Tenebrae (Wednesday, April 16th): 8:00PM

Tenebrae means “shadows” in Latin. It is a service of word, light and sound. When you arrive for worship you will see two groups of candles lit on the altar table. As readings are read the candles on the altar will be gradually extinguished until the very end of the service when the last candle left lit is removed from the worship space and the whole sanctuary is left in darkness. At that point a loud crash will (should) shatter the silence of the sanctuary. The gradual darkening of the sanctuary and the crashing noise symbolizes the apparent victory of death, darkness, and chaos over Jesus Christ on the cross. Then, after a moment, the last candle is returned to the sanctuary. The final candle being removed and returned, symbolizes the truth that through Jesus’ death, God gained victory over all the powers of evil. The Light was not overcome. After the candle returns, the worshippers should depart in silence.

Maundy Thursday (Thursday, April 17th): 7:00PM

Maundy Thursday communion celebrates the humility of Jesus with a ceremonial foot washing.  Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s and yet on the night before he died, during the Last Supper, he knelt down and one by one washed his disciples’ feet. He did this to show his disciples and to show you and me how to serve one another with humility and love, being willing even to stoop to the most menial tasks. Maundy Thursday is the last chance for communion until the Great Vigil.

Good Friday (Friday, April 18th): 12:00 noon

At about 3pm on Friday of Holy Week he lifted his eyes up to heaven from the cross and breathed out his last. “It is finished” he said. He was not only referring to his life, but he was also referring to his mission to deal with and defeat once and for all sin, death, and Satan.

Stations of The Cross (Friday, April 18th): 8:00PM

Stations of the Cross is a solemn service. The participants walk through the sanctuary by candlelight, stopping to pray and listen to biblical readings at the fourteen different stations marked (at Good Shepherd) by engravings hung on the walls of the sanctuary. Each station depicts a moment in the suffering of Christ, from the trial where he was condemned, to his procession through Jerusalem carrying his cross, to the hill called Golgotha where he was crucified, ending at the final station, his burial in a tomb. The gathering exits the sanctuary in silence.

The Great Vigil of Easter (Saturday,  April 19th): 8:00PM

Along with Tenebrae, the Easter Vigil is one of the most ancient services of the Church. It is the most important service of the entire year and it is the first service of Easter. The service begins in total darkness—the lights of the sanctuary are out and not a candle is burning. Then a fire is lit in a firepot the center of the nave and from that flame all the candles in the sanctuary are lit and the hand- candles in the congregation. Then come readings and psalms, said and sung, by singers and by the whole congregation. A sermon follows, and then the first Communion of Easter. 

Easter Day (Sunday, April 20th): 10:30 AM

This is the day Christians celebrate and proclaim the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. There will be music, preaching, smells and bells.