With Easter just a few days away, Christian churches on the south side are busy finalizing plans for services during the conclusion of Lent and Holy Week, leading up to the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ this Sunday. Special events being offered this week include celebrations through Saturday with Maundy Thursday and Good Friday being the most widely celebrated events.
The following churches have announced their plans for Holy Week and Easter:
• All Saints Anglican Church, 149 Ebenezer Rd (just south of Ga. Highway 54, east of Peachtree City) will continue Holy Week events with a service on Maundy Thursday, March 29, at 7 p.m., along with a prayer vigil in the chapel at 8:30 p.m. and a Good Friday service on March 30, also at 7 p.m. A morning prayer service is on Easter eve March 31 at 9 a.m., along with an egg hunt and picnic at 11 a.m. An Easter vigil service is March 31 at 8:30 p.m. and the Easter Sunday services will be at 8:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. For more information, call 770-486-5374 or visit ptcanglican.org.
• Brooks Christian Church invites the public to participate in a community Easter Sunrise Service at Brooks Memorial Gardens at 7 a.m. April In case of rain, the service will be held at Brooks Christian Church. Following the sunrise service, a free breakfast will be served to the community in the Brooks Christian Church Carrier Fellowship Hall.
At 11 a.m., an Easter Worship Celebration will help those in attendance experience the power of Jesus’ resurrection. Brooks Christian Church is located at 969 Ga. Highway 85 Connector at the corner of Church Alley in downtown Brooks, just four miles south of Starr’s Mill. For more information, visit online at www.brookschristian.org.
• Carriage Lane Presbyterian Church, 101 Carriage Lane in Peachtree City, will have a Maundy Thursday worship service at 6:30 p.m., and Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and worship service on Easter Sunday, April 1.For more information, visit www.carriagelandpres.org or call 770-631-4618.
• Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church, corner of Ga. Highway 54 and Peachtree Parkway in Peachtree City, will offer a Maundy Thursday communion service on March 29 at 12:15 p.m. At 7 p.m. that evening the church worships with First Presbyterian Church.
Christ Our Shepherd will participate in the community Good Friday service at noon at Holy Trinity Catholic Church on March 30. A Tenebrae Service at 8 p.m. that evening will be at Christ Our Shepherd.
The Easter Vigil is at 6 p.m. on March 31.
Easter morning will offer four services, at 8:30, 9:45, and 11 a.m. in the sanctuary, and at 10:50 a.m. For more information, visit www.coslutheran.org or call 770-487-8717.
• Covenant Presbyterian Church will have Sunday School at 9:45 a.m, a morning worship service at 11 a.m. and an evening worship service at 5:30 p.m. The church is at 819 Ga. Highway 314. For more information, call 770-460-9450.
• Destiny Christian Center is Fayetteville will hold Easter services April 1 at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. The center encourages visitors to dress how you feel. Pastor Glenn B. Allen Sr. leads at services at 182 Glynn St. For more information, visit destinycci.org or call 770-719-8522.
• Dogwood Church will offer four Easter services this weekend. Saturday services will be at 4 and 6 p.m. and Sunday services will be at 9:15 and 11 a.m. The church is at 975 Ga. Highway 74 North, Tyrone. For more information, visit www.dogwoodchurch or call 770-487-6691.
•The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates (Pascha) Easter on April 8. St. Christopher Hellenic (Greek) Orthodox Church at 313 Dividend Drive in Peachtree City invites everyone to attend a full week of services as follows:
Palm Sunday, April 1: Orthros 7:45 a.m., Divine Liturgy 9 a.m., Luncheon 10:30 a.m.
Service of the Bridegroom Christ: April 1, 2 and 3, 5:30 p.m..
Holy Wednesday, April 4: Service of the Bridgegroom Christ and Holy Unction 5 p.m.
Holy Thursday, April 5: Vesperal Liturgy 7 a.m.; Holy Passion and Procession of the Cross 5:30 p.m..
