A look at Easter 2008 and the events leading up to Easter at Bethany Lutheran Church Ishpeming, Michigan

Officiating are Rev. Warren Geier, pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church and Vicar Luke Smetters, the BLC Pastoral Intern.

Northern Michigan news reporter Greg Peterson has the story.

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Easter – and the special days and weeks of Lent before Easter – are an important at Bethany Lutheran Church in Ishpeming, Michigan.

During Lent – Wednesday night services nclude a drama put on by youth and adult members of the church.
The service is preceded with a soup dinner.

Holy Week and the three days of Easter – Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter – comprise the central worship experience of the church year.

A Seder/Passover meal is held on Maundy Thursday
The meal is shared with the families of young people who will receive their first Communion that night.

The Maundy Thursday service includes the symbolic washing of feet like Jesus did for his disciples..

Maundy Thursday concludes the stripping of the altar.

A Tenebrae Service is held on Good Friday – during which the “Passion according to St. John is read.

During the service, the church becomes increasingly dark.
And finally – the service ends with a single candle burning in a dark church.

Saturday night – the nighty before Easter – includes the lighting of a new fire outside the church.
The outdoor services include the lighting of a new pastoral candle that leads a candle light procession into the church.

With Candles flickering in the dark church, services are held including readings and a renewal of Baptismal Vows.

The Easter Vigil service lasts all night for some – who are awaiting the sunrise – and the Holy Easter celebration.

The Easter morning festival and celebration – the highlight of the church year.

Bethany Lutheran welcomes you to our community – please click our other videos for more details.
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Bethany Lutheran Church website:

http://www.bethanyishpeming.org

Bethany Lutheran Church
715 Mather Avenue
Ishpeming, MI
49849

906-486-4351 (church offices)
906-486-9640 (Fax)
bethanyim@hotmail.com

Worship Calendar:

http://www.bethanyishpeming.org/calendar.html

Bethany is three blocks north of US Highway 41. Go north on Hickory Street up the hill past Wesley United Methodist Church, to Mather. The church parking lot has entrances on both Hickory and Mather

Google Directions:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=715+Mather+Avenue,+Ishpeming+Michigan&sll=46.48862,-87.66934&sspn=0.127407,0.268822&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1

Other Easter Related Links:
Stripping of the Altar:

http://books.google.com/books?id=BinVUNIdOgAC&pg=PA319&lpg=PA319&dq=stripping+of+altar+lutheran&source=web&ots=2u6dlYNbbu&sig=QrRqLc6mRfFcPwn99-xdG_Z5NQ4&hl=en

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Thursday

Passover Seder for Christians:

http://www.crivoice.org/haggadah.html

Passover info:

http://www.haydid.org/passover.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranism

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01349a.htm

http://www.wf-f.org/02-1-Mauriac.html

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12533a.htm

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