURCH, Glenwood Drive and Frysville Road, Ephrata, will worship in a service of Holy Communion at 7 p.m. Good Friday.

n HIGHLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1801 Oregon Pike, will worship in Maundy Thursday services at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., with the Rev. William W. Jackson preaching on “And Jesus Said.”

Soprano Majorie McNaughton Mumma and mezzo-soprano Kelly Knouse will sing in the 11 a.m. service. The Highland Chancel Choir and Highland Singers will perform at 7:30 p.m.

Highland will offer two services on Good Friday: a new, informal children’s service at 10 a.m. and a service of Tenebrae at 7:30 p.m.

The morning service will offer the story of the Crucifixion in an appropriate style for children, with the Rev. Edward W. Mingle in the role of John and the Rev. Ann Osborne as Mary. Children will receive seed packets, symbolizing rebirth.

The evening service will trace Christ’s trial and death through Scripture readings and solemn music.

Nursery care will be available for both services.

n HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, 167 E. Main St., Ephrata, will observe the Triduum beginning with Maundy Thursday services at 12:15 and 7:30 p.m. The latter will include the proclamation of absolution, footwashing, Communion and the stripping of the altar.

The congregation will worship at 7:30 p.m. Good Friday in a service featuring the reading of the Passion from the Gospel of John and culminating in a darkened sanctuary and quiet prayers to mark Christ’s death and burial.

n HOPE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 3474 Rothsville Road, Ephrata, will worship in a Holy Communion service at 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday and a Tenebrae service at 7 p.m. Good Friday.

n Under the theme, “Were You There?,” Todd Wilkerson, Barb Stauffer, Amy Waddington, the Rev. Dennis Snovel, Kevin Ulrich, Dean Wenrich, Ronnie Simmons and Robin Ulrich will portray several people who witnessed the Crucifixion in a Holy Communion service at HOPELAND UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 295 N. Clay Road, Lititz, at 7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday. Nursery care will be provided.

n Joyce Weber will lead Communion and footwashing following a light supper in the fellowship hall at JAMES STREET MENNONITE CHURCH, 323 W. James St., from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

n JERUSALEM EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 36 Church St., Rothsville, will worship in a service of Holy Communion with prayers and anointing for healing at 7 o’clock tonight and 10 a.m. Thursday.

The congregation will mark Maundy Thursday with a 7 p.m. service of footwashing, with the Liturgy of the Lord’s Supper and the stripping of the altar.

Worshippers will observe the Triduum in a 7 p.m. Good Friday service.

n LANCASTER CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN, 1601 Sunset Ave., will mark Maundy Thursday with its annual 7 p.m. Love Feast, an agape meal that recreates some of the events of Jesus’ final week. The simple meal includes footwashing, Communion, hymns, praise choruses, Scripture readings, and reflections.

The congregation will observe Good Friday in a contemplative service at 1 p.m. in the chapel, which will be open for prayer and meditation at 12:30 p.m.

n LEACOCK PRESB

Originally published by Intelligencer Journal Staff.

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