A Churchwarden Writes: Easter arrives at St Mary's with a Palm procession in the heart of Hitchin

Read the latest news from St Mary's Church in their regular Nub News column: A Churchwarden Writes

Palm Sunday saw the start of 'Holy Week' leading up to Easter at St Mary's.

A procession, led by St Mary's choir carrying palm branches and singing anthems, took worshippers from the riverside and all around the Church before entering the main doors to begin the service.

Palms adorned the pews as greenery was once more allowed in, to commemorate Jesus' triumphal entrance into Jerusalem. The Bible describes crowds welcoming him waving palm branches to celebrate the coming of a King, riding on a donkey. But this was only the beginning of the story.

Some Cathedrals and churches have brought in a real 'wee donkey' to lead their processions, but we prefer to keep the tradition of a simple procession like those held here for over 1,200 years. T

he week continues to follow the story of the crucifixion with a series of services. 

Maundy Thursday. 

This day remembers Jesus' last evening with his friends and disciples - the day which ended with his betrayal and arrest. But first he shared a passover meal with the disciples, shocking them by insisting on washing their feet as an act of service to them. The Last Supper is portrayed in the mosaic on the East Wall of St Mary's and can be seen behind the altar. 

In our service on the evening of Maundy Thursday we remember these moments, re-enacting them as we wash the feet of some volunteers, share Communion together, and then as a mark of sorrow of what happened to Jesus, strip the church of all decoration before moving to our own garden of repose where we too sit in silence and candlelight to watch, pray and reflect in St Andrews chapel. 

Good Friday

On Good Friday there are two services, one at 10am for younger worshippers, followed by hot cross buns, before we join all of Hitchin's Christian community in the market square and then at 2pm a longer Service recalls the journey to the cross.

On Saturday preparations begin for Easter Day, and the flower arranging team will be busy beautifying every windowsill and corner ready for Easter Day, do drop in and encourage them.

Our main service on Easter Day is at 10 am, you can watch on Livestream if you can't be there in person, and at 6.30pm a Festival Choral Evensong with our wonderful choir once more.

-----------

Easter message from Rev Chris Bunce, Vicar of St Mary's, Hitchin

-----------

Holy Week invites us to go back in time and reflect upon what took place 2000 years ago, but it is a journey back from the future. It is a journey we make in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. It is a journey we make in order to explore the deeper meaning of our baptism. It is a journey we make so that we can engage with the struggle we all encounter between faith and doubt, forgiveness and guilt, hope and despair. 

Holy Week takes us to a place beyond tears to the place of redemption, forgiveness and expectation. This can only be if we do so from the perspective of a Resurrection. Easter invites us to believe that all will be well. The message of Easter is about a costly forgiveness that gives us all a new beginning. It invites us to look to the cross and the crown of thorns and the nails prints in his hands. It speaks of a love that goes beyond our human understanding. It is a kinship love. The great truth and mystery of Easter is that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. 

At St Mary's we welcome you to journey with us this Holy Week and Easter. We will stand at the foot of the cross, we will wash feet, we will process with palms. We will sing, pray and be silent as we remember what God has done in Christ. 

Please find details of our services here: 

We wish you a Blessed Holy Week and a Happy Easter! 

---------------------

The full schedule of Services for Easter Week is here 

-----------------

LIVESTREAMED Services on Sundays are available to watch live at 10 am, 6.30 pm or anytime afterwards on our Youtube channel available on this link: https://www.youtube.com/c/stmaryshitchin

Further updated details of our services, opening times and events are found on our public Facebook page @StMarysChurchHitchin    .

Further information is found on our website:

https://www.stmaryshitchin.co.uk/

You can follow us on the following platforms:

www.facebook.com/StMarysChurchHitchin

Instagram stmaryschurch_hitchin

https://twitter.com/stmaryshitchin_

https://twitter.com/@stmarysBFL

heartofhitchin.com