St. Mark’s Lutheran offers Holy Week worship and Easter egg hunt for the community

St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in St. Charles invites the community to attend its Holy Week services and activities. All are welcome to experience the great story of Jesus through His life, crucifixion, and resurrection — that leads to the promise of salvation.

Holy Week begins with a Communion service on Maundy Thursday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m. This service reflects on the Last Supper Jesus shared with His disciples in the upper room. During this time, Jesus foreshadows His imminent death and establishes a new covenant through His body and blood, offering salvation from sin.

On Friday, April 3, two Tenebrae Good Friday services will be held at 1 and 6:30 p.m. These services recount the final hours of Jesus’ passion and death. Through scripture readings describing His final hours and the gradual extinguishing of candles, the service moves into near-total darkness, symbolizing a world without Christ, and concludes with a silent departure.

Holy Week continues on Saturday, April 4, with a community Easter egg hunt. This free, family-friendly event will take place in the east parking lot of the church beginning at 9:30 a.m. and is open to the public. Separate egg hunts will be held for different age groups, and activities will include a crafts table and a bounce house.

“Easter is a wonderful time for families to come together and share the message of the resurrection and our salvation,” said Senior Pastor Jamie Holt.

Easter Sunday services will be held at 7:30, 9 and 11 a.m. The two earlier services will follow a traditional worship format, while the 11 a.m. service will feature contemporary praise worship. The Rite of Communion will be offered at all three services. These services feature upbeat music, instrumentals and vocals to compliment the celebration of Jesus resurrection and victory over death.

Breakfast will be served in the fellowship hall between the conclusion of the 7:30 a.m. and the beginning of the 11 a.m. service. All services are approximately one-hour long.

“We welcome the community to join us,” Holt said. “Holy Week is a very important time for Christians, and we want to share God’s love with those who may be looking for a church home.”

The church is located at 101 S. Sixth Ave, next to the St. Charles Public Library. It is affiliated with the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod-Northern Illinois District. For information, call (630) 584-8638 or visit www.stmarkslife.org.