There is a rhythm to Holy Week—it begins with palms waving and hosannas shouted, but it doesn’t march straight to Easter morning. No, it moves downward first—through the darkness of betrayal, the agony of the cross, and the silence of a sealed tomb. And it is in that silence that we so often rush past. “He is risen! He is risen indeed!”—these words echo with joy across churches around the world on Easter Sunday. And rightly so! This is our anthem of hope, our declaration of victory. But before the empty tomb, there were three long days when death seemed to have the final word.
Three days when hope felt buried, silence hung heavy, and the disciples didn’t know the ending of the story like we do.
Holy Saturday, the day between the cross and the resurrection, often gets overlooked. But in the silence of that day, God was still at work. It was the space between grief and glory, between heartbreak and hallelujah. It reminds us that even when we cannot see it, God is moving. Resurrection does not skip over sorrow. It transforms it.
This week at Pittman Park, we invite you to step fully into the sacred rhythm of this story:
Maundy Thursday, April 17 | 6:00–8:00 PM – Stations of the Cross Prayer Walk (Drop-In)
Experience the path Jesus walked through scripture, prayer, and stillness. The building will be open for you to drop in, reflect, and encounter the story in a hands-on way. Begin at the altar rail in the Sanctuary and journey through scenes that invite both reflection and response.
Good Friday, April 18 | 7:00 PM – Tenebrae Service
Join us in the Sanctuary as we remember the sacrifice of Jesus through scripture, song, and silence. This solemn service invites us to sit in the weight of love poured out and remember that God meets us even in our darkest hours.
Holy Saturday
This is a day to hold space. No formal service, no loud celebration—just stillness. May it be for you a kind of Sabbath, a moment to breathe, to trust, and to rest in the promise that resurrection is on its way.
Easter Sunday, April 20 | 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM
Come celebrate the Risen Christ in worship and fellowship! Through his death, sin is defeated, and through his resurrection, death is overcome!
7:00 AM – Sunrise Service on the Front Lawn (followed by a churchwide brunch in the Fellowship Hall)
9:00 AM – Contemporary Worship in the Fellowship Hall
11:00 AM – Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary
Come as you are—and bring someone with you. We will gather with joy, singing, “He is risen! He is risen indeed!” because we know how the story ends. But this year, let’s also choose to walk through every part of it.
Let’s not rush to resurrection. Let’s sit in the upper room, kneel at the cross, wait by the tomb—and then rise with Jesus into new life.
Come walk the road with us. Come wait in the silence. And come rise with us in joy!
God bless,
Rev. Dr. Jonathan Smith
For Jesus. For People. For Community.