The Festival of the Resurrection of Our Lord is the high point of the Christian Church Year. We celebrate Christ’s victory over death that is ours by faith. The Paschal Candle, as a symbolic reminder of the risen Christ, helps us to celebrate the fact that the darkness of sin and death has been overcome by the resurrection. The Paschal candle will burn throughout the Easter season until Ascension.

In the early church, the Easter Vigil was when the catechumens were baptized and received their first Communion. Baptism remains a central focus in the Vigil today. Even when there are no baptisms, the congregation takes the time to remember their own baptism into Christ’s death and resurrection. The service traditionally was held late at night so that the pastor’s statement, “Alleluia! Christ is Risen” and the people’s response would be at midnight.

The word “Tenebrae” means “darkness” and refers to a worship service in which the progressive extinguishing of candles represent the approaching death of Christ. The Tenebrae service is one prolonged meditation of the suffering of Christ. The service is divided into seven chief parts. At the end of each part, the sanctuary will become darker. At the end of the service, the church will be very dark.

The Three Holy Days of Christendom continue on Good Friday with a service that focuses on our attention to the words Christ spoke while on the cross. In these words, we see the depth of our Savior’s suffering as well as the depth of His love for us.

Maundy Thursday ushers the believer into the “Three Holy Days” of Christendom. It is more than history that is celebrated on this day. The Holy Sacrament extends to the believer the very body and blood of our Savior and gives the forgiveness of sins.

(This is the typed sermon from the 8:00 a.m. service, so there may be some… read more

Welcome to worship today at Morrison Zion Lutheran Church.  We exist to glorify God.  We… read more

Thankful for                                            Thankful for                                   Thankful for                                            Thankful,                 in                                          Welcome to worship… read more