Holy Week

Christian churches in the Hancock area are observing Holy Week in preparation for Easter on Sunday. St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church observes Maundy Thursday with a soup and salad supper at 6:30 p.m. followed by a service at 7:30 p.m. Its custom is to strip the church of all ornamentation and hold a prayer vigil until midnight.   On Good Friday, churches will gather together at 10:30 a.m. for the annual Ecumenical Crosswalk, a procession with prayers around the community. The crosswalk begins at Widmeyer Park and ends on Church Hill at St. Thomas’ and St. Peter’s churches.

With Easter Sunday on April 12, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services will be published in The Herald-Mail on Tuesday, April 7. The deadline for those Holy Week activities is Friday, April 3, at noon. Items already submitted need not be sent again. Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday services will be published Saturday, April 11. The regular Thursday noon deadline will apply for those items. All services may be submitted together.

In an effort to attract people who work, live and shop in the downtown Hagerstown area, the Washington County Council of Churches is again sponsoring a series of noontime Holy Week services at two Methodist churches. "These services have been a long-standing tradition in our community for many years and are attended by members of local congregations, service clubs and others," said the Rev. Gregory Shook of the Ecumenical Affairs Committee of the council. - The Rev. Cherie Baker, chaplain/director of religious services for Washington County Hospital, will share daily messages at John Wesley United Methodist Church, 129 N. Potomac St., today through Thursday.

Holy Week services With Easter Sunday on April 12, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services will be published Tuesday, April 7, in The Herald-Mail. The deadline for submitting Holy Week activities is Friday, April 3, at noon. Items already submitted do not need be sent again. Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday services will be published Saturday, April 11. The regular Thursday noon deadline will apply for those items. All services may be submitted together.

A listing of Holy Week services will be published in The Morning Herald and The Daily Mail newspapers on Tuesday, April 11. The deadline for submitting information is noon Monday, April 10. Easter Sunday service information will be published Saturday, April 15. The regular Thursday noon deadline applies for those items. Information already received need not be resubmitted.

How much do you know about the Christian celebration of Easter? Today is Good Friday, the day on which Christians commemorate the Crucifixion of Christ. Sunday is Easter, the day Christians believe Jesus resurrected from the dead. There are many references in literature and popular culture to the happenings of Holy Week, but these references might seem obscure to those who were not raised in the faith. To help you understand the events or to see how much you already know, here's a short quiz.

Ask a Silly Question 4/11 What does Maundy Thursday - the day before Good Friday - commemorate for Christians? Maundy Thursday is believed to be the day that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. Many churches have foot washing services on that day of Holy Week.

Passion Walk set for this week You are invited to reflect on the last hours of Christ's life through sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. Experience the self-guided, self-paced walk through The Passion according to the Gospels of Luke and Mark at St. John's Lutheran Church during Holy Week. The Passion Walk is in Gettysburg Hall, on the second floor of the Education Building. A ramp and elevator is available for accessibility. The walk will be open today from 4 to 7 p.m., and Thursday and Friday, from 1 to 7 p.m. St. John's is at 141 S. Potomac St., across from the downtown library in Hagerstown.

Thursday, March 24 7 p.m. on CBS The NCAA Tournament March Madness resumes in a big way with two regional semifinal games shown tonight and again tomorrow. Saturday, it's on to the regional finals, starting at 4:30 p.m. 8 p.m. on the History Channel "Joseph: The Silent Saint" The History Channel will be paying special attention to religious subjects as the Christian observance of Holy Week concludes. Joseph is "one of the greatest biblical mysteries" because he is hardly mentioned in the scriptures.

Trinity Lutheran Church, 64 S. Main St., celebrated Palm Sunday services in their sanctuary. Last May, the sanctuary was destroyed by an electrical fire, and renovations and refurbishing were complete just in time for Holy Week. The congregation processed together from the social room where they have been worshiping, up the alley and through the front doors together. Many thanks to everyone involved in saving and renovating this beautiful space. If you would like to see the sanctuary in person, Easter services will be at 7 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Sunday.

Many Christian churches observe Maundy Thursday today, so called because of the mandare (Latin for commandment) given by Jesus Christ to his disciples to “love one another as I have loved you.”  Services at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church include footwashing and Holy Communion. On Friday, local churches observe Good Friday and the commemoration of the death of Jesus on the cross. Local clergy and church members will walk from Widmeyer Park along Main Street to St. Peter's Catholic Church.

Asbury United Methodist Church, Charles Town, W.Va., commemoration of Last Supper, 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday. Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren, Pastor Rachel Black will lead the Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. with love feast and communion in fellowship hall. Bethel United Methodist Church, Chewsville, Maundy Thursday communion service. Healing and wholeness service Friday. Blair's Valley First Church of God, Clear Spring, Maundy Thursday communion service, 7 p.m. Boonsboro First Christian Church, re-enactment of the Last Summer during Maundy Thursday communion service, 7 p.m. Broadfording Church of the Brethren Fellowship, Maundy Thursday love feast and communion service at 7 p.m. Good Friday service at 7 p.m. Pastor Len Smith will speak on Hours of Denial.

The Herald-Mail will publish religious service notices for Holy Week and Palm Sunday on Saturday, March 23. The deadline for all notices is noon Thursday, March 21.

Trinity Lutheran Church, 64 S. Main St., celebrated Palm Sunday services in their sanctuary. Last May, the sanctuary was destroyed by an electrical fire, and renovations and refurbishing were complete just in time for Holy Week. The congregation processed together from the social room where they have been worshiping, up the alley and through the front doors together. Many thanks to everyone involved in saving and renovating this beautiful space. If you would like to see the sanctuary in person, Easter services will be at 7 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Sunday.

Christian churches in the Hancock area are observing Holy Week in preparation for Easter on Sunday. St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church observes Maundy Thursday with a soup and salad supper at 6:30 p.m. followed by a service at 7:30 p.m. Its custom is to strip the church of all ornamentation and hold a prayer vigil until midnight.   On Good Friday, churches will gather together at 10:30 a.m. for the annual Ecumenical Crosswalk, a procession with prayers around the community. The crosswalk begins at Widmeyer Park and ends on Church Hill at St. Thomas’ and St. Peter’s churches.

Holy Week events and services scheduled Thursday through Saturday at Tri-State area houses of worship: Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren , Maundy Thursday service with love feast, including foot washing and communion at 7 p.m. Thursday. Blair’s Valley First Church of God , communion for believers, with foot washing at 7 p.m. Thursday. Broadfording Church of the Brethren Fellowship , Maundy Thursday love feast and communion service at 7 p.m. Thursday.

How much do you know about the Christian celebration of Easter? Today is Good Friday, the day on which Christians commemorate the Crucifixion of Christ. Sunday is Easter, the day Christians believe Jesus resurrected from the dead. There are many references in literature and popular culture to the happenings of Holy Week, but these references might seem obscure to those who were not raised in the faith. To help you understand the events or to see how much you already know, here's a short quiz.

Cold not hampering events in Hancock The brief return of cold weather has not put a chill on the events calendar in Hancock. In fact, it is heating up for spring and summer! Who'da-thunk-it, that so many fun and enjoyable events are on the horizon! And it's Holy Week besides, the week that the Christian churches hold many meaningful services. If you see the Good Friday cross walk pass by you on Main Street Friday morning, pause for a moment. This can be a time to remember your blessings and renew your commitment to do good in the world, even when it seems you are going against the tide of the times.