With Easter just a few days away, Christian churches all over the south side are winding down their Lenten activities and preparing for the holiest day on the Christian calendar, Easter and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Holy Week began last Sunday with the celebration of Palm Sunday, remembering Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. As the week wears on, events get more somber, leading to Good Friday and the Crucifixion, and eventually the glory and joyous celebration of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The following churches in the Fayette-Coweta area have announced their Holy Week and Easter activities:
• All Saints Anglican Church will continue Holy Week with Stations of the Cross Wednesday, April 1, at 6 p.m.
Tomorrow evening, the Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. will feature foot washing and Holy Communion. Following the service, a 12-hour prayer vigil will be held from 8:30 p.m. Thursday until 8:30 a.m. Friday morning.
The Good Friday service will be held at 7 p.m. that evening.
Holy Saturday, April 4, will begin with morning prayer at 9 a.m., followed by an Easter egg hunt and family picnic from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Easter Sunday will begin with a sunrise service at 6:30 a.m. and conclude with the Easter Sunday worship service at 10:30 a.m.
All Saints is at 149 Ebenezer Rd., Fayetteville, just east of Peachtree City. For More Information call 770-486-5374 or www.ptcanglican.org
• Brooks Methodist Church Women will present “The Seven Stations of the Cross,” a time of prayer and meditation, on Saturday, April 4, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., in the church sanctuary.
After experiencing the Seven Stations, all are invited to the tea room and Easter bake sale in Rooms 100 A and B. All proceeds from the bake sale and tea room benefit the church’s missionary family in Hamburg, Germany.
On Easter Sunday, the early worship opportunity will be at the sunrise service at 6:45 a.m. in the Brooks Community Cemetery. Following the service, the church will host breakfast at the church. The men will prepare their standard breakfast but would appreciate other members preparing breakfast dishes, casseroles, and other appropriate breakfast items. Easter Sunday worship will be at 11 a.m.
Brooks UMC is at 119 Morgan Mill Road in Brooks, off the Ga. Highway 85 Connector. For information, call 770-719-7593 or visit www.brooksumc.com.
• Carriage Lane Presbyterian Church will have a Maundy Thursday service on April 2 at 6 p.m. Easter Sunday services are at 8:15 and 11 a.m. Carriage Lane is at 101 Carriage Lane in Peachtree City. For info, call 770-631-4618 or visit www.carriagelanepres.org.
• Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church in Peachtree City will have two services on Maundy Thursday, April 2: traditional worship at 12:15 p.m. with Holy Communion, and a Seder meal at 6:30 p.m. The Passover Seder recreates the last supper Jesus and his disciples shared. After the liturgy of remembrance, dinner will be served. This evening will be shared with First Presbyterian Church, and a combined choir will sing.
Pastor Fritz Wiese will help lead the community Good Friday service at noon on April 3 at Peachtree City United Methodist Church. At 8 p.m., the Tenebrae Service of Darkness at Christ Our Shepherd is the most solemn of the year. After witnessing the procession of the cross and hearing the solemn reproaches from the cross, sanctuary choir and a chamber orchestra will present Requiem by Gabriel Faur?. James C. Hagberg will conduct, and Mikeila McQueston will be the guest soprano soloist. Karl Dietmeyer will be the baritone soloist.
The Vigil of Easter at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 4 will anticipate the excitement of Easter morning. The service begins in the fellowship hall and later moves to the sanctuary. It is a multi-media, multi-sensory service, led by Wiese.
Pastor Miriam Beecher will preach at all four Easter morning services. Festival services in the sanctuary are at 8:30, 9:45, and 11 a.m. Music at 8:30 will be led by the COS Brass. At 9:45 the sanctuary choir will sing and handbells will ring. The 11 a.m. service includes the three choirs, brass, handbell, and singing, with Dietmeyer as the conductor. Contemporary praise in the fellowship hall is at 10:50 a.m.
Christ Our Shepherd is on the corner of Ga. Highway 54 and Peachtree Parkway in Peachtree City. For more information, call 770-487-8717.
• Cokes Chapel United Methodist Church in Coweta County will offer Holy Communion at noon each day of Holy Week through Friday, April 3. The services last approximately 20 minutes and include a meditation and Holy Communion.
On Maundy Thursday, April 2, a service commemorating Jesus’s last supper will be held at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary.
The Good Friday service remembering the death of Jesus will be held Friday evening at 7 p.m. also in the sanctuary.
An Easter sunrise service on April 5 at 7 a.m. will be held in the yard in front of Cokes Chapel’s historic sanctuary. A covered dish breakfast will be shared following the service in the church’s fellowship hall.
