News

Guide to Easter egg hunts and Holy Week services

Amara Bolt reaches for an egg at Mills River Town Park.

By , Published: March 27, 2013

Here is a roundup of Holy Week services at area churches and Easter egg hunts planned across the county:

Holy Family Episcopal Church
Holy Family Episcopal Church, 419 Turnpike Road, Mills River, has planned Holy week services that allows worshipers to enter into the drama of the Easter story. On Maundy Thursday, March 28th, at 7 pm, the service will commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus with the disciples. At that meal Jesus washed the feet of his friends. The foot washing will be offered in addition to a celebration of the Holy Eucharist. When the meal is over, the altar will be stripped, as if preparing a tomb in which Jesus will lay. The Holy Family Choir, under the leadership of Terri Karlsson, will present four offerings from John Rutter's "Requiem" during the stripping of the altar, "Requiem Aeternam," "Out of the Deep," "Pie Jesu," and "Agnus Dei."
On Good Friday the Eucharist is not celebrated, for Christ is dead. The Good Friday Liturgy will be held at Noon and 7 p.m. An opportunity to walk the Stations of the Cross will occur at 1 p.m.
On Saturday, once the sun has set (8:17 p.m.), the first service of Easter will be held. The ancient Vigil, which includes kindling the new flame and following it into the tomb, recalls the oldest Christian worship services known. The reading of five Hebrew scriptures, followed by prayers and music, recounts the story of salvation, leading up to the coming of Jesus. Then the lights come up, bells are rung, and worshipers rejoice in the miracle of new life — the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
On Easter morning a Festive Eucharist will be held at 10 a.m. and will include seasonal music.
For more information, call the church office at 828-891-9375.

First Presbyterian Church
The community is invited to share Holy Week activities with the members of First Presbyterian Church.
A Passover (Sedar) meal will be served at 5:25 p.m. Maundy Thursday. Participants will learn about the meaning of the Passover meal as celebrated by Jews throughout history and even today. Reservations are required.
There will be a community service at noon on Good Friday. Pastors from the community will read and participate in this service commemorating Christ's death on the cross. Margie Capell will sing "O Divine Redeemer," by Gounod; and Claudia Lampley will sing "And the Crowd Cried Out," by Althouse. Flutist Natalie Ambrose will play "O Lamb of God," arr. Joel Raney, all accompanied by Gayle Stepp. Dana Carter will be the organist. Soup luncheon will follow the service at 12:30 pm.
On Easter Sunday at the 10:55 service, the Festival Ensemble will play "Resurrection Prelude, and there will be piano/organ duets by Roberta Radcliffe and Gayle Stepp: "Christ Arose," by Lowry, and "Rondeau," by Mouret. The Adult Choir will sing "Thine is the Glory," arr. Powell, accompanied by Thommy Snead and Karen Grady. The Choir and the congregation will join in singing Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus," accompanied by Organist Gayle Stepp. The Rev. Bill Campbell will bring the sermon. Services also include 8:30 worship and 10:55 King Street Worship (contemporary), both in the Chapel.
Child care will be provided for all services. For more information or Sedar reservations, please call 692-3211.

Grace Lutheran Church
Grace Lutheran will hold its Table Communion serviceat 12:15 and 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday, March 28. Worshipers will commune in groups of twelve so all may experience the Last Supper of our Lord. Several children who have been instructed in the meaning of the Sacrament will receive their first Communion during the evening service. As part of their preparation, the children will bake the loaves of bread that are used at both services. Pastor Greg Williams will lead the liturgy, and Pastor Ken Langsdorf will deliver the worship message "The New Covenant."
Tenebrae services will be held at 12:15 and 7 p.m. Good Friday, March 29. Seven lit candles will be extinguished after each reading from the Passion of Christ interspersed with hymns and choir anthems by the combined Adult Choirs accompanied by organ. The 7 p.m. service will be printed and spoken in both English and Spanish. As the service progresses, the lights will be gradually dimmed leaving worshipers in a darkened nave, except for the solitary light of the Christ Candle reminding worshipers that "the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it." Pastors Greg Williams, Ken Langsdorf and Alfredo Oviedo will all participate in leading the services. Worshipers will leave the service in silence.
The drama of Good Friday is reversed at the 8:15 a.m. service Easter Sunday, March 31, with sunrise liturgy as worshipers who have gathered outside process into the dark nave, just as the women came at dawn to the tomb to discover that Christ had been resurrected from the dead. The glorious good news of the resurrection is proclaimed, the lights come on, the alleluia banner is brought forth after having been "buried" during the season of Lent, and the worshipers burst forth with a hymn of praise and thanksgiving. The 9:45 a.m. service will follow the traditional Lutheran liturgy and at 11:15 a.m., the contemporary service will be led by the Praise Band.
Nursery care is available at all Holy Week services. Grace Lutheran Church is located at the corner of Sixth Avenue West and Blythe Street in Hendersonville. For further information call 828-693-4890.

