Author: hoperiverside

Palm Sunday– 9 am- gather outside

Maundy Thursday– 7 pm- foot washing, anointing, communion, confession.

Good Friday– 7 pm

Easter Vigil– 7 pm – gather outside

Easter Sunday– 7 am and 9 am; Egg hunt at 8:30, Brunch at 10:30.

Holy Week is the week just before Easter Sunday. It begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter. Many mainline churches, along with the Catholic Church, have additional worship services during this week. The services are deeply meaningful and full of imagery and interaction.

At Hope, we begin at 9 am on Palm Sunday by starting our worship outside and processing in while singing and waving palm branches. Then we hear the story of the “Passion” of Christ (his last days). We begin the day celebrating and end it on a more somber note.

Maundy Thursday is our next Holy Week service. We will begin worship at 7 pm. This is a very full service, as it includes confession, foot washing (if you like), anointing, communion, and stripping the altar at the end.

Good Friday is the most somber of these services. It begins at 7 pm and we progress through readings as we lower the lights and snuff candles until we are in relative darkness, at which the community is sent to ponder and pray.

On Easter Vigil, we gather outside at 7 pm and light a fire to bring light back into the worship space (sanctuary or nave). We hear the stories of our history and begin the celebration of Easter together in the first Easter Service of the weekend.

Easter Sunday we have two services at 7 and 9 am (identical). These are traditional Easter services where we celebrate our risen Lord with light, beauty, song, and food. Join us between services for an egg hunt and after the late service for a free brunch.

For more information, please see individual pages on this website.

7:00 pm, 17 April, 2019

The word Maundy comes from Middle English, meaning “foot washing.”

On Maundy Thursday, we hear the story of how Jesus washed his disciples feet and shared bread and wine with them, reminding them to remember him every time they do so.

In this manner, the Christian habit of blessing every meal was born.

During this worship, we celebrate communion, have our feet washed and even confess our sins and are anointed.

You may participate as much or as little as you like. At the end of service, the altar and its surround are stripped- preparing it for the Good Friday service and signaling the end of this worship.

It is the beginning service of the three holy days, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.

Join us. See what Hope is all about on Maundy Thursday.

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What is so good about Good Friday? It is dark, somber and commemorates a death. How can it be good?

Every year, Christians recall the day Jesus died willingly to redeem us and bring us back into right relationship with God. On Good Friday we enter a dark and silent worship space. It is sparingly decorated and what there is often is only covered in black cloth. The music is morbid sounding, as it should be- this is the day we remember the cost of our sin.

The service has no communion and ends with no blessing. For some, this is simply too dark. For others, the service is a very low and meaningful moment in the church year to recognize the cost of God redeeming us. Many Christians feel the most emotionally connected to the story of the crucifixion of Christ on this day.

During the service, lights will be put out 7 times, until the sanctuary is dimly lit. We hear the story of the crucifixion and a message that helps us make meaning of it.

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Join us in this solemn reflection. For indeed, it is a good Friday when humanity is redeemed.

7 pm, April 19, 2019

Easter Vigil is an ancient tradition reaching back to the very first Easter as the women around Jesus waited in the dark for the Sabbath to end so that they might tend to their Lord’s body. They waited and then walked in the dark to the tomb, laden with heavy aloes, herbs, and oils. But they were surprised when they arrived- the stone was rolled away and his body was not there. And so the first Easter was written.

In the modern church, Easter begins with the Vigil, when we bring the light of Christ back into the worship space. We begin outside with the story arc of Christianity beginning in the Old Testament. We hear the story of our Abrahamic roots told as we gather around a fire. Then we bless the paschal candle, light it, and enter the worship space. Once inside, the lights are thrown on full and we begin to celebrate. The tomb is empty, the wait of Lent is over. Our Savior has arrived and delivered us from death.

We invite you to join us as we gather outside at 7 pm and then bring the light into the worship space (sanctuary) and decorate with flowers and colorful banners to symbolize the life and promise of “God for us, God with us” in Jesus.

What to expect: We will light a fire and stay until it gets going well. Chairs will be present, but feel free to bring your favorite camp chair if you like. Dress warmly, as the evenings are still cooling off quickly as soon as the sun sets.

We will begin with lighting the Paschal Candle. Then, as the fire burns, we will hear the stories of our faith history, told in everyday language. Just before the first New Testament reading, we process inside, bringing light back into the place we last left in darkness. We will turn all the lights on and celebrate as we remember the way the women felt when they realized their Lord had risen.

Easter is more than Hope, it is promise.  Join us for traditional Easter Services at 7 and 9 am on April 21st.  

On Easter we celebrate with joy- Christ has overcome our sin, death no longer wins.  We are reminded of our Baptismal promise and rebirth.  We celebrate with color, song, praise and full communion.  

All are welcome!  Come and see!  Discover Hope at Easter this year.  

Between services there is an egg hunt and after the last service we do brunch- more food than you can imagine!  The bounty is here, join us in the feast of celebration. 

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Join us for traditional worship on Ash Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at 7:00 pm.

Worship will include confession, communion, and intinction (smearing on your forehead) of ashes.
The ashes are from the leftover palms the previous year and are mixed with olive oil.

This worship (as are all of our worship services) is open to the public.

The sanctuary will be open all day for those who desire to come and pray, light a candle, or sit in silence to ponder the somber power of Lent.