Holy Week and Easter 2022

Holy Week

Holy Week is the name given to the week beginning on Palm Sunday and ending on Easter Sunday. We offer services on each day of Holy week

Palm Sunday 24th March

Palm Sunday commemorates when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling prophecies, and was greeted with shouts of “Hosanna!” by the crowds. There are Eucharist services at

09:15 Curbridge
09:15 Hailey
09:15 Minster Lovell
10:45 Holy Trinity
10:45 S Mary’s

Monday 25th to Wednesday 27th March during Holy Week

• Monday 25 Mar 19:30 Holy Trinity | Preacher: Rebecca Coatsworth He will cover you with His feathers and under his wings you will find refuge
• Tuesday 26 Mar 19:30 Minster Lovell | Preacher: Revd Canon Dr Joanna Collicutt Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth
• Wednesday 27 Mar 19:30 Hailey: Revd James Elward Very truly I tell you, one of you will betray me

These services are not recorded streamed 

Maundy Thursday 28th March

Maundy Thursday is the day when we remember Jesus sharing the Last Supper with his disciples before his death. Maundy Thursday gets its name from the Latin word mandare meaning to command. We remember Jesus' command: 'Love one another as I have loved you'. At the Last Supper Jesus washed the disciples' feet. This is not only an important reminder of the nature of Jesus, who we serve, but also the kind of service we are meant to demonstrate in our love for one another.

Please join us for the

• Benefice Maundy Thursday drinks & nibbles at St. Mary’s Church at 6.15 pm (please sign up with office@witneyparish.org.uk ) and 
• a service at 7:30pm which is also being streamed live on our YouTube channel. The preacher is the Revd Canon Toby Wright So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

Good Friday 29th March

Good Friday is the day when Christians remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. There are two services

• a reflective service 12.00 at Hailey on Good Friday
• a solemn liturgy service at St Mary’s starting at 2 00pm. This service is being streamed live on our YouTube channel. The preacher is the Revd Sally Wright Darkness came over the whole land
  
  

Holy Saturday 30th March

The Easter Vigil is the first service of Easter and begins sometime on the evening of Holy Saturday (the day before Easter Day) at 8 00pm. The service will contain a number of readings from the Bible, and also an opportunity for all the participants to renew the promises made at their baptism. The Easter Vigil is usually a quiet and thoughtful service, but one full of joy. 

This service is being streamed live on our YouTube channel. The preacher is the Revd Mark Bezerra Speeks: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God

Easter Sunday 31st March

We celebrate with these services

• 09 15 St John the Baptist, Curbridge
• 09 15 St John the Evangelist, Hailey
• 09 15 St Kenelm’s, Minster Lovell
• 10 45 Holy Trinity, Witney. 
• 10 45 St Mary’s, Witney. This service is being streamed live on our YouTube channel

From Easter Day onwards

Easter Day marks the beginning of 50 days of celebrating Jesus' resurrection. The final 10 days begin on Ascension Day, Thursday 9th May where we celebrate Jesus' ascension into heaven. 

Finally, at the end of the 50 days, we celebrate Pentecost (sometimes called Whitsun) on Sunday May 19th when Jesus' disciples received the gift of the Holy Spirit.