Easter Morning worship will be celebrated at 9 a.m. with traditional worship in the sanctuary and at 11 a.m. with contemporary worship in the Cokes Chapel Contemporary Worship Center. For more information, call the Cokes Chapel Church office, 770-253-6052 or visit www.cokeschapel.org. Cokes Chapel s at 4096 Lower Fayetteville Rd., Sharpsburg.
• Connection Church in Jonesboro will offer Journey to the Cross, a guided prayer walkthrough of Jesus’s journey to the cross.
There are 13 stations and those participating will touch some of the things similar to what Jesus touched during the last week of his life, including the cross and crown of thorns. The dates are Thursday, April 2, through Saturday, April 4, from 6 to 8 p.m. It is free to the public and a nursery will be provided for babies to 4-year-olds.
On Easter Sunday, April 5, service will begin at 10:30 am. For more information call 770-461-4456 or visit office@getmeconnected.org. The church is at 398 Corinth Road, Jonesboro.
• Cornerstone Baptist Church will have its Easter Sunday worship service on April 5 at 9 a.m. The Rev. Dr. Augustus T. Curry will preach. Cornerstone Baptist is at 640 Ebenezer Church Rd., Fayetteville. For info call 770-631-0777.
• Dogwood Church will have Easter services both Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5. Saturday’s services will be at 4 and 6 p.m., and Sunday’s services will be at 9:15 and 11 a.m. First time guests will receive a special gift. There will be special activities for children at all services. Students will meet at 11 a.m. Sunday only. Dogwood is at 975 Ga.Highway 74 North, Tyrone.
• Episcopal Church of the Nativity will begin the Great Vigil of Easter Saturday, April 4, at 8:30 p.m.
The Easter Sunday service will begin at 10 a.m. Sunday morning. Nativity is at 130 Antioch Rd., Fayetteville. For info, call 770-460-6390 or visit nativity episcopal.org.
• Evergreen Church will have one Easter Sunday service at 10 a.m. on April 5. Evergreen in at 400 Windgate Rd., Peachtree City. For info, visit evergreenchurchga.org.
• Fayette Presbyterian Church will observe Holy Week with a Maundy Thursday fellowship dinner of roast pork loin at 5:30 p.m. on April 2. The Maundy Thursday communion service will begin at 6:30 p.m.
FPC members will meet with members of Fayetteville Christian Church on Hickory Road for a 7 a.m. Good Friday service featuring breakfast. The cost is $5 per person. Make reservations with Fayette Presbyterian or Fayetteville Christian.
Easter Sunday at Fayette Presbyterian will begin with an outdoor sunrise service and communion at 6:45 a.m. A continental breakfast will be served following the sunrise service. The traditional Easter Sunday communion service will be held at 11 a.m. and will feature the handbells. Fayette Presbyterian is at 791 Forrest Ave., Fayetteville. For info, call 770-461-7147 or visit. church@fayettepcusa.org.
• Fayetteville First Baptist Church will have Easter Sunday services at 8:30 and 11 a.m. on April 5. The church is at 205 East Stonewall Ave. in downtown Fayetteville. For info, call 770-461-8378 or visit www.fayettevillefbc.org.
• Fayetteville First United Methodist Church will continue Holy Week activities with its final Lenten Lunch on Thursday, April 2, at noon in the fellowship hall. Mickey Seigle Robinson concludes the study of “Renegade Gospel: The Rebel Jesus.”
The Maundy Thursday service of Holy Communion led by Rev. Carolyn Clifton will be held in the sanctuary at 7 p.m.
On Good Friday, a service of Tenebrae will be led by the adult choirs, orchestra, and readers as they present a service of “shadows” in remembrance of the events of the crucifixion. The service ends in silence and darkness.
Easter morning brings celebration of the resurrection as the Rev. Mark Westmoreland leads all services in the sanctuary at 8:30, 9:45 and 11 a.m
Visit online at fayettevillefirst.com or call 770-461-4313 for more information. Fayetteville First United Methodist Church is at 175 East Lanier Ave., next to the historic courthouse in downtown Fayetteville.
• Flat Creek Baptist Church invites families to its Easter Eggstravaganza this Saturday, April 4, from 10 a.m. until noon at the church. The event will feature games, refreshments, an Easter egg hunt, jumpies, puppets, and a telling of the Easter story.
On Easter Sunday morning, services will be held at 8:30 and 11 a.m. Flat Creek is at 161 Flat Creek Trail, Fayetteville. For info, call 770-487-4890 or visit www.flatcreekbaptist.org.
