Thanks to our Prayer Partners about 30 people had an opportunity to prepare for Holy Week with the help of a labyrinth. 

A labyrinth is different from a maze in that you won’t get lost.  Labyrinths were a popular medieval spiritual discipline that helped people get closer to God.

Following our Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday Tenebrae Services the sanctuary was prepared for the observance of Good Friday.

A combined choir of 25 from our church and Aldersgate United Methodist Church performed a benefit concert to raise money for North Reading’s Christian Community Service.  Because of the economy CCS has experienced a 100% increase in requests for help.  The choirs presented DuBois’ “Seven Last Words” and approximately $700 was raised for CCS.

At the conclusion of the Good Friday Service the Christ Candle was then moved to the chapel for the Easter Vigil.

The Easter Vigil is a Union Congregational tradition.  Members of the congregation sign up for two hour shifts of prayer and meditation in the chapel and keep watch so that the Christ light continues to shine throughout the weekend.  The Vigil begins immediately after the Good Friday Service and continues around the clock right through the Easter Sunday Service.  Some of the most sought after time slots are in the middle of the night.

At the conclusion of the Easter Vigil the Christ Candle is then returned to the sanctuary to welcome the 400 plus people who gather to celebrate the resurrection and the promise that because he lives we will live also.

The sanctuary is always decorated with an abundance of Easter lilies to accentuate the Good News.

Many of those flowers are later brought to shut ins and members of the congregation are encouraged to take them to friends and neighbors who may be ill or in need of a little extra love.

This link will take you to the Sermon Audio page where you can hear this year’s Easter sermon, “A Few Spices And A Spiced Up Life.”