Lent and Holy Week
holy Week and Easter
Holy Week is the week leading up to Easter Sunday when we follow the days of the Easter Story from the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, through Jesus' teaching in the Temple, to the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, Jesus' crucifixion, death and burial on Good Friday and his glorious Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Maundy Thursday
Market Day Communion service at 9:30am, looking at Judas’ betrayal of Jesus.
Chris will be leading a Traditional Maundy Thursday service at St. Leonard's Little Downham at 7pm, all welcome.
Chris will be leading a Traditional Maundy Thursday service at St. Leonard's Little Downham at 7pm, all welcome.
Maundy Thursday Meals
On Maundy Thursday, Jesus and his disciples had a meal together to celebrate the Jewish festival known as Passover. The meal was hosted by someone known to Jesus but not to the disciples (Matthew 26:17-19). Echoing that, this year you are being invited to host or be hosted as we gather in homes across Ely. It will be a great opportunity to spend some time with people you might not yet know very well, and to be together across our six congregations.
On Maundy Thursday, Jesus and his disciples had a meal together to celebrate the Jewish festival known as Passover. The meal was hosted by someone known to Jesus but not to the disciples (Matthew 26:17-19). Echoing that, this year you are being invited to host or be hosted as we gather in homes across Ely. It will be a great opportunity to spend some time with people you might not yet know very well, and to be together across our six congregations.
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Good Friday
Christians Together in Ely: Good Friday Walk of Witness
10am - Assemble at St. Mary’s Church.
10.20am - Act of Worship in Market Place
11am - Service at the Cathedral, followed by Hot Cross Buns
10am - Assemble at St. Mary’s Church.
10.20am - Act of Worship in Market Place
11am - Service at the Cathedral, followed by Hot Cross Buns
Good Friday: Online Reflection
An Hour at the Cross Reflection will be available on the Online Worship page from Good Friday afternoon:
Good Friday: Online Reflection
An Hour at the Cross Reflection will be available on the Online Worship page from Good Friday afternoon:
Easter Weekend
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Easter Labyrinth Over the Easter Holiday weekend, explore the Easter story as you walk through the labyrinth. Stop for a moment to reflect at each sign and at the cross in the centre to move through the events of Palm Sunday, the Last Supper, the Garden of Gethsemane, Good Friday and Easter Day. All welcome to drop in at any time over the Easter weekend. |
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Easter Sunday
lent
Lent is a special season in the church year when we prepare for Easter. The Gospel of John tell us about Jesus, the Light of the World and how the darkness cannot overcome that light. Lent is the journey from the wilderness, from darkness, into the light of Easter where we remember Jesus death and celebrate Jesus' risen life.
Snapshots from the early church: a brief journey through Acts 1-5
During Lent, we (re)orientate ourselves on the series of events which underpin our faith and, in fact, all of history – the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. So, the question for us: how might our lives and our church respond to this good news? Throughout Lent, we will explore five aspects of the church in Jerusalem to guide us, moving through the first five chapters of Acts.
At the beginning of Acts we read about the first group of believers receiving the final words of Jesus Christ. Gathered together in Jerusalem, these first believers must come to terms with what has just happened: the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. They wait and pray, receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, wrestle with issues of church structure, see miracles and healings, and begin to see the impact the good news of Jesus Christ has in their city. The church in Jerusalem grows rapidly in these first few years.
The questions below are intended as a starting point to explore each passage and consider how we might apply it to our own lives. They focus on the passages from Acts. The questions are not meant to be prescriptive, so if the initial exploration of the passage takes you somewhere else do follow that (who knows what God might be up to through a tangent!) – if this happens, perhaps end the session with the final application question (in bold) to ground your thoughts.
At the beginning of Acts we read about the first group of believers receiving the final words of Jesus Christ. Gathered together in Jerusalem, these first believers must come to terms with what has just happened: the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. They wait and pray, receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, wrestle with issues of church structure, see miracles and healings, and begin to see the impact the good news of Jesus Christ has in their city. The church in Jerusalem grows rapidly in these first few years.
The questions below are intended as a starting point to explore each passage and consider how we might apply it to our own lives. They focus on the passages from Acts. The questions are not meant to be prescriptive, so if the initial exploration of the passage takes you somewhere else do follow that (who knows what God might be up to through a tangent!) – if this happens, perhaps end the session with the final application question (in bold) to ground your thoughts.
