Tri-Cities religion services

Religion -- services To submit a listing, e-mail tricity@dailyherald.com.

Sunday is Palm Sunday, Holy Week begins Monday

Lutheran

During Holy Week, Lord of Life Church will host 15 sessions of Lectio Divina, a type of meditative prayer with a long Christian history. Lord of Life Lutheran Church is at Route 38 and La Fox Road in La Fox.

This traditional prayer is guided by daily scripture reading as a way to listen to God and engage in conversation with Christ.

Sessions will last approximately 20 minutes and will be held at 6 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The theme for this week is "Redemption."

Sunday morning worship is at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Nursery care is available during all three worship services. Sunday school for preschool and school-aged children is available during the 9:30 a.m. worship service, and Celebration Puppet Church takes place during the 11 a.m. worship service.

For information, call the church office at (630) 513-5325 or visit www.lolchurch.net.

• Rejoice Lutheran Church will hold worship services at 8, 9 and 10:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday. Rejoice Lutheran Church is at 0N377 N. Mill Creek Drive in Geneva.

The nursery will be open for children ages 3 years and younger, but "Kids for Christ" Sunday school classes for preschoolers through fifth grade will not be held.

Rejoice will also hold Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. Thursday and Good Friday service at 7 p.m. Friday.

Call (630) 262-0596 or visit www.rejoiceinthemission

.org.

• Hosanna! Lutheran Church will hold worship services at 5:30 p.m. today and at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday for Palm Sunday Weekend. Special children's Holy Week performances are at 9:30 and 11 a.m. Hosanna! is at 36W925 Red Gate Road (entrance just east of Randall Road) in St. Charles.

There will be a community meal at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday followed by a worship service at 6:30 p.m.

A live performance of "The Living Last Supper" with instrumental ensemble and choir will be held at 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday.

Good Friday service is at 6:30 p.m.

Service times Easter weekend are 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 6:30, 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday March 23. The 6:30 a.m. service will be held outside. Holy Communion will be served at services except for Good Friday worship.

For information, call (630) 584-6434 or visit www.HosannaChurch.com.

Baptist

Bethel Baptist Church will serve a free breakfast at 10 a.m. Easter Sunday March 23, followed by worship at 10:30 a.m.

The church is at 6N218 Weber Drive, one block south of Anderson School in Valley View in St. Charles.

Call (630) 584-1862.

Unity

Fox Valley Unity church will be celebrating its traditional Good Friday Candlelight Taize service at 7 p.m. Friday at 230 Webster St., Batavia.

The Taize service includes music, prayer, chant, scripture readings and a period of silent contemplation.

Taize is a form of worship using simple chants and readings to attain a state of deep contemplative prayer and awareness.

For more information, call (630) 879-1115 or visit www.foxvalleyunity.org.

Congregational

The Congregational Church of Batavia at 21 S. Batavia Ave. invites the community to Holy Week Services.

There will be a communion service and scripture readings for Tenebrae (Service of Darkness) at 7:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday. The Chancel Choir, directed by Vicki Linich and accompanied by Gene Ton, will sing two anthems for this service of music and reflection.

"The Seven Last Words of Christ" is the theme of the Good Friday service at 7:30 p.m. A recording of the string quartet "The Seven Last Words of Christ," performed by the Vermeer Quartet will be played, and reflections by Episcopalian priest and writer, Fleming Rutledge, will be read.

The good news that "Christ is risen!" will be proclaimed in music and word at the 9 and 10:30 a.m. services on Easter Sunday. The Chancel Choir and Bell Choir will begin the services with a musical proclamation of the resurrection and also offer an anthem of praise. Laura Van Dame will sing the "Alleluia!" by Mozart. The Rev. David Foxgrover's message is "It's Just the Beginning!"

Call (630) 879-1999.

Episcopal

St. Charles Episcopal Church, 994 N. Fifth Ave., (Route 25) in St. Charles invites the community to its Holy Week services.

Holy Eucharist for Palm Sunday is at 7:30, 9 and 10:45 a.m. Weather permitting, the services will begin outside with the distribution of palms in the Memorial Garden.

Tenebrae, a solemn service of psalms, lessons and prayers, is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Maundy Thursday is observed with a 7:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist, to be followed by the vigil at the altar of repose until 9 a.m. Good Friday.

There is a Good Friday 9 a.m. service to end the vigil. Intergenerational Stations of the Cross is at 11 a.m. Good Friday Liturgy is at 7:30 p.m.

The Great Vigil of Easter with Baptism starts outside in the Memorial Garden at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Easter services are at 7:30 a.m. with Holy Eucharist Rite I with the choir; 9 a.m. Holy Eucharist followed by an Easter Egg Hunt for children under 10; and 10:45 a.m. choral Eucharist Rite II with the choir. Child care will be available from 9 a.m. to noon.

Call (630) 584-2596 or www.stcharlesepiscopal.org.

• Calvary Episcopal Church invites the public to special events for Holy Week. The church is at 222 S. Batavia Ave., (Route 31 and Main Street) in Batavia.

There is a 7:30 a.m. Ecumenical Blessing of the Palms Sunday in the parking lot of the Batavia Public Library. Bethany Lutheran, Batavia United Methodist and Calvary Episcopal will be participating. The alternate site in the event of inclement weather is the Bethany Lutheran gymnasium at 8 S. Lincoln Ave. in Batavia.

Holy Communion Service (spoken) with distribution of blessed palms is at 8 a.m.

Holy Communion Service (with music) with distribution of blessed palms is at 10:15 a.m.

There is a 5 p.m. potluck supper and assembly of Easter baskets for Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry Monday.

There is a 7 a.m. Holy Communion service Tuesday.

There is a 7 and 9:30 a.m. Holy Communion service Wednesday and a 7 p.m. Penitential Service, including the opportunity for private confession afterward, Wednesday with the Rev. Michael Rasicci, rector of Calvary Episcopal.

On Maundy Thursday, there is a 9:30 a.m. morning prayer and reflection, a 6 p.m. Simple Agape supper in Rectors' Hall and a 7 p.m. Liturgy of the Lord's Supper, including foot washing, procession and watch until midnight at the Altar of Repose.

Good Friday services are at 9:30 a.m. with morning prayer and reflection, and at noon with Bethany Lutheran, Calvary Episcopal, Batavia United Methodist, Congregational Church of Batavia and Covenant Church of Batavia and the Holmstad participating.

Services on Easter Sunday March 23 are at 6 a.m. (at Logan Street Baptist Church, 908 N. River St. in Batavia), an 8 a.m. festival communion worship with renewal of Baptismal vows (spoken) and a 10:15 a.m. festival communion service with renewal of Baptismal vows (with music).

For further information, call Calvary at 630-879-3378.

Catholic

All are welcome to Holy Week and Easter services at St. Peter Church at 1891 Kaneville Road in Geneva. Holy Week

There is a 7 p.m. Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.

Good Friday is observed with a 3 p.m. Service of the Word with Holy Communion and Veneration of the Cross.

Living Stations of the Cross (a dramatic presentation of the passion and death of Christ) begins at 7 p.m.

Blessing of Easter Baskets is at 11 a.m. Holy Saturday in Seton Hall. Foods to be used at the Easter meal are blessed.

The Great Easter Vigil begins at 8 p.m.

Masses are at 7, 9, and 11 a.m. in the church, and at 9 and 11 a.m. in the gym Easter Sunday March 23.

For information, call the parish center at (630) 232-0124.