• Griffin First Church, 2000 W. McIntosh Rd. in Griffin, will present “Redeemed,” an Easter presentation, Wednesday night through Sunday night, April 1-5. Performances are at 7 p.m. except Sunday when the performance is at 6 p.m. Admission is free and childcare is provided for children through three years of age. For more information, visit www.griffinfirst.org.
• Heritage Christian Church’s Family Ministry invites local families to its Easter Sunday worship services on April 5 at 9:30 and 11 a.m. Kids ages Kindergarten through fourth grade will enjoy variety entertainer, Mark Lippard.
Lippard provides his audience with a fast-paced, high-energy show full of wild and daring stunts and a clear, straight-forward presentation of the gospel. He performs a variety of talents including comedy, juggling, fire- eating, trick unicycling, balancing acts and hilarious audience participation.
Heritage Christian Church is on Redwine Road in Fayetteville at the corner of Bernhard and Redwine Road. Visit www.heritagechristian.org or their Facebook Kids in Flight Facebook page for more information.
• Hopewell United Methodist Church in Tyrone will have its Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m., April 2.
On Easter Sunday, a children’s Easter egg hunt will lead off Easter activities at 10 a.m., followed by the Easter Sunday service at 10:30 a.m. Hopewell is at 351 Jenkins Rd., across from Sandy Creek High. For info, call 770-306-7537.
• Lisbon Baptist Church will have two services on Easter Sunday, a sunrise service at 7 a.m. and an 11 a.m. Easter message. Lisbon is at 1662 Ga. Highway 85 South, five miles south of the courthouse. For info, call 770-461-1583 or visit www.lisbonbaptistchurch.com.
• McDonough Road Baptist Church will host an Easter sunrise service on the church’s front lawn Sunday, April 5, at 7 a.m. Bring your own chair, if possible, and plan to stay for a continental breakfast afterwards. Easter worship begins at 10:55 a.m. Visit www.mcdonoughroad.org for more information.
• Mount Olive Baptist Church in Fayetteville will host a Holy Thursday service on April 2 with foot washing and communion at 7 p.m. The church will have a Good Friday Love Feast and Easter program on Friday, April 3. On Saturday, April 4, the children will enjoy an Easter egg hunt at 2:30 p.m.
On Easter Sunday, April 5, Mt. Olive will host a sunrise service at 6:30 a.m. The church is at 1565 Ga. Highway 92 North, Fayetteville. For info, call 770-892-7508 or visit www.mobcfayettevillega.com.
• New Beginnings Praise and Worship Center will present “He Is Alive” at 6 p.m. on Good Friday, April 3. The production is free and will be held at the center, 1091 S. Jeff Davis Dr., Fayetteville.
• Peachtree City United Methodist Church on Robinson Road will celebrate Holy Week beginning with a dinner on Maundy Thursday, April 2, remembering Jesus’s last supper with his disciples in an intimate “in-the-round” setting in the worship center.
On Good Friday, April 3, PTCUMC will host the entire Peachtree City community for the Community Good Friday service at noon in the worship center. Pastors from several churches will join in the remembrance of Jesus’ final words from the cross.
On Good Friday evening, the church will hold another Good Friday service at 6:30 p.m.
PTCUMC will hold three worship celebrations on Easter at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. The 8 a.m. worship will take place upstairs in the Wesley Suite and will serve as the “early (but-not-quite-sunrise) service.” It will be a smaller, more intimate setting in the early morning hours. The 9:30 and 11 a.m. services, will feature the choir and orchestra. Childcare (babies-preK) will be provided at all services, except noon on Good Friday and 8 a.m. Easter Sunday.
For more information, contact Sharon McNeal, director of communications, 770-632-3777, or sharon.mcneal@ptcumc.org.
• Prince of Peace Lutheran Church will have an outdoor sunrise service at 7:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday, followed by a contemporary service at 9:15, an Easter egg hunt at 10:50, and a pipe organ service at 11:15 a.m. Prince of Peace is at 257 Ga. Highway 314, Fayetteville, between Lowe’s and the Pavilion. For info, call 770-461-3403 or visit www.princeofpeacefayette.org.
• Providence United Methodist Church invites the community to an interactive prayer walk on Thursday, April 2, from 6:30 – 8 p.m.
Worship director Dianne DeVane explains, “You can arrive at the main building any time between 6:30 and 8 p.m. where there will be 11 stations at which you will listen to, reflect upon and interact with the events of Jesus’s crucifixion. Holy Communion will be served at the end of your walk.”
The walk is a time of quiet reflection and is appropriate for adults, teens and older children. All children should be accompanied by an adult. Childcare is provided in the children’s building for younger children.
Providence will offer two Easter celebration services. Traditional worship at 9:30 a.m. includes adult choir, hymns and a message by Dr. Diane Parrish. The 11 a.m. contemporary service includes current Christian music from a full praise band, led by Adam Holt, and a message.
