Our morning service on 6th April will take the form of a devotion for congregation and choir. In format, the service will be a little like a 9 lessons and carols, but with the focus on the period of and before the crucifixion.

There will be a mix of well-known congregational favourite hymns, a number of choir anthems, scripture readings and prayers and will provide for a reflective start to the Passion and Palm leading up through Holy week into Easter.

Members of St Mary's Church, Plumtree, will be providing a lunch of homemade soup and bread at the Burnside Memorial Hall, Church Hill, Plumtree.
This simple meal is open to everyone and provides an opportunity to build our community life.

We ask for a freewill offering as a donation to St Mary's.

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In the Lenten season, Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday.
This Sunday observes Jesus's triumphant and joyful entrance into Jerusalem, marked by jubilant crowds waving palm branches, which symbolize victory over sin, peace, and eternal life.
(see Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19).
The choir hold palm branches as they process into the chancel.
The Gospel of the Passion will be read.

Because Thursday night of Holy Week corresponds to the Last Supper, it includes Jesus saying, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you.” This is the night of that New Commandment, in other words, it is New Commandment Thursday. The word 'Maundy' is derived from 'Commandment'.

Reflection on Jesus's last hour

On Easter Sunday, we celebrate because Jesus died for our sins and then rose again.
Throughout Lent, St Mary's is kept stark and bare but on Easter Sunday, the church is decorated with flowers and the sombre purple of Lent is replaced with celebratory white or gold.
There is a joyful feel to our Easter Sunday service with uplifting music and repeated alleluias (an exclamation of joyful praise).

Please note that there will be
NO EVENING SERVICE ON EASTER DAY.