[kp2171]

I sure hope this doesn't become a my God versus your God thread. Back to the original posted question.

I'm presbyterian. Along with the normal Sunday services, I do attend services during holy week, specifically maundy Thursday and good Friday. The good Friday service is the one, if I had to choose just one service to go to, that id attend.

In our church (and by that I mean MY church... just in case that made any panties bunch) it is a moving event as the lights are put down one by one and candles extinguished one by one as we are read through the crucifixion and death of Christ. By the time the scriptures describe the moment of death, the church is in complete darkness, save for one candle, which is then extinguished, leaving all in complete darkness for a few minutes.

Might sound like a "show" to some, but I promise you, visual darkening forces the weight of the moment on you. By the end you are no longer seeing the back of the person seated before you. No longer watching the choir. You are hearing the words without distraction, and feeling the depth of the struggle. Its just unbelievable.

As for easter, if we go, its early service... I don't care for the pomp and circumstance. Though its not a bad time to see all the Chr-easters you haven't seen all year (people who only attend at Christmas and Easter).

[mountain_man]

i sure hope this doesnt become a my God versus your God thread. back to the original posted question.

im presbyterian. along with the normal sunday services, i do attend services during holy week, specifically maundy thursday and good friday. the good friday service is the one, if i had to choose just one service to go to, that id attend.

in our church (and by that i mean MY church... just in case that made any panties bunch) it is a moving event as the lights are put down one by one and candles extinguished one by one as we are read through the crucifixion and death of Christ. by the time the scriptures describe the moment of death, the church is in complete darkness, save for one candle, which is then extinguished, leaving all in complete darkness for a few minutes.

might sound like a "show" to some, but i promise you, visual darkening forces the weight of the moment on you. by the end you are no longer seeing the back of the person seated before you. no longer watching the choir. you are hearing the words without distraction, and feeling the depth of the struggle. its just unbelievable.

as for easter, if we go, its early service... i dont care for the pomp and circumstance. though its not a bad time to see all the Chr-easters you havent seen all year (people who only attend at Christmas and Easter).

That sounds like a PHENOMONAL good Friday service, just reading it seems intense would have loved to have experienced it.

I also agree with you... Church is much more than just a place to go... our church was overflowing with the "it's a tradition" folks but hopefully through the message some were convicted by the Holy Spirit for change

Thanks for your input

[Fr_Chuck]

Im a Christian by choice. I dont believe easter sunday, Because they dont have definite or exact date to celebrate, sometimes they celebrate it IN THE MONTH OF APRIL BUT NOW IT IS IN MARCH. BUT WHY IN CHRISTMASS THEY CELEBRATE ALWAYS IN DEC25., THE DATE ALWAYS THE SAME. IF YOU GOT MARRIED JUNE 18 YOUR ANNIVERSRRAY ALWAYS JUNE 18 OF THE YEARS.

As a Christian you would realise I am sure, that Easter is set off the celebration of Passover. From the bible, this is one of the few exact dates we do know as a Chrsitian. But then I am sure you were aware of that.
And of course I am sure you are aware that the day is not set by calender but by the specific dates following the Jewish Passover. So if you follow the actual Hewbrew calender I understand it does not move.

But then I am sure as a Christian you have studied your faith and know how and why things work. This is what you leavn in bible classes or seroiuis independent study

[addaddadd]

As a Christian you would realise I am sure, that Easter is set off of the celebration of Passover. From the bible, this is one of the few exact dates we do know as a Chrsitian. But then I am sure you were aware of that.
And of course I am sure you are aware that the day is not set by calender but by the specific dates following the Jewish Passover. So if you follow the actual Hewbrew calender I understand it does not move.

But then I am sure as a Christian you have studied your faith and know how and why things work. This is what you leavn in bible classes or seroiuis independent study

If you follow the Hebrew calendar, why christmas always December 25. Therefore Celebrating christmas is not December 25.

[Wondergirl]

That sounds like a PHENOMONAL good friday service, just reading it seems intense would have loved to have experienced it.

Toward the end of the service, when the lights have been dimmed and the readings have taken us to Jesus' last minutes, our minister, dressed in a black robe, announces that Jesus has died and slams closed the Bible. The last church lights are immediately turned off and the church is in total darkness. The congregation sits stunned.

After several minutes, a few lights are turned back on (very dim) and the congregation leaves in total silence.

This Good Friday tradition has made Easter services all the more joyful--white vestments and altar cloths, white robe on the minister, women and girls in pretty floral dresses, the chancel full of white lilies, happy music and singing, smiling faces.