Easter at Hope Church

Easter is the highlight of our year at Hope Church. It is when we celebrate Christ’s victory over death, sin and the devil! But it is more than just a memorialising of Christ’s victory - it is a participation in it!

Join us this Easter for a variety of services and events throughout Holy Week:

Palm Sunday

Sunday 2nd April, 10am at Dean Field School

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday. Prepare yourself for Holy Week by learning about what Christ has come to do. We think of our enemies and our problems being very ‘material’; people are against us, people annoy us, governments oppress us… while this may feel true Palm Sunday show us that our real enemies are the spiritual forces at work against us - but that Jesus has come to defeat them!

Join us as we sing praises to Jesus, wave palm branches, and anticipate all the events of Holy Week.

Maundy Thursday

Thursday 6th April, 6pm at the hope centre

On the Thursday evening before Jesus was crucified he had he last meal with his disciples - we call it the last supper. At this meal Jesus gave the church the Eucharist, or Holy Communion - showing us how he has fulfilled the law, and making provision for the church to continue to recieve him after His ascension. He also gave his disciples a command ( a mandate) to love one another.

Our Maundy Thursday service focusses on Holy Communion and our love for Jesus and one another. We wont be singing songs, it will be a short (30 minutes) liturgical service where we confess our sins and receive forgiveness in Holy Communion.

Good Friday

Friday 7th April, 10am at the hope centre

Good Friday is a strange name, because on this day Jesus the perfect man is crucified - how is this good? It is good becasue it is the day Jesus defeated sin and the devil! Its good because it means we can be forgiven! Its good because it means we can be free! Although it is a good day, it is a sombre occasion. There is no singing on good Friday, there is no eating, no eucharist, there is just Jesus on the cross.

Join us for a short (45 min) reflective service as we think about Jesus and why he had to die.

Easter Craft

Saturday 8th April, 10am - 12 at the hope centre

Holy Saturday is the day that Jesus laid in the tomb. But while Christ’s body was dead, his spirit was alive! Jesus went down into hades (we sometimes call it hell) and he released all the spirits that had faith in him! On this day as we wait for the resurrection on Sunday we will get together to express our faith with art.

We will have hard boiled eggs to paint. You can choose to simply paint one with an easter scene, perhaps a scene from Holy Week - or you can paint them with something that is opressing you. There is a custom on Easter Sunday of bringing a painted hard boiled egg to church and cracking it against someone elses exclaiming “He is risen”! As the egg cracks we are reminded of the tomb opening and of death being shattered. If you would like you could paint your shell with something you are struggling with, or are oppressed by, and then bring it to church with you on Easter Sunday and crack it - reminding yourself that whatever it is Jesus has defeated it!

Easter Sunday

Sunday 9th April, 10am (for a 10:30 start) at Dean Field School

“He is risen!” - “He is risen indeed!”

These are words we will hear and repeat lots on Sunday at Hope church! Today is the day we celebrate and participate in Jesus’ resurrection! Because Jesus came back to life again, death couldn’t hold Him! Jesus defeated death - and that means death has no hold on us either! You will see lots and lots of joyful faces as we rejoice in Jesus resurrection! We will hear a bit more about what Jesus was doing on Holy Saturday and we will sing, and we can eat again! Lent is over, the fast is over - we can rejoice in the new life Jesus brings by eating! Glory!