Page 7 - OnThePath.4.8.17

El Dorado NEWS-TIMES – Saturday, April 8, 2017 – 7
Catholics, Protestants celebrate Holy Week
Temple B’nai Israel to host Community Seder for all
Continued from Page 6
to servant ministry in imita- tion of our Lord.”
Good Friday
Good Friday, the solemn remembrance of Jesus’ cru- cifixion, will be observed at a number of local churches.
Special devotions on Good Friday can take many forms, including Communion ser- vices, praying the Stations of the Cross and fasting. Some Christians pray or abstain from work, sporting events and other secular activities at 3 p.m. on Good Friday, traditionally considered the hour of Jesus’ death.
In some churches, Tenebrae services are held during Holy Week, par- ticularly on Good Friday. Tenebrae, Latin for “shad- ows” or “darkness,” can include scriptural readings along with a gradual extin- guishing of candles.
“Tenebrae, or the Service of Shadows, recalls the importance of the crucifix- ion,” said Lt. Charles Smith, commanding officer of the El Dorado Salvation Army. “Our Tenebrae service will use increasing dark- ness to dramatize the sad- ness of Holy Week. There are special readings from the Gospel account of the last few hours of the life of Christ. After each read- ing, a candle is blown out,
and a physical item repre- senting Christ is removed from the room. This is a time of reflection on what the Lord Jesus Christ expe- rienced from the moment Judas Iscariot left the upper room to the time that Christ was buried in the grave.”
Easter Vigil
“The Easter Vigil is the greatest celebration of the entire liturgical year,” said Fr. Edward D’Almeida, pastor of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church.
“The earliest time it can begin is when the sun has set, because the celebration takes place at night. The night is one of vigil for the Lord, and we, the faithful, should have our lamps burn- ing ready, as mentioned in Luke 12:35 to await our mas- ter’s return. It is the celebra- tion of Easter, the resurrec- tion of Jesus from the dead. It is the glorious mystery ofChristconqueringdeath,” D’Almeida said. “Typically non-Catholics and baptized Catholics are welcomed into the Church through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion at this time.”
“The Episcopal Church begins its celebration of Easter on Saturday evening at the Easter Vigil service,” Chapman said. “The origi- nal purpose of this service
in the early centuries of Christianity was twofold: to stay up all night and watch for the rising sun, the sym- bol of Jesus’ resurrection, while listening to scripture and singing psalms, and to baptize new members into the church. It no longer lasts all night, and we don’t always have a baptism at the Easter Vigil, but it is still a moving service of light and dark, scripture, water and the first Eucharist of Easter.”
Eastertide
There is naturally a major emphasis upon Easter Sunday in many churches, but for some congregations, the Easter season extends well past that date.
As a service schedule from the First Presbyterian Church of El Dorado states, “The season of Easter begins on Easter Sunday and lasts 50 days, until Pentecost.”
The Easter season, also known as Eastertide, can include additional obser- vances, such as the Feast of the Ascension and Divine Mercy Sunday.
With so many local church- es offering services through- out Holy Week and the entire Easter season, there are abundant opportunities for Christians to fully expe- rience this rich season of spiritual growth and renew- al.
MONROE, La. — Temple B’nai Israel will host a com- munity Passover Seder at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. April 13, in Monroe. The dinner will be catered by local chef celebrity Pat Nolan at a cost of $45 for members and $50 for non-members.
The Passover Seder is a Jewish tradition that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover and gives an opportunity for commu- nities and families to come together to retell the story of the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Traditionally, fami- lies and friends gather in the evening to read the text of the Haggadah, and partake of symbolic foods placed on the Passover Seder Plate.
“A Passover Seder is usually celebrated in the home with family members on the first night of Passover which this year is Monday, April 10th. B’nai Israel will host this community seder to make sure all Jewish families in the area have a place to attend a seder and to educate the community about the holiday of Passover. We will be using a contemporary and inclusive Haggadah titled, The Open Door, which encourages us to welcome the stranger into our midst,” said Rabbi Judy Ginsburgh.
Please call Temple B’nai
Israel for more information at 318-387-0730. Make your reservation as soon as possi- ble as seating is very limited. When you make your res- ervation, you will also need to give your menu choice: chicken, brisket or vegetari- an. Payment is required at the time reservations are made. Since this is a community event, be sure to invite your family, friends and neighbors. Everyone is welcome.
Temple B’nai Israel was established in Monroe, La. in 1868. Shabbat services are held at 6 p.m. on Friday. Rabbi Ginsburgh comes one week- end a month and conducts Shabbat service on Friday and on Saturday. She teaches Tot Shabbat and Torah Study. She is available during the weekend to meet with con- gregants and the community as needed.
New Jewish members are always welcome, and the Temple serves residents from across the region including Union County. The Temple also offers an associ- ate membership for non-Jews or those interested in con- version. Simply contact the Temple Office from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. between Tuesday and Thursday (excluding holi- days). If you leave a message, your call will be returned on the next business day.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
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