A Special Time by Jeff Bills

I want to take this opportunity to highlight a few of the special events that will be taking place at HOPE between now and the celebration of Easter, beginning with the concert this evening (see insert for details). Our youth and adult musicians never fail to inspire and bless with their talent and passion.

On Good Friday the worship space will be open from noon until 6:30 p.m. for a guided time of prayer, meditation, and reflection. If you did this last year, you will remember what a powerful experience it was. For those who missed it last year, it is worth the effort to try to get here. Within the worship space, we have seven stations set up, each one related to one of the seven last statements that Jesus said from the cross. At each of these stations, there is something that you are invited to do as you reflect on Jesus’ words. As this is a self-guided process, you can spend whatever time you want at each station. The power of this process is that it allows you to focus on the meaning of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and commitment to humanity. At the same time, there is the opportunity to reflect on the implications for your own life. The response from participants last year was overwhelmingly positive. At 7p.m. on Good Friday, there will be a worship service that will include communion.

On Easter Sunday morning, we begin the day before sunrise. The tradition of a worship service at sunrise is rooted in the fact that it was early on the first Easter morning when the women went to Jesus’ tomb and discovered He had risen from the dead. Our tradition of having a sunrise service goes back to 1992, when we held our first Easter sunrise service at Main Street in the gazebo. For the past nine years, we have held this service at Lion’s Lake Park off Rt. 73 in Voorhees. This very simple service is a powerful connection to Jesus’ resurrection 2,000 years ago.

Our 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services will be great times of celebration as we are joined by a large number of visitors. I am really excited about all that is planned for Easter worship. The worship team has crafted a powerful experience with an underlying theme of transformation. The hospitality team is prepared to welcome a larger-than-normal gathering of worshippers so that everyone experiences the warmth of HOPE hospitality. But what excites me the most is knowing that the Holy Spirit will be moving among us in a powerful way!

Plan on participating in these offerings over the next week. I know you will be encouraged as you reflect on and worship God for his sacrifice on our behalf.

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