Providence is at 592 Bernhard Road, Fayetteville, in southern Fayette County between Redwine Road and Ga. Highway 85. Go to provumc.com or call 770-719-8800 for info.
• Senoia United Methodist Church will host a Maundy Thursday service on April 2 at 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday is the night that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper with the words, “Do this in remembrance of me.” As a way to remember that night, all the worship articles and adornments are removed from the altar and sanctuary. This removal symbolizes both the suspension of Holy Communion, which is not celebrated on Good Friday, and the abandonment and humiliation of Jesus Christ.
A Tenebrae service, held on Good Friday at 7 p.m. (Tenebrae is Latin for “shadows” or “darkness”), is a solemn observance of Jesus’ passion and death. Tenebrae services generally occur between Wednesday and Friday of Holy Week. They mark Jesus’ journey to Golgotha, and allow for extended meditation through proclamation of the Word in scripture as well as music, increasing darkness, and silent reflection.
On Easter Sunday morning, an Easter sunrise service will be held at 7 a.m. in the Meditation Garden adjacent to the church (chairs will be provided), followed by an Easter fellowship breakfast at 9:45 a.m. Easter worship services will follow at 8:45 and 11 a.m.
Senoia UMC is on the corner of Bridge and Seavy Streets (229 Bridge St.) in Senoia. Visit www.senoiaumc.org or call 770-599-3245 for more info.
• South Metro Ministries, 3935 Ga. Highway 34 East, Sharpsburg, will present “Redeemed … The Gospel Changes Everything” Easter weekend on Saturday, April 4 at 6 p.m. and Easter Sunday, April 5 at 9 and 11 a.m. “Redeemed” is an Easter choral musical of passion, power, and redemption presented by the church’s contemporary choir, the Voices of Praise. These special Easter celebration services are free of charge to the entire community.
For more information about “Redeemed” or South Metro Ministries visit www.southmetro.church or call 770-251-3777.
• St. Paul Lutheran Church will offer a Maundy Thursday service with Holy Communion on April 2 at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria.
On April 3, the church will hold two Good Friday services, one at 11 a.m. and another at 7 p.m., also in the cafeteria.
On Easter Sunday, a sunrise service will be held at 7 a.m. outdoors, weather permitting, followed by an Easter breakfast at 8:15 a.m. A combined Easter festival will be celebrated at 10 a.m.
St. Paul Lutheran is at 700 Ardenlee Parkway, Peachtree City. For more information, call 770-486-3545 or visit www.stpaulptc.org.
• Threshold Church, a newly formed church in Newnan, will have Easter activities Sunday, April 5, 2015 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Regal Cinemas Georgian 14, 232 Newnan Crossing Bypass, Newnan (Ashley Park). The event will feature a worship service as well as an Easter egg hunt and some bunnies for the kids to pet. For more information, visit. www.thresholdumc.org
• Whitewater Church will host a “Hippity Hoppity Easter Egg Hunt” on Saturday, April 4 at 2 p.m. on the church grounds at 1144 Ga. Highway 92 in Fayetteville. Activities are geared for children aged two years old through fifth grade. Besides an Easter egg hunt, there will be face painting, tattoos, balloon animals and arts and crafts. There will also be games and prizes, along with photos taken with the Easter Bunny and story time. The event is open to the public free of charge.
On Easter Sunday, Whitewater will offer two identical morning worship services at 9 and 10:30 a.m.
• Woolsey Baptist Church will hold a Good Friday service on April 3 at 7 p.m. The preschool and children’s Easter egg hunt is at 10:30 a.m. the next morning, Saturday, April 4; while the student Easter egg hunt is the same day, from 3-5 p.m.
On Easter Sunday, April 5, the services will be at 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. There will be no evening service. Woolsey Baptist Church is at 115 Hampton Road in Fayetteville. For more information, call the church office, 770 – 461- 9618) or visit www.woolseybaptist.org
• Word of God Lutheran Church in Peachtree City (NALC and LCMC) invites the community to its Holy Week services. The Maundy Thursday service begins at 7 p.m. on April 2. This service includes Holy Communion and ends with the stripping of the altar.
The Good Friday Tenebrae service will be at 7 p.m. on April 3. At the end of this service, the congregation leaves silently in darkness.
The Easter morning worship service with Holy Communion begins at 10:15 a.m. A nursery will be provided. Word of God meets at 303 Kelly Dr., Suite 10, just off Dividend Drive in Peachtree City. Pastor Larry Lystig is the interim pastor. For more information call 770-897-4508 or visit www.woglutheran.org.
