West Volusia Spiritual Side — Variety of services during Holy Week

By Margie Dykes
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Mar 20, 2010 - 7:02:28pm

Easter planning begins

The Very Rev. W. Donald Lyon, rector of St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in DeLand, welcomes all in the community to attend a variety of services during Holy Week.

Palm Sunday services are at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. March 28 in the Canterbury Garden. The Passion According to Luke will be read at all services.

There will be Holy Eucharist and Litany at 12:10 p.m. Monday-Thursday. This half-hour chapel service is especially offered for those who work and can take a break to worship during their lunch hour.

On Maundy Thursday, in addition to the 12:10 p.m. Holy Eucharist, there will be Holy Eucharist at 7 p.m., which includes foot-washing, stripping of the High Altar, and a procession to the Chapel Altar/Garden of Repose. An all-night vigil will follow the Maundy Thursday-evening service.

Noon-3 p.m. Good Friday, there will be preaching and meditations, reading of The Passion according to John, and a Holy Eucharist from reserved sacraments.

On Holy Saturday, at 6 p.m., the Great Vigil of Easter, which includes the lighting of the Paschal Candle for the New Year, the Exsultet, Baptisms, First Communions and Festival Holy Eucharist, will be celebrated.

Easter Sunday will see a Festival Holy Eucharist at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. A family Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Party will be at 10:30 a.m.

Call the church office at 386-734-1814 or visit the Web site at www.stbdeland.com for more information.

Lenten Luncheon

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of DeLand will have the final free Lenten Luncheon at noon Wednesday, March 24. Senior Pastor J.C. Steele of Deltona Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will be the speaker.

The Rev. Steele has been the pastor of Deltona Christian for more than 25 years. He is very involved in the faith community of Volusia County, particularly in FAITH (Fighting Against Injustice Toward Harmony). His church was the first West Volusia church to join FAITH.

Paul Ashton and Tom Hodges will organize a church workday at First Christian in DeLand 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, March 20.

Nancy Jones and Becky Perryman have organized a Chain of Prayer in the church library from 8 a.m. Friday, March 26, to 7:59 a.m. Saturday, March 27. There will be security throughout the night.

Holy Week will have a prayer service 12:20-12:30 p.m. March 29-April 1 in the sanctuary.

Also on April 1, at 7 p.m., there will be a Maundy Thursday Service with Jesus and the disciples.

At 1 p.m. April 2 in the sanctuary, will be the Good Friday service.

From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 3, will be the Easter Egg Hunt for toddlers through fifth-graders, with special activities, an Easter story and lunch. Sue Beck is in charge.

Easter Sunday service will be at 10:45 a.m., with special music and Communion as part of the service.

Time to hunt eggs

An Easter Egg Hunt is being prepared for young ones.

Members of Oasis church invite the little ones to come to Common Ground Organic Farm, next to Oasis on East Taylor Road in DeLand, at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 27, to search for eggs. There will be a bounce house, food, and tours of the farm.

There is no charge to attend. For more information, call 386-740-9141.

A reminder

A reminder is going out to anyone interested in learning about how to get rid of our national debt.

The Secret of Oz, a film that delves into curing the debt using symbols found in the movie The Wizard of Oz, will be shown at Open Door Christian Church in DeLand at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 20. For more information, call 386-956-5035.

Flower power

A special service, a Flower Communion, will be at the 10:30 a.m. service Sunday, March 21, at First Unitarian Universalist Church of West Volusia in DeLand.

The Flower Communion is a shared celebration of the UU community, at which exchanging flowers symbolizes our willingness to walk together in our individual search for truth and meaning.

Each person brings a flower to share and takes home a flower brought by someone else. The service embodies a UU’s commitment to a sharing community as essential to a free people of a free religion.

For more information, visit www.uudeland.org or call 386-734-6499.

Music to help Haiti

A concert to benefit orphans in Haiti is planned for 7-9 p.m. Saturday, March 27, at First Congregational United Church of Christ of Orange City. The Moonlighters Swing Band will perform, with proceeds to go to the rebuilding of the Grace House of Hope orphanage. It is home to 33 young girls, and houses a school serving more than 200 children of the community just east of Port-au-Prince.

Tickets cost at least $5, but any amount of donation will be gladly accepted.

The Moonlighters are a 17-piece Glenn Miller-style band that plays big-band standards.

Tickets can be purchased at the door, or in the church office 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday or Friday. Call 386-775-2462.

Hoops for Haiti

The young people of Faith Lutheran Church in DeLand are raising funds for Haiti’s recovery by shooting hoops.

The game called Hoops for Haiti has participants shooting baskets at the Stetson University Homecoming Block Party 7:30-11 p.m. Saturday, March 20, and at the Florida Wildflower and Gardening Festival 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, March 27.

Last Lenten service

The Wednesday-night Lenten WATCH Night program at First United Methodist Church of DeLand, led by Pastor Owen Stricklin, will be based on the book Twenty-Four Hours That Changed the World by Adam Hamilton.

The study focuses on the Last Supper Christ had with his disciples, and how Christians are defined by the observance of Holy Communion.

The study begins at 6:15 p.m., following the 5:30 p.m. WATCH Night dinner.

Reservations are not needed for the study, but are needed for the dinner. Adults pay $4, children under age 10 pay $3, and no family pays more than $15.

Confirmation Class begins for all youths in seventh grade and above who have not gone through it before. Each youth is assigned a mentor, who will meet with him or her weekly and guide the youth through the process of learning more about the church and becoming a full member. The class will also include a trip to St. Simons Island, Ga., and Epworth to get a feel for the rich history of the church.

In other youth news, middle-school-age youth will be taking a trip to the Florida Keys during Spring Break. They will be camping at a KOA campground on Sugarloaf Key, snorkeling one day and taking a train tour of Key West another day. Mark Bitner is in charge.

Once again, FUMC and Trinity United Methodist Church in DeLand will combine to present the re-enactment of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting The Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, April 1, at Trinity. This moving portrayal, directed by Conya Hartman of Trinity, will feature the choirs and participants from both churches. It focuses on the moment during the Last Supper when Jesus revealed that one of his chosen 12 disciples would betray him. The costumed disciples join Jesus around the table, and each in turn speaks his thoughts and feelings, and asks, “Is it I?” Holy Communion will be served at both services at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

24-hour vigil opens Holy Week

Glenwood Presbyterian Church will hold a 24-hour vigil beginning at 7 a.m. Monday, March 29, to open Holy Week.

Congregants, the pastor, and anyone else who wishes to join in, will stay in the sanctuary throughout the night, fasting and praying for God’s guidance and encouragement. The vigil will conclude at 7 a.m. Tuesday, March 30.

“Why do we pray and fast?” asks the church’s pastor, the Rev. Dr. Austin Brinkerhoff. “Because in Hebrews 11:6, God tells us that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.” Those who are unable to fast can still pray.

The Rev. Brinkerhoff is concluding a sermon series on the Ten Commandments Sunday, March 21.

On Sunday, March 28, the church will celebrate Palm Sunday, marking Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

The church will offer a traditional Communion service to remember Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples, at 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday, April 1.

If you wish to participate in this vigil, sign up by calling the church office at 386-734-8617. For more information, visit the church Web site at www.glenwoodpc.org.

— We value your religious group’s news items. Please submit information one week before the publication date by fax at 386-734-4641 or by e-mail at margie@beacononlinenews.com.

— margie@beacononlinenews,com

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