If you’re joining us from a distance or are keeping safe at home, we want you to experience the fullness of Holy Week! You’re invited to gather, prepare, and use items you already have at home or that can be purchased to experience Holy Week at home. These are optional ways to deepen your engagement during Holy Week.
Palm/ Passion Sunday (March 24)
- Stop by the church (1500 N. Hoyne Ave) after worship for a palm.
- E-mail Annette (sundays@wickerparklutheran.org) if you’d like to pick one up. Please be aware that they may not arrive until the day before Palm Sunday, so you may not be able to pick it up until after service.
- Create a “hand-print palm branch”(pictured above) or clip a leaf from a plantto wave during the service. (Learn more at this link.)
- The gist of the “hand-print palm branch” is that you’re going to trace your hands on something green or something that can be colored green and cut out. Then, put it on a stick, cooking spoon, or other handle using tape, glue, or something else. Get creative!
- Prepare for Communion (get something to eat and drink).
- Set up a “special table” for this communal meal. Maybe include a Bible, a candle, a nice plate, a favorite cup, and a couple of napkins.
- Before service, considering making fresh bread.
Maundy Thursday (March 28)
- Prepare for Communion (get something to eat and drink).
- Set up a “special table” for this communal meal. Maybe include a Bible, a candle, a nice plate, a favorite cup, and a couple of napkins.
- Before service, considering making fresh bread.
- Prepare a place to remove your Christian items.
- During this service, we will end by stripping the altar at church reminding us of Christ’s abandonment. You’ll be invited during the service to strip your house of all Christian items (Bibles, crosses, icons, singing bowls, etc.) and remove them from sight until Easter– put them in a large bin, on a chair with a blanket, or inside a cabinet. Make sure you’ve identified this space before the service.
Good Friday (March 29)
- Prepare a cross.
- Setup a place where you put the single cross. This could be a small neck or bracelet cross on a table, a wall cross laid on the floor, or even one drawn on a piece of paper. It’s best to have it so that the cross is the main focal point without anything else around it as we begin.
- Gather a candle for each person.
- During the service, we’ll start without any candles or items around the cross. You’ll be invited to light a candle and place it around the cross during the service.
Easter Vigil (March 30)
- Gather a candlestick and something to write on it or engrave it.
- Prepare a pitcher of water and an empty bowl. (If you don’t have a pitcher, a cup or another bowl will work fine.)
- Prepare for Communion (get something to eat and drink).
- Set up a “special table” for this communal meal. Maybe include a Bible, a candle, a nice plate, a favorite cup, and a couple of napkins.
- Before service, considering making fresh Communion bread (here’s the recipe we use at WPLC).
Easter Sunday (Mrch 31)
- Pre-bury an Alleluia sign in a box, bag, or in a cabinet.
- The Alleluia can be simply written on a piece of paper, on a big banner, or cut-out letters. You can print and color this one.
- Prepare for Communion (get something to eat and drink–may we suggest sparkling juice or champagne?).
- Set up a “special table” for this communal meal. Maybe include a Bible, a candle, a nice plate, a favorite cup, and a couple of napkins.
- Before service, considering making fresh bread.
- Get some confetti.
- Cut or tear up paper or buy some (it’s not Easter at WPLC without it!)