Zion Lutheran Church in Portland has announced its special activities during Holy Week.
April 1 is Palm Sunday. During Lent, Zion has been conducting a special worship series entitled “Words of Promise.” The series began on Ash Wednesday and continues through the Holy Week services. The “Words of Promise” theme for Palm Sunday is “The Passion Narrative.”
As has become a tradition at Zion, parishioners will gather in the fellowship hall at 9 a.m. and begin the worship service with a congregational procession of palms into the sanctuary. This is done in remembrance of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The “Hosanna” excitement of the processional will then be echoed later in the service as the crowds cry out “Crucify him” as part of the reading of Mark’s passion narrative. The participatory narrative will take the place of the sermon.
Palm Sunday is also a day of beginnings, as third grade students will be receiving Holy Communion for the first time. In addition, the third and fourth graders will receive their own Bible during the service.
Palm Sunday also marks the beginning of Holy Week. Opportunities for worship during the week include Maundy Thursday service April 5 at 7 p.m., when the “promise” theme will be “The Servant Promise;” Good Friday Eucharist April 6 at 7 p.m., with a theme of “Promises Kept;” and Easter Sunday, April 8 at 9 a.m. with the theme “A New Promise.”
Members of Zion will also participate in the annual ecumenical Good Friday Walk with other Portland Christians, beginning at noon at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church. A shorter Walk this year, it will consist of a procession of participants carrying the cross with brief worship time at St. Mary’s, Trinity Episcopal Church and United Methodist Church, and a return to Trinity for a time of fellowship.
The members of Zion Lutheran Church invite everyone to join them for worship and other special events. The church is located at 183 William St.
Worship begins at 9 a.m. each Sunday, followed by coffee hour. Children’s Sunday School and Adult Education follow worship at 10:15 a.m. Call the office for more information (860-342-2860) or visit us online at www.zionlutheranportland.com.
