Let me encourage you to take full advantage of the opportunities for encouragement, reflection, and worship during Easter week at HLPC! We’ll begin the week this Sunday with remembering Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on what we have come to call “Palm Sunday” so named as the people greeted Jesus as a returning King by waving palm branches. That night we’ll have Drew Archer with us. Drew is an accomplished actor now studying at Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta. He’ll give a dramatic presentation of the gospel of Mark at 6PM that night. This is a free event but we will accept donations to help fund Drew’s seminary studies.
On Thursday we’ll gather at HLPC for our Maundy Thursday communion service at 7PM. The name “Maundy Thursday” comes from the Latin mandatum novum, referring to the “new commandment” Jesus gave His disciples (John 13:34). Put in plain English, this is “new commandment Thursday”. On that night, Jesus inaugurated the Lord’s Supper which we will observe. We will also be combining elements from what is known as a “Tenebrae” service. Tenebrae, or darkness, is a service that focuses on the suffering of Jesus as our substitute for sinners and reflects a somber tone. This service will help us consider Christ’s work on the cross and will bring the joy of the resurrection into clearer focus.
Easter Sunday starts at 9:15AM with our annual Easter breakfast. Please remember to sign up for what you can bring! Also, we’ll have our annual children’s egg hunt for kids 10 and under so please bring a dozen plastic eggs filled with candy (other than chocolate). We do the egg hunt as a way to add another element of celebration for our children to the joy of Christ’s resurrection. At 10:30AM we’ll gather for worship in the sanctuary to celebrate the joy of Christ’s resurrection.
Please be praying for the week before us. Pray that we will be faithful in proclaiming the good news of the gospel and that God would use these events to draw many to Himself. Be encouraged to invite others to join us at any and all of these Easter week gatherings!