The Significance of Holy Week

Palm Sunday —April 14 at 11 am.  Palm Sunday begins Holy Week.  On this day we process forward with palm branches in order to reenact Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (see Luke 19:37-40).  On this day too, we will hear the Peace Lutheran Choir sing “Hosanna!”  “Hosanna” a transliteration of the Hebrew phrase that expresses the plea “Lord, save us”—a cry of joyful hope.  Come, wave your palm branch and celebrate Jesus—the Victorious King!

Maundy Thursday —April 18 at 7 pm with Holy Communion.  This service captures the happenings of Jesus with his disciples in the Upper Room before his arrest and betrayal.  This service gives us much to think about.  If we were there as one of Jesus’ disciples, what would we have been thinking?  Undoubtedly, we’d marvel at Jesus’ call for humble service as he washed his disciples’ feet.  Come this night to hear about Jesus’ desire to serve you!  The stripping of the altar ends the Maundy Thursday service—this is a moving way to represent Jesus’ humiliation at the hands of those who crucified him.  The stripping of the altar happens in silence as we prepare our hearts and minds for Good Friday and Jesus’ death.

Good Friday —April 19 at 7 pm.  What is so good about Good Friday?  Come and find out!  This is an austere and simple service that focusses on the fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ Jesus’ death—the full payment for our sins—that’s why Good Friday is “good.”  At Peace we recognize this in a personal way.  Each participant receives a nail at the beginning of worship that can then be placed into the cross in the narthex at the conclusion of the service.  This reminds us that our debt has been paid by Jesus’ death.  We will also be reminded that Jesus has taken the load of sin off our shoulders as the Peace Lutheran Choir sings, “Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs.”

Easter — April 21 at 10 am with Holy Communion.  Easter is the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection.  Jesus did not remain in the tomb but rose from the tomb and lives.  This is a day of celebration!  We will hear some powerful songs sung by our Peace Lutheran Choir (and Youth Choir) and sing some ourselves.  When the pastor says, “Alleluia.  Christ is risen”, be ready to reply, “He is risen indeed!  Alleluia.”  This is our way of saying, “Jesus wins and so do we!”