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| Lent |
| The church exists first to offer worship (honour) to God and to thank him for the gifts he gives us, and secondly to honour and support each other because we're all fellow creatures of God, and so that honours him too.
Firstly: God deserves our worship because he's the supreme being who made us out of nothing in order to have a relationship with him. We destroy that relationship by our disobedience (sin), but God restores it again through the life and work of Jesus Christ. To help us to focus on God, the church divides the year into eight main Seasons, each with one or more Major Festivals. They remind us of the important times in the life and work of God and Jesus, and consequently have major significance for his followers and so are observed by most Christians. (Return to top)
Secondly: We honour each other because Jesus told us to - he taught us that we should care for our neighbour as much as we care for our self, because in doing so we honour God who made us all. As well as the seasons and major festivals, therefore, the church celebrates several 'Special Days' throughout the year to remember, honour or support each other and our work in God's world. Celebration of the "Special Days" is usually optional, Christians chose which they want to remember. (Return to top) |
| 'Holy Week' - Palm Sunday | |
| This is the Sunday next before Easter and the start of 'Holy Week'. On this Sunday Jesus entered into the city of Jerusalem to complete the climax of his work here on earth. He rode into the city on a young donkey accompanied by his twelve Apostles and was greeted by crowds of people who shouted Hosanna (Hebrew = 'save, we pray'). They laid their coats on the ground in front of him (a custom reserved for people seen as deserving of the highest honour), and tore down branches from the surrounding palm trees to wave (a sign of victory), hence the name 'Palm Sunday'. Scholars tell us that the people thought that he was the long awaited Messiah (Hebrew = 'chosen or anointed one') who would free them from the Roman occupation and restore an independent Jewish kingdom. (Return to Top) |  Palm Sunday Procession with Real Donkey |
| All churches celebrate this occasion with a special Service and Bible readings that recall the event. Some begin with a procession to the church, waving palms or branches such as pampas grass, with or without a real donkey. Palm Cross - many churches also give all attendees a cross made from palm leaves as a reminder of the event. The cross is usually kept at home until replaced the next year. (Return to Top) |
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| Maundy Thursday - Holy Thursday | |
| The word Maundy comes from the Latin 'mandatum' meaning 'Commandment' and arises from the new commandment Jesus give us on this day, that we should love one another. In the evening, Jesus and his twelve Apostles were gathered together in an upper room to celebrate the important Jewish feast of 'Passover' which commemorates the exodus of the early Hebrews from slavery in Egypt. At the meal, Jesus did two important things which have been observed by Christians since: (Return to Top) 1. He gave thanks to God and then passed the bread and wine around all the Apostles, part of the traditional Passover celebration. But he then introduced a new concept, by saying they represented his body and his blood and henceforth should be shared by all in remembrance of him - this is the origin of the most important Christian service or worship called Holy Communion, which most Christians celebrate regularly to this day. (Luke, chapter 22). (Return to Top) |
 The Last Supper |
| 2. During the meal, he took a towel and bowl of water and washed his Apostles' dusty feet, a task normally done by a slave or servant, to demonstrate that even the greatest among us must serve others and said, "A New Commandment I give you: love one other as I have loved you" (John, chapter 13). This is a good summary of the Laws given by God (The Ten Commandments) and remains the basis of the way Christians are required to live and behave towards each other and the rest of the world. On this day, many churches have a celebration of Holy Communion and a ceremonial washing of feet, copying these two important events. (Return to Top) |  Jesus Washing the Apostles' Feet |
| Stripping of the Altar and Vigil: After the meal described above, Jesus and his Apostles had gone out to the nearby Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus asked his Apostles to watch with him whilst he prayed to God in anticipation of his arrest, trial and execution. But the disciples were tired and fell asleep. Jesus turned and woke them asking, "Could you not watch for an hour". Jesus' presence was betrayed to the authorities, who wanted to do away with him, by one of his own Apostles, Judas Iscariot. Jesus was arrested and taken before the authorities, falsely accused, stripped and flogged. (Mark chapter 14). When the Maundy Thursday Communion Service has ended, some churches continue by removing all the candle sticks, crosses, vases and cloths from the altar and sanctuary area of the church, leaving a bare altar table, although some leave a cross and unlit candles on the altar. After stripping the altar and sanctuary, in allusion to Jesus being stripped, people take it in turns to watch, pray or meditate by the altar for a period (eg: one hour) or even all night, in allusion to Jesus' request to "watch for an hour". (Return to Top) |
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| Good Friday | |
| On Friday, the day after he was arrested, Jesus was executed by the slow and painful method of crucifixion, which was used by the Romans for executing common criminals, so it was not a good day for him. But because of what Jesus did for us on the cross, our failure to keep God's commandments is forgiven and we have reconciliation with God and the chance of eternal life with Him after our death, so it's a very good day for us - hence the name Good Friday. (Return to Top) The customs associated with Good Friday are varied. Some churches hold a 'procession of witness' through the streets with someone carrying a full-size cross at the front, because Jesus carried his own cross to the place of execution. Others perform a play depicting the events of this day, often in the open air and attracting large crowds. Still others have a quiet and reflective Service in church with little or no music and not including Communion, and yet others have a choral event of sombre music written about the day. (Return to Top) |
 Jesus' Crucifixion |
| Holy Saturday | |
| This is the last day of Holy Week and the day immediately before Easter Sunday. On this day, Christians commemorate the time Jesus lay in the tomb after his death on the cross, and his descent into hell. The sanctuary and altar remain stripped and there is no Service of Holy Communion, but many churches hold a 'Service of the Word' - that is, a Service in the style traditionally used by that church for worship when Holy Communion is not being celebrated. Holy Week ends at dusk on this day, when the season and feast of Easter officially begin (In the western tradition, all feasts start at sunset the day before). (Return to Top) | |
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