Easter Services and Holy Week
- Palm Sunday (April 13), Divine Service:
- 8:30am at Grace, Gordon
- 11:00am at Our Savior’s, Chadron
- 4:00pm at Grace, Merriman (2nd Ave & Main, Merriman, NE)
- Maundy Thursday (April 17)
- Divine Service 6:30pm: at Our Savior’s, Chadron
- Good Friday (April 18):
- Chief Service: Noon at Our Savior’s, Chadron
- Tenebrae Service: 6:30pm at Grace, Gordon
- Holy Saturday (April 19):
- Easter Vigil Divine Service: 6:30pm at Grace, Gordon
- Easter Service (April 20) Divine Service:
- 8:30 am with breakfast following at Grace, Gordon
- 11:00am at Our Savior’s, Chadron with breakfast at 10:00am
- 4:00pm at Grace, Merriman
During Lent, we follow Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God as He goes to the cross to take away the sin of the world. We ask our Lord to put to death the Old Adam in us, so that just as He was raised from the dead, we too might walk in newness of life.
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This Lent we have heard our Lord’s call to intensify our struggle against sin, death, and the devil–all that prevents us from loving God and loving each other. In this week, our Lord won those battles for us: He paid for our sin by dying on the cross, by paying the wages for sin He conquered death for us and by rising again on the third day He opened the way to everlasting life, and in remaining faithful to the Father loving us to the end He crushes the serpents head under His foot. In these services, He puts sin to death in us, and raises up new men and women who confess with all our hearts, minds, and strength “I know that my Redeemer lives!”
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday marks the joyful beginning of Holy Week, when we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. On this day, crowds welcomed our Savior with palm branches and cries of “Hosanna!”—a powerful declaration of praise and recognition of His kingship. Yet, beneath the jubilant shouts lies a profound mystery: Christ, who came as the humble servant, knew His path would lead to the cross. In our Palm Sunday service, we recall that while the people celebrated His arrival, our Lord was already preparing to bear our sin and sorrow. We lift our voices in thanksgiving, echoing the ancient praises that welcomed the true King, and we set our hearts on the journey of redemption that unfolds during Holy Week. Join us as we celebrate the light of Christ, whose humble entrance transformed despair into hope and paved the way for eternal life.
Maundy Thursday
Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. He became man to fulfill the whole will and law of God and took the punishment that we deserve. To strengthen our faith, He gave His body to us under the bread to eat, and says “I became man, and all that I do and suffer is for your good. As a pledge of this, I give you My body to eat.” He washes our sins away and says “I give Myself into death, shedding My blood to obtain grace and forgiveness of sins, and to comfort and establish the new testament, which gives forgiveness of sins. As a pledge of this, I give you My blood to drink.” Our Lord deals with the sin in us, and then makes us part of His one body, that we may be strengthened to love each other in all that we do.* We begin this service with a fuller confession of sins than normal and we share the peace of the Lord with each other, because we are surrounded by those redeemed by Christ the crucified. We receive the Sacrament. At the end of the service, the altar is stripped, and we hear the Lord’s cries from Psalm 22.* (Quotes from LSB Altar Book “Holy (Maundy) Thursday”)
Good Friday
“The One made flesh in a virgin, Who was hanged on a tree, Who was buried in the earth, Who was raised from the dead, Who was exalted to the heights of heaven” (Melito of Sardis). The sky turned black, the earth shook, the rocks split, the curtain was torn, when our Lord yielded up His Spirit. It is finished. Your whole life, eternity is given to you in that sentence. On this night, we hear how our Lord died for us, we watch the darkness grow as the light is extinguished. But sorrow does not overwhelm us. The victory is ours in the cross, in the pouring out of His blood. We know His light will scatter the darkness again.
Easter Vigil
“This is the night when all who believe in Christ are delivered from bondage to sin and are restored to life and immortality. This is the night when Christ, the Life, arose from the dead. The seal of the grave is broken and the morning of the new creation breaks forth out of night. Oh how wonderful and beyond all telling is Your mercy toward us, O God, that to redeem a slave You gave Your Son. How holy is this night when all wickedness is put to flight and sin is washed away. How holy is this night when innocence is restored to the fallen and joy is given to those downcast. How blessed is the night when man is reconciled to God in Christ….Let Christ the true light and morning star, shine in our hearts, He who gives light to all creation, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever” (LSB Altar Book “Vigil of Easter”). We will receive a new member and renew our baptismal vows. We begin out front with a fire to show that the light has conquered the darkness and shines for us in Christ. It is the fullest service of the year. We hear many of God’s good deeds in history, from creation and the fall, to Noah and the Flood, to Abraham and Isaac, to Moses crossing the Red Sea, to Ezekiel in the valley of Dry Bones, to the three men in the Fiery Furnace, ending with our Lord’s Victory over death as the light breaks on the first Easter morning.
Easter Sunday
I know that my Redeemer lives! We gather to celebrate the victory and the new life that we have through Jesus dying and rising again! Come and receive this salvation and begin your life with Him. In Baptism you are buried with Him through Christ, and so just as He is risen from the dead, so too He raises you to new life here in time and there in eternity. Lay your sins down at the cross, and begin your new life in Christ at the Easter Service!