slideshow

The week of Sunday, March 24, through Sunday, March 31, eight local churches will join forces in observance of Holy Week.

Holy Week has been a tradition observed in many denominations of Christianity for centuries. It is in recognition of the savior, Jesus Christ, who died in payment for the sins of mankind, then rose from the dead on Easter Sunday.

Publicity Chairperson for Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Jackie Stroman, said the local celebration began about 30 years ago with seven churches.

“Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Hamlet joined in about five years ago and made it eight churches,” said Stroman. “The fellowship with all the churches is just awesome. It’s so exciting.”

The churches will hold services each day including Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Eight churches of mixed denominations such as Methodist, Baptist and Holiness, will congregate and hold services at a different church each day. Minister Tommy Hart of Fletcher’s Chapel, Hoffman, is assisting in the week-long event.

“People need some direction in life and this is a good place to start. We are all children of God and the different denominations set an example of unity,” said Hart. “They need to understand that God has a plan and purpose for us and once we realize it and find Jesus, we find peace.”

A schedule of service times and places follows:

• Palm Sunday, March 24, beginning 3 p.m. there will be a youth service at Mount Calvary. Following the youth service, Fletcher’s Chapel, congregation and choir will be in charge of service.

• Monday, March 25, beginning 7:30 p.m. service will be held at Oakley Grove. Marston First Baptist choir and congregation will be in charge of the service.

• Tuesday, March 26, beginning 7:30 p.m. service will be held at Full Gospel. Macedonia’s choir and congregation will be in charge of service.

• Wednesday, March 27, beginning 7:30 p.m. service will be held at Friendship. Pleasant Hill’s choir and congregation will be in charge of service.

• Maundy Thursday, March 28, beginning 7:30 p.m. service will be held at Marston First Baptist. Oakley Grove’s choir and congregation will be in charge of service.

• Good Friday, March 29, beginning 7:30 p.m. service will be held at Pleasant Hill. Friendship’s choir and congregation will be in charge of the service.

• Saturday, March 30, beginning 7:30 p.m. service will be held at Macedonia. Full Gospel’s congregation and choir will be in charge of the service.

• Sunrise service will be held Sunday, March 31, beginning 6 a.m., at Fletcher’s Chapel. Mount Calvary’s choir and congregation will be in charge of the service.

— Staff Writer Cassidy Odom can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 16, or by email at codom@civitasmedia.com.