easter

In Matthew’s Gospel, the first messages we hear from Jesus and from John the Baptist are identical, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” Throughout Matthew’s Gospel, the Kingdom of Heaven is mentioned over 30 times making it the most prominent topic in Jesus’ ministry. Today, we are used to democracies where the people ultimately have the power. Jesus’ kingdom is very different. Jesus did not come to help facilitate a conversation about what type of society we want to develop. He came to show us the way to the kingdom God has designed for us since before the foundation of the world, and to give us the chance to enter it.

Join us as we explore: What is the Kingdom of Heaven like? Why is this Kingdom so important to Jesus? Who is the King? Who gets to enter the Kingdom? Do you have to die before you can go to the Kingdom? What happens to those outside the Kingdom? What difference does the Kingdom make in our daily lives?

Good Friday is a service of worship that offers both scripture and meditation, reflecting on Jesus’s last hours on earth. The format of this service of Tenebrae, or “Darkness,” is based on a twelfth-century late night/early morning service and is an extended meditation on the passion of Christ.

Good Friday is not meant to leave you feeling happy. It was a very heavy time. It is hard to imagine what Jesus must have gone through, but he knew what was coming. The celebration of Easter and the resurrection are the most joyous after you have experienced Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.