Holy Week 2019

A Reflection on Holy Week and Easter

Eight services over 8 days was a new Holy Week experience for us this year.

Starting on Palm Sunday with All Age Worship and our farewell lunch for Sally, Peter and Alison which was enjoyed by all that attended

Our Holy Week & Easter Services 2019 were detailed in the booklet here are a few highlights of the week, with all the services apart from Good Friday used pictures from the Ethiopian Artist Nebiyu Assefa.

Monday night was at Manor Drive with a service led by Mathew a reflection on the Crown of Thorns.

Tuesday was at Brookside along with our friends from St. Mary’s and was led by Graham & Shirley-Anne. The reflection was based around the activities in the Garden of Gethsemane - Imagine you were one of the disciples and you had fallen asleep after Jesus asked you to pray. How would that feel?

Wednesday was at Wesley Hall led by Shaun reflecting on Peters Denial - How does he feel after Jesus looks at him? What would you have done?

Maundy Thursday at Manor Drive Methodist Church, Shaun 'read' the expressions of the colourful Easter characters by artist Nebiyu Assefa looking at the story of the Last Supper.

Good Friday saw the linking of three services at East Barnet, Baptist, Methodist and Anglican, and kindred spirits processed behind a weighty wooden cross, finally stationed at St. Mary's when all were invited to come forward to revere the cross by kissing, touching or kneeling before it.

Previously at Brookside, departing dramatically from manifold liturgies, we were invited to experience voices and sounds associated with characters pertinent to Good Friday.

The participants sat at the rear of the church at microphones behind an appreciably sizeable gathering. Was there a tear for Judas grudgingly but finally accepting the very last piece of silver, the coins clinking as they were counted before him? Convincing indeed were the cries of a woman, helplessly watching the suffering of Christ, and the sound of his cross being painstakingly drawn by him across the ground. Most chilling was the sound of the shaping of crucifixion nails and we don't forget the lament of the workman's voice -'Why does he have to die... Why him?'

For the first time Methodists and Anglicans joined at Brookside for 'Holy Saturday - Service of Light' when a fire was lit on the patio and from that the Easter Candle was lit, we then processed the candle into the church where a candle for everyone was lit from the initial flame of the Easter Candle. After a fanfare and the turning on the lights the vigil took place with the reading of various chapters of scripture and finished with the first Communion of Easter.

On Easter Sunday the sun, as on the previous days, burst on our capital city in all its radiant glory. Euan played and we sang favourite hymns. The service included a sketch following the related reading, when Mary, having discovered the empty tomb, mistook a gardener for the Risen Christ.

Looking at the last of the pictures Shaun touched on the huge significance of this. Christ had risen! And should this writer be allowed license- was their ever a more singular moment not only for us but for all with whom we share our common humanity.

Reporting by Edward Eldred & Graham Wheeler