Good Friday falls on March 29 this year, and we will be doing something a little bit different at Church of the Holy Spirit to mark it. Instead of our customary Good Friday service at 7:00 pm, we’ll be offering, from noon to 3:00 pm, the Good Friday service known as “Three Hours.” This is a semi-continuous service in six half-hour segments.
Don’t worry! While a few may attend the whole thing, most people opt for coming to only a couple of the portions, so coming and going between the portions is normal.
Each half-hour segment contains a scripture reading, a sermon, special music, a time of silence, a prayer, and then a hymn. This is a very powerful experience, distinctly reflective and meditative in character.
The first hour and a half will feature the participation of clergy, both Protestant and Catholic, from our Nauset Interfaith Association. The last hour and a half will be led by clergy from the Church of the Holy Spirit. During the last hour (from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm), the Church of the Holy Spirit Choir will offer special music.
The preachers for each of the segments will be:
12:00 – 12:30 pm: The Rev. Kenneth Swetland, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
12:30 – 1:00 pm: The Rev. Bob Powell, St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Orleans
1:00 – 1:30 pm: The Rev. Sally Norris, Federated Church of Orleans
1:30 – 2:00 pm: The Rev. Ken Campbell
2:00 – 2:30 pm: Sarah Kelb
2:30 – 3:00 pm: The Rev. Adam Linton
This is a wonderful opportunity to try something a little different and enter more deeply into the meaning and marking of Good Friday. We hope that every member of the Church of the Holy Spirit will be able to attend and participate at some point in the cycle.