Joint Holy Week services ‘a blessing’
Published 1:53 am Saturday, April 16, 2011
In what has become a tradition in the Brewton community, Holy Week services will begin Monday and continue throughout the week.
Five area churches are partnering for the event that will feature mid-day services open to the public.
The Rev. Jack Fitts of First Baptist Church of Brewton said the event is a decades-long tradition for the community.
“We have had Holy Week services for the past 35 years or more,” Fitts said. “It’s always a highlight to see the community of faith come together and how they express their faith differently. To fellowship in different churches is a real blessing,”
Services will take place daily at noon for a short service at each of the five churches involved.
The Rev. John Mathieu, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, said that he is thankful that Holy Week is celebrated in this fashion.
“I am thankful for those who labor and attend these services,” Mathieu said. “I am also thankful for a country where we can assemble and worship God together, and I hope that everyone who attends church on a regular basis will invite the youth to attend this week, so that in the future we will still be able to continue with services like this.”
Services and locations scheduled through the week are:
• Monday: St. Maurice Catholic Church with the Rev. John Mathieu, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, officiating.
• Tuesday: First Presbyterian with the Rev. Ed Glaize, pastor of First United Methodist Church.
• Wednesday: St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church with the Rev. Adrian Cook, pastor at St. Maurice.
• Thursday: First United Methodist Church of Brewton with Fitts.
• Friday: First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Milledge Baker, pastor of St. Monica Episcopal Church in Cantonment, Fla., officiating.
Each service will begin at noon and will be followed by a light lunch in order for those working to be able to attend. Money donated for lunches will be used to support benevolent organization activities in the community.
A special service has been planned on Maundy Thursday. The Tenebrae service will be held Thursday beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church.