1) Week beginning Sunday 6th March: A church that prays - Acts 1:12-14
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What strikes you about this passage?
Is there anything particularly encouraging, interesting, challenging? What questions do you have? How do you imagine it would have been to be gathered to pray in that way? What might have been going through the believers’ minds? How might they have been feeling? What might they have been praying for? (Spend some time imagining) Look closely at who is gathered in this passage – does anything surprise or challenge you about this list? [e.g. one example might be that men and women are together rather than separated as would have been the case in the synagogues] |
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What have your experiences of praying with other believers been like?
How could you – either as a group, in other settings, or as individuals – develop times of prayer?
How could you – either as a group, in other settings, or as individuals – develop times of prayer?
2) Week beginning Sunday 13th March: A church that proclaims - Acts 2:14-41
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[Acts 3:11-26 for reference and could be used if preferred]
What strikes you about this passage? Is there anything particularly encouraging, interesting, challenging? What questions do you have? There are lots of examples of proclamation in Acts. What is similar about them? What is different? Why do you think that might be? Pick 2 or 3 to engage with from: Acts 2:14-41; Acts 3:11-26; Acts 7:1-53 [perhaps choose a short section to read aloud – it is long!]; Acts 10:34-43; Acts 17:16-32. |
Have you ever heard compelling proclamation of the gospel? Tell the group about it!
Making long speeches is (thankfully) not everyone’s gift! What other ways might proclamation take place?
How do you most naturally share your faith (as an individual or in a group setting)?
How could you – either as an individual or a group – find opportunities to proclaim your faith?
Making long speeches is (thankfully) not everyone’s gift! What other ways might proclamation take place?
How do you most naturally share your faith (as an individual or in a group setting)?
How could you – either as an individual or a group – find opportunities to proclaim your faith?
3) WEEK BEGINNING SUNDAY 20TH MARCH: A CHURCH THAT Cares - ACTS 3:1-10
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What strikes you about this passage?
Is there anything particularly encouraging, interesting, challenging? What questions do you have? v4 says “Peter looked straight at him” – are there people we avoid looking at? How might we challenge ourselves to notice those society avoids? What do you make of healing miracles like this one? Do you pray for healing? And if we do, how can we ensure we pray sensitively and safely in our contexts? [you may want to amend this question depending on the circumstances of your group] |
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This man responded to being healed by praising God. How can we ensure our acts of caring for others glorify God?
How could you – as individuals or as a group – find ways to care for those around you?
How could you – as individuals or as a group – find ways to care for those around you?
4) WEEK BEGINNING SUNDAY 27TH MARCH: A CHURCH THAT Shares - ACTS 4:32-37
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[Acts 2:41-47 for reference or to use if preferred]
If you want a challenge, include Acts 5:1-10 in your reading and initial study What strikes you about this passage? Is there anything particularly encouraging, interesting, challenging? What questions do you have? What do you think it means to say that the believers were “one in heart and mind”? Do you recognise this in the church today? What do you think motivated the early church to share in the way we read about in this passage? |
These first believers lived radical lives. Do you know of Christian communities who live like this today?
What motivates them to live in this way?
How could you – as a group or as individuals – find ways to follow this example of being a church that shares?
What motivates them to live in this way?
How could you – as a group or as individuals – find ways to follow this example of being a church that shares?
5) WEEK BEGINNING SUNDAY 3rd April: A CHURCH THAT did not givein to violence - Acts 5:17-33
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[4:1-12 for reference or to use if preferred]
What strikes you about this passage? Is there anything particularly encouraging, interesting, challenging? What questions do you have? How would you describe the apostles’ characters based on this passage? What words or images might describe them? What motivated the apostles to take this approach to opposition? Is that still relevant for us today? What sorts of opposition might we face? What can we learn from this passage regarding how to deal with opposition? |
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Many Christians around the world do face significant persecution. If time during your preparation, you could have a look at the Open Doors information (available here: https://www.opendoorsuk.org/ ) and choose one or two countries to reflect and pray for as a group. Or ask members of the group to talk about places they know about.
How could you – as a group or individuals – find ways to support each other through times of opposition? How could you support others around the world who are persecuted?
How could you – as a group or individuals – find ways to support each other through times of opposition? How could you support others around the world who are persecuted?