Easter & Holy Week 2024

Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday 25th March 2024 and ends on Easter Sunday. The Holy Week story of Jesus’ journey to the Cross and resurrection, is at the heart of the Christian faith.

Through the week, we journey with Jesus, seeking to grow in our understanding of all that he went through. Participating in this is a spiritual, moving and life-affirming experience that will strengthen your faith or even bring you to start your own faith journey for the first time.

We very much look forward to welcoming you to All Saints and hope that your encounter with Jesus at this holy time will enable you to encounter God wherever you are in your faith. Our Ministry team are always available to help in an unpressured, friendly and welcoming way.

Palm Sunday 24th March

On Palm Sunday Jesus arrived in Jerusalem to crowds and cheers. His triumphant entry into Jerusalem has been celebrated on the Sunday before Easter since the first centuries of Christianity. The crowds waved palm branches and covered his path with them. We remember this with crosses made from palm leaves and a procession like the one that Jesus experienced.

10.15 am
Procession with palms and a Donkey from outside the Old Library to the Church.

10.30 am
Holy Communion in Church with a dramatised reading of the Passion Gospel.

6.30 pm
Choral Evensong

During Holy Week

Compline – Monday to Wednesday 25th to 27th March

7.30 pm each day
A reflective Compline Service including a short meditation.

Compline is simply a service of night prayers, it is a service of quietness and reflection before rest at the end of the day. It is most effective when the ending is indeed an ending, without additions, conversation or noise, so we depart in silence at the end. The service lasts for approximately 30 minutes.

Maundy Thursday 28th March

7.30 pm
Holy Communion with foot washing, stripping of the altar, followed by a vigil.

Maundy Thursday is the day when we remember Jesus sharing the Last Supper with his disciples before his death. Its name comes from the Latin word mandare meaning to command. We remember Jesus’ command: ‘Love one another as I have loved you’.  At the Last Supper Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, we recreate this act of service as an important reminder of the nature of Jesus, who we serve, but also the kind of service we are meant to demonstrate in our love for one another. At the conclusion of the service, the altar is stripped, symbolic of Jesus being stripped. Following the service, we hold a silent vigil for one hour, and you are welcome to stay for all or just part of the vigil, you will find it a profound experience to sit quietly with Jesus as we accompany him as he prayed at Gethsemane.  We leave the service in silence.

Good Friday 29th March

Good Friday is the day when Christians remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. It is a sombre day. We meet to pray and reflect on the sacrifice Jesus willingly freely gave for each of us.

12.00 pm
Walk of Witness
We gather with the other Christian denominations as Churches Together Holbeach to walk together from the Catholic Church through the High Street to All Saints Church. We do this to remember that Jesus had to carry his cross publicly through the streets of Jerusalem. It is a public statement of our faith, a retelling of the crucifixion story and a reminder of Jesus’ words ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’ We stop outside the Co-Op, the old Barclays Bank, and finally the All Saints churchyard for readings and to sing hymns.

1.00 pm
Refreshments at All Saints Church
We gather for fellowship with our Christian brothers & sisters from all the Holbeach Churches at All Saints for Hot-Cross Buns and refreshments.

2.00 pm
In Church At the Foot of the Cross Service
An hour-long meditative service including the Passion Gospel according to St John, interspersed with hymns played on the organ, and the opportunity for individual prayer at the cross.

Holy Saturday 30th March – Lincoln Cathedral

8.00 pm – Lincoln Cathedral
Easter Vigil

This year our annual Easter Vigil Service will be held at Lincoln Cathedral. The service is the Easter celebration for the cathedral and a wonderful opportunity to join with the Diocese. During this joyful celebration, there will be baptisms and confirmations. If you are interested in being baptised and/or confirmed at this service, please contact Sherine for further details.

Easter Day – Sunday 31st March

On Easter Sunday, we will celebrate because Jesus died for our sins and then rose again. On the third day after being crucified, Jesus’ tomb was found empty. He had risen from the dead. Life triumphs over death! The joy of the resurrection is possible only because Christ endured death and conquered it. We will celebrate Jesus’ glorious resurrection and new life by making and blessing our Easter garden in the Church porch.

6.15 am (Clocks change to British Summer Time)
Easter Dawn Service
We gather together outside the Church for an informal service with a bonfire and watching the sunrise (6.36 am). Our Paschal Candle will be lit from the bonfire and carried into church to represent the light of Christ. Following the short service, we will all enjoy breakfast together as we celebrate Easter.

10.30 am
Holy Communion for Easter Day
A joyous celebration of Jesus’ resurrection and the gift of new life that is for us all.

6.30 pm
Choral Evensong

Print our Holy Week leaflet

Click above to print leaflet

Easter Day to Pentecost

Easter Day marks the beginning of 50 days of celebrating Jesus’ resurrection. The final 10 days begin on Ascension day where we celebrate Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Finally, at the end of the 50 days, we celebrate Pentecost (sometimes called Whitsun) when Jesus’ disciples received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is often referred to as the birthday of the Church and is celebrated with parties and Whit walks.

Stations of the Cross video

Read the Passion Gospel at Home for Holy Week

For those of you who would like to read the Passion Story at home on Palm Sunday because you will miss hearing it in Church; Here is a version produced by David Wilbourne that was used in his church last Sunday. You can read it straight or do the simple activities appropriate to each passage as you go along. You could use it on Palm Sunday or save it to use during Holy Week or on Good Friday; It is up to you. Please print it off for your own use and share it as widely as you can with your friends.

Please click here to read the Passion Story

Watch the Passion of Jesus Play

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