AREA CHURDCHES PLAN HOLY WEEK SERVICES

Area churches are planning Holy Week services and pageants to mark the Easter resurrection. The following is a partial listing of services planned:

Grace United Methodist Church will hold a Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m.

On Easter, a sunrise communion service will be held at 6 a.m. with a continental breakfast following and Easter egg hunt at 7:30 a.m.

Communion worship will be held at 9 a.m. with Sunday school at 10:15 a.m.

First Assembly of God will hold its Easter service at the Osage Centre at 10 a.m. Evening services will resume at the church 6:30 p.m.

A special Maundy Thursday service with Holy communion will be held at 7 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. This service will conclude with the "Stripping of the Altar" as the humiliation of Jesus is remembered.

The death of Christ will be observed on Good Friday with a special 7 p.m. worship service. The victory of the resurrection will be celebrated on Easter Sunday with a special worship schedule. At 6:30 a.m., a sunrise service will be held, followed by an Easter breakfast from 7:30-8 a.m.

The Sunday morning Bible class program will be at 8:30 a.m., and the festival Easter service will be at 9:30 a.m. Special music will be provided at all of these services by the choir and handbells.

Maundy Thursday services will be held at 4 and 7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church. The theme for these services will be "Love So Amazing, So Divine." Communion will be observed at both services.

On Good Friday, a Tre-Ore service will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. These are 15-minute devotions. At 7 p.m., a communion service will be held with the theme "Why the Cross?" The Rev. Douglas C. Breite will be the speaker.

Holy Saturday service will be held at 6 p.m., with Rev. David W. Hintz as speaker.

On Easter Sunday, services will be held at 8 and 10:30 a.m. with communion observed at both services.

Whitewater Country Chapel will hold a "blessing of the children" service at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Easter Sunday. While it is not a baptismal service, it will be a chance for honoring and dedicating children. Cherie Moore will sing for these services as a tribute to Hannah, Samuel's mother who prayed for a child. For more information, call 238-3563.

Maundy Thursday service will be held at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church. A special service of celebration and reflection, of remembrance and meditation will be held.

A worship will be held from 12:15-12:45 p.m. Good Friday. A soup and sandwich lunch will be served a half hour before and after the worship service. On Easter Sunday the church will hold an Easter breads continental breakfast at 9:30 a.m.

A Tenebre service will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Maundy Thursday at Zion United Methodist Church in Gordonville. The Rev. Ann Mowery will bring the message with special music provided by Debbie Deneke. Holy communion will be celebrated.

On Good Friday, a drop-in communion will be held from noon to 3 p.m. The Revs. Ann