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Ickenham Church News - April 2004
A Warm Welcome awaits you at the ICKENHAM CHURCHES
over the EASTER PERIOD
Holy Week and Easter Services are as follows:
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER
Monday 5th, Tuesday 6th and Wednesday 7th April
0900 Morning Prayer at St Giles'
Maundy Thursday 8th April
1000 Holy Communion at St Giles'
1930 Remembrance of the Last Supper at the URC - Revd Ken Tombs
(See individual Church News letters for details)
Good Friday 9th April
1030 Joint Family Service for Good Friday at the URC - Anne Dove.
1115 Walk of Witness starting from the URC forecourt.
1200-1330 Frugal Lunch in support of Christian Aid at St
Giles' Church Hall.
1400 'The Last Hour' - Service at St Giles'.
Easter Eve Saturday 10th April
1800 Evening Prayer, Renewal of Baptismal Vows and Lighting
of the Paschal Candle at St Giles'.
Easter Day 11th April
0800 Holy Communion (Traditional Language)
0945 Holy Communion (Common Worship)
1830 Choral Evensong
Easter Day 11th April at the URC
1100 Morning Worship including Holy Communion - Revd Ken Tombs
What is Holy Week All About?
This year, Easter Day falls on 11 April. The week leading
up to it, which begins with Palm Sunday on 4th April, is very
special in the church year and is known as Holy Week.
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, the day when the Church remembers
the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. He had gone up to
Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, and when He entered the
city, the crowds gave him a rapturous welcome, throwing palms
into his path. Today churches distribute crosses of palm fronds.
The next highlight of Holy Week falls on Maundy Thursday, which
recalls the washing of the disciples' feet by Jesus. The ceremony
of the 'washing of the feet' was an important part of the liturgy
of the Medieval church. 'Maundy' relates to the opening words
of a typical service on this day from John 13: 'A new command
I give you: Love one another..' In Latin, this begins 'mandatum
novum do vobis' The word 'mundy' is a corruption of the Latin
'mandatum'. In England, in by-gone years, the monarch would wash
the feet of a small number of his or her subjects. Nowadays the
Queen distributes specially minted coins to the elderly at various
cathedral services.
Good Friday is the day on which Jesus died on the cross. It is
the most solemn day in the Christian year. Decorations are removed
from churches. In Lutheran churches, the passion narrative from
a gospel was read out, a practice which lies behind the 'passions'
composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 1750).
The custom of observing a period of three hours' devotion from
12 midday to 3 pm on Good Friday goes back to the 18th century.
Lent ends with Holy Saturday. The Eastern Orthodox churches hold
the 'Paschal Vigil' which leads directly into Easter Day.
GOOD FRIDAY WALK OF WITNESS 11.15 A.M.
From The U.R.C. Forecourt
DROP-IN FOR THE BEREAVED. Third Monday of each month.
St Giles' Church Hall, 2 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. A friendly, informal
opportunity for a chat, over a cup of tea, with other bereaved
people and pastoral visitors. The next meeting is Monday
19th April (also Monday 17th May). Just come along, or ring the
Rectory (622970), if you would like to talk to someone first.
ICKENHAM GOOD NEIGHBOUR SCHEME exists to serve the
whole of Ickenham. We're here to assist in an emergency. If you
need help, the daytime contact numbers are: 01895 633020 or 01895
235061.
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