Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 19:14
Palm Sunday
The children of St. Luke’s will kick off Holy Week with a special moment that is all their own.
On Palm Sunday, April 9, you will see 3-year-olds up to 5th graders waving palm branches at the beginning of every worship service.
“The processional serves as a reminder to those in the congregation of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey,” Susan Easttom, Director of Children’s Ministry, said. “The people greeted him, waving palm branches and shouting praises. The children waving palms on Palm Sunday has been a tradition at St. Luke’s for many years.”
So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” – John 12:13
“What the adults may not see is what happens before and after the ‘triumphal entry’: children sword-fighting with palms, palms serving as stick horses, palms in the fountain, palm fronds on the floor… on heads… stuck in shoes… you get the idea!” Susan said.
At the Welcome Centers, you will find invitations to Easter Sunday services in plastic Easter eggs. Pick up as many eggs as you want. Handing them out is a great way to invite people to church!
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday, April 13, commemorates the Last Supper, the night before the betrayal and arrest of Jesus, and The New Commandment (“Maundy”) Jesus gave his Disciples after he washed their feet.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” – John 13:34
At St. Luke’s Edmond, from 7 – 8:30 a.m. and 5 – 7 p.m., the church will be open for anyone to come to the Worship Center, receive Communion, and have time for personal prayer. There will be readings and prayer sheets available as well.
“In taking communion, we are remembering Christ’s ultimate act of love for us,” Edmond Campus Pastor Josh Attaway said. “It is a primary means through which we experience God’s grace and there is no better time for that than on Maundy Thursday. By remembering the broken body of Christ, we are more able to fully experience the joy of the resurrection just three days later.”
At the Downtown Campus, the youth is setting up “prayer stations” that will be open Thursday and Friday in the Youth Room. Each station is a self-guided, interactive, and reflective prayer experience. This year’s setup will be inspired by the success of last year’s prayer labyrinth that featured a trail of Christmas lights. “We had mosaic crosses to symbolize how God takes our brokenness and makes it into something beautiful,” Amy Givens, Director of Youth Ministry, said. “A chance to let go of worries, an opportunity to nail into a wooden cross as a remembrance of our sins being forgiven.”
Good Friday
On Good Friday, April 14, worship services will be held at 7:30 p.m. at both our Downtown and Edmond Campuses. Downtown will have a special service called, “Meditations on the Stations of the Cross.” The St. Luke’s staff will re-enact the events of Jesus’ betrayal, trial, and crucifixion.
A meaningful way to remember the last hours of the life of Jesus and prepare for Easter with time in prayer and reflection. The 14 stations of the cross mark the events that took place on Jesus’s journey to Golgotha, where he would be crucified and placed in the tomb. The 14 stations will be marked along the walking trails at the Edmond Campus on Good Friday, April 14. Join us for a self-guided walk at any time throughout the day.
There will also be a Membership Worship Service on Good Friday. The Downtown Campus will host a group joining moment and Communion, beginning at 6:45 p.m. in the Watchorn Chapel.
Saturday, April 15
Children from 1-year-olds to 5th graders will have a great time at the Easter Egg Hunts taking place in Edmond and Downtown.
Downtown:
- At the OCU Quad – 2501 N. Blackwelder, OKC, OK 73106
- Inflatables will be ready for playtime at 9 a.m.
- First Egg Hunt begins at 10 a.m.
Edmond:
- At the Edmond Campus
- First Egg Hunt begins at 10:30 a.m.
- Egg hunt, inflatables, and goodies to enjoy
- Indoor & outdoor playgrounds will be open
Easter Sunday
On Easter Sunday, April 16, the Downtown and Edmond Campuses will have three morning services.
Downtown:
- 8:30 a.m. – Traditional
- 9:40 a.m. – LifeLight Contemporary
- 10:50 a.m. – Traditional
Edmond:
- 6:30 a.m. Sunrise Service (in the courtyard)
- 9:15 a.m. LifeLight Contemporary
- 11 a.m. Traditional
Asbury:
- 10:40 a.m. Easter Worship
Easter Sunday ends the season of Lent, which Senior Pastor Dr. Bob Long calls our ‘spiritual journey.’
“(Lent) begins with Ash Wednesday, when we consider our mortality, and ends with the Resurrection of Christ, in which we realize our immortality in Him. To move from death to life eternal seems impossible – and it is. But the Heavenly Father sent His Son into the world to remind us that He makes the impossible, possible.”