Holy Friday, April 6: Service of Royal Hours 9 a.m.; Decoration of the Tomb 10 a.m.; Vespers 3:30 p.m.; Lamentations of the Tomb 7 p.m.
Holy Saturday, April 7: Vesperal Liturgy 9 a.m.; The Canon of Crucifixion 11 p.m.
Pascha (Easter), Sunday April 8: Proclamation and Resurrection Divine Liturgy at midnight; Traditional Breakfast 2 a.m.; Vespers of Agape 10:30 a.m.; Parish Glendi at St. Christopher Church.
• Edgefield Baptist Church presents “The Passion of Christ” March 30 at 7 p.m. Admission is free, and the church is located at 140 Church St. in Fayetteville. For more information, call 770-461-7388.
• The Episcopal Church of the Nativity will celebrate the Great Vigil of Easter at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 31. Easter Sunday service will be at 10 a.m. the following morning. The church is at 130 Antioch Road, Fayetteville, the Rev. Rita Henault, rector. For information call 770-460-6390 or visit nativityepiscopal.org
• Fayetteville First United Methodist Church has several services this week. On March 29, a Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. features Holy Communion. On March 30, a Good Friday Service of Tenebrae features word and music at 7 p.m. On Easter Sunday, the church hosts a sunrise service at 6:45 a.m. on the courthouse lawn. Breakfast for all will be provided in the church’s fellowship hall. The church also has services at 8:30, 9:45 and 11 a.m. in the sanctuary.
Fayetteville First United Methodist Church is located next to the historic courthouse in downtown Fayetteville at 175 East Lanier Avenue.Visit online at fayettevillefirst.com or call 770-461-4313 for more information.
•Merrill Chapel United Methodist Church located at 430 South Jeff Davis Drive in Fayetteville will hold its first “Seven Last Words from the Cross” Service on Friday, March 30 at 7 p.m. The service will feature youth liturgical dancing and seven reflections/interpretations of Christ’s utterances while suffering on the cross. The service will include members from area local churches (i.e. New Hope, Hartford and Merrill Chapel).
The public is invited to join us for this spirit-filled event.
• Mount Olive Baptist Church in Fayetteville will host the following Holy Week activities:
Maundy Thursday/Foot Washing, Thursday, March 29 at 6 p.m.
Good Friday Love Feast & Easter Program, Friday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m.
The Easter SONRISE Service is April 1 at 6:30 a.m. Mount Olive is located at 1565 Ga. Highway 92 North (Forrest Avenue) in Fayetteville. For more information, please contact the church office at 770-892-7508 or visit www.mobcfayettevillega.com. The public is welcome to attend.
• Prince of Peace Lutheran Church will have an outdoor sunrise service at 7:30 a.m. Easter Sunday morning. Other activities that day include a contemporary service at 9:15 a.m., an Easter Egg Hunt at 10:50, and a pipe organ service at 11:15 a.m. The church is at 257 Ga. Highway 314, Fayetteville. For more information, visit www.princeofpeacefayette.org or call 770-461-3403.
• Providence United Methodist Church will offer an remembrance of the Last Supper March 29 at 7 p.m. and a Friday service at 7 p.m. for the observance of Christ’s passion and crucifixion.
Easter Sunday services will be at 9:30 (traditional) and 11 a.m. (contemporary). Providence UMC is at 592 Bernard Rd., Fayetteville. For more information, visit provumc.com or call 770-719-8800.
• Word of God Lutheran Church will continue its Holy Week services on Maundy Thursday, March 29,with a service at 7 p.m. This will include Holy Communion. An Easter morning sunrise service will be held at 7:25 a.m. at the church’s building site property on Ga. Hwy. 34 at Shoal Creek in Sharpsburg, one mile past Sam’s Club. A 10:15 Easter morning worship service with Holy Communion will be held in the church sanctuary at 303 Kelly Drive, Suite 10, Peachtree City. The pastor is Jeffray Greene. For more information, call 770-897-4508, or visit www.woglutheran.org.