St. James Episcopal Church
Holy Saturday will be observed March 30 at St. James Episcopal Church, 766 N. Main St., Hendersonville. At 10 a.m., Liturgy for Holy Saturday will be presented. The Great Vigil of Easter with Choir will begin at 8 p.m. Bring bells to ring at the first Alleluias.
On Easter Sunday March 31, Holy Eucharist ~ Rite I will be observed at 7:30 a.m. Festival Eucharist with Brass & Choir will be at 9 and 11:15 a.m.. The 11:15 a.m. services will also include incense.
The children's Easter egg hunt will be at 10:15 a.m.
A nursery will be provided for all services. For information, call 828-693-7458 or visit st.jamesepiscopal.com.

Refuge Baptist Church, Dana
Sunrise service for the community will begin at 7:30 p.m. Easter Sunday, March 31, at the Family Life Center at Refuge Baptist Church, Oleta Road, Dana. A full breakfast, prepared by the deacons of the church, will be served immediately following the service.
Sunday School begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by worship service at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary. The adult choir will present the Easter cantata "Amazing Grace" by Sue C. Smith and Russell Mauldin. There will be no evening service.
For more information, contact the church office at 828-685-8544.

Salvation Army plans Easter Carnival, yard sale
An Easter Carnival will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 30, at the Salvation Army, Third Ave. East at Grove Street.
The free event will include games, Moon Bounce, music, hot dogs,and drinks, Door prizes will be given every 15 minutes.
The purpose of the event is to provide wholesome Christian event for families and individuals.
A Yard Sale will also be conducted to benefit Salvation Army ministries.
For additional information call 828-693-4181, Ext.20.

Grace Lutheran sets Easter 'Sidewalk Celebration'
Grace Lutheran Church will hold its Annual Easter Saturday "Sidewalk Celebration" from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30. All children, walkers through fifth grade are invited to join church members in creating festive Sidewalk Chalk Art to welcome everyone coming to Sunday school and church on Easter Sunday morning in celebration of our risen Lord. Parents should plan to stay with their children throughout the celebration event.
The Easter Story will be told and children will gather for an Easter Egg Hunt Adventure. Children and their families can decorate cookies and help color eggs to fill Easter Gift Baskets to be delivered to the homebound. Thanks to Hendersonville's Barnyard Bandits Club, children will be able to pet real live baby chicks, piglets, lambs, and goats at the outdoor petting zoo. A kid-friendly luncheon will be served at noon.
Families are asked to drop-off one dozen pre-filled plastic eggs, per child participating, by March 28.
Grace Lutheran church is located at the corner of Sixth Avenue West and Blythe Street in Hendersonville. For more information call 828-693-4890.

Easter egg hunts

Refuge Baptist Church
Refuge Baptist Church, Dana, will have an Easter Egg Hunt for community children at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 30, at the Family Life Center on Oleta Road.
The Resurrection Story will be presented, then children will search for Easter eggs. Refreshments will be served.
For information, call the church office, 828-685-8544.

Fletcher Park
The Fletcher Parks and Recreation Easter Egg Hunt will be held at noon Saturday, March 30, in Fletcher Park. The Parade of Hats will begin at 11:45 a.m.
Children age 11 and younger will go to six age-specific fields to search for 7,000 Easter eggs. The Easter Bunny will be on site from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The event is being sponsored by Diane Balknight, State Farm Insurance and United Federal Credit Union of Fletcher.

Jackson Park
Henderson County Parks and Rec Department will host the 31st annual Easter Egg Hunt from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 30, in Jackson Park.
The family fun event will feature music, food, the Easter Bunny and inflatables in addition to the hunt. The egg hunt will have prize eggs, grand prize eggs, toy filled egss and thousands of individually wrapped candies.
Egg hunt times are 12:30 p.m., walkers to age 2; 12:45 p.m., ages 3 and 4; 1 p.m., ages 5 and 6; 1':15 p.m., ages 7 and 8; 1:30 p.m., ages 9-10; 1:45 p.m., special populations.
For information, contact the Rec Department at 828-697-4884.

Laurel Park
The Laurel Park Civic Association will host its annual Easter egg hunt and visit by the Easter Bunny at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 30, in Laurel Green Park., corner of White Pine Drive and Laurel Park Highway.
Parents are asked to remember to bring a basket for the kids to put their eggs in and to be sure to bring a camera for pictures with the Easter Bunny.
Parking is available at Laruel Park Town Hall, the park or First Congregational Church parking lot across the street.