As we move ever closer to Easter, you may have heard an announcement in church or overheard one of your friends talking about Holy Week.

But what is Holy Week? Why do Christians celebrate it?
And what the heck is a Triduum?!?

Well, for the annual installment of Holy Week at NHLC, here we go:
In the earliest years of the church, devout Christians would travel to Jerusalem during Passover to reenact—and in some ways, relive—the events of the week leading up to the Resurrection.
This profound act of remembering Christ’s ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection served as a way for the earliest Christian believers to grow in their own faith by recalling the formative and foundational events of their faith.

By retelling the story year after year,
we remember the why behind the what of our faith.

Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday and goes all the way through Easter Sunday. This is the most important week in the life of a Christian.
And the pinnacle of Holy Week is the Great Three Days of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Rather than three distinct worship services, these separate liturgies are best seen as one large complete worship service over the course of three days. Collectively known as the Triduum (trid-doo-um)—which is Latin for “three days”—these three worship services are the most important worship events in the midst of the most important week in the life of a Christian.

Taken all together, the worship services of Holy Week give us the most complete picture of the fundamental people, places, events, and beliefs of the Christian faith.

You are invited to join us as we journey this holiest of weeks together.
All services are held at New Hope Lutheran Church.

Palm Sunday – Sunday, April 14, 2019

Worship at 8:00am and 10:30am

We’ll hear from the Gospel of Matthew and recount Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We’ll begin outside, waving our palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” as we celebrate the king who rode a donkey rather than a valiant horse, who wore a dusty cloak rather than fine linens, and who would later ascend a cross rather than a throne.
Also known as the Sunday of the Passion, we’ll hear Luke’s account of Christ’s crucifixion.

Maundy Thursday – Thursday, April 18, 2019

Worship at 7:00pm

Taken from the Latin word for “commandment,” we’ll retell the story of Jesus with his disciples when he washed their feet and gave them a mandatum novum—a new commandment—that we should love one another as Jesus loved us.
We mark the official end of Lent by receiving individual absolution, or forgiveness—the oil marking the cross on our forehead just as the ashes did on Ash Wednesday. We’ll remember the new commandment by having our own feet washed, and we’ll share in the meal that Jesus shared with his friends.
We’ll conclude by stripping the altar, as Jesus would be stripped of his clothes before being handed over to be crucified.

Good Friday – Friday, April 19, 2019

Journey to the Cross at 10:30am

Especially for younger ones, join us for an interactive journey through Holy Week and the last days of Jesus’ life. Wave palms, wash one another’s feet, learn about the Last Supper and crucifixion, and meet a real Roman soldier! Told by biblical characters along the way, immerse yourself in this incredible story. We’ll end our time by rolling a stone in front of the tomb.

Worship at 7:00pm

In this solemn service of fading light, we’ll hear John’s account of Christ’s Passion and ponder the mystery and majesty of the cross. The Passion will also be performed in mime and the service will end with an opportunity to venerate the Cross, showing reverence to this instrument of death that God used to redeem all of humanity and give life to all.

The Easter Vigil – Saturday, April 20, 2019

Prayer Vigil from 3:00pm to 6:00pm

Sign up to keep vigil and pray for the concerns of the world and the struggles on your heart. There will also be names of people from this community of faith available for you to hold in prayer. The prayer vigil concludes with the beginning of our worship service.

Worship at 7:00pm

In the early Christian church, they would gather together on the night before major festivals and keep vigil until the morning. While we won’t stay up all night, we will gather together to celebrate this most ancient of Christian festivals. In the early church, the Easter Vigil was the most important worship service of the year.
In an abbreviated celebration of the Easter Vigil, we’ll gather down at our lakeside chapel where the new fire will be lit and our new Paschal candle will be blessed. We’ll then retell the Creation story—the earliest story of our salvation—and remember God’s promises throughout all time to save and redeem us. We’ll conclude our service by processing to the door of our sanctuary, led by the light of Christ shining from our new Paschal candle, where we’ll lean into the hope of the empty tomb and coming promise of the Resurrection.