Following Worship at either campus, please join us for a delicious Easter Brunch for all and an Easter Egg Hunt full of goodies for the children.

It is easy to become so engrossed in the details of historical events—who, when, where—that we miss their significance. For example, consider World War II. There are many compelling stories. Lots of dates and data to remember. However, for a moment, set all that aside, and just imagine the Allies had lost.

How would the world be different today? What would life be like for those of Jewish heritage? Would freedom exist in Europe? Would we be speaking German? With historical events, you miss out if you focus only on the details: who, when, where. You also need to focus on what that historical event means. The Allies won. That means something!

In this season of Easter, it is good we review the details: who, when, where. That reminds us that the resurrection of Christ is not fairytale or fable. It is a historical event. . . the historical event. However, we do ourselves a disservice if we simply recall the historic details of Easter without thinking long and hard about Easter’s significance. Jesus won. That means something! It is our privilege and pleasure to use the fifty days of Easter to discuss this fact: because he lives, not only is our eternity secure, but we have abundant resources to face the present

Holy Week and the Triduum

Palm Sunday is the sixth Sunday in the season of Lent and the entrance to the climax of the Christian Year—the celebration of the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This week we see vividly what our Savior came to do. We see him suffer and die for our sins and for the sins of the world. And we see him rise triumphantly on Easter morning to assure us that our salvation is complete, the victory is won. 

Prior to the fourth century, Easter Day itself included all three emphases—Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection. But the early Church fathers decided that it might be wise to spread those three emphases out over three days. And so Maundy Thursday was formed to commemorate the beginning of Christ’s suffering, as he gathers in the upper room, washing his disciples feet, institutes the Lord’s Supper, then proceeds to the Garden of Gethsemane for prayer. Good Friday was set aside to ponder the intensity of Christ’s passion, as he is put on trial before Pontius Pilate, scourged, and crucified. On the cross, he speaks only seven times before he dies. Finally, the practice of the Easter Vigil was begun. It was not the high festival service of Easter. Rather, it was a service to prepare oneself for that festival. The Vigil was also used as the entrance rite into the Church, as converts were baptized, confirmed, and communed all during the vigil.

The greatest theologian of the early Church, St. Augustine, called these days of special observance, “the most holy Triduum of the crucified, buried, and risen Lord.” (Triduum is Latin for three days.) These days have long been understood as the climax of the Church’s year. Together they form a unit. Therefore, as we celebrate these Three Holy Days, our worship will form a unit—a single service, celebrated over three days, which will take us through our Savior‘s sufferings to his glorious triumph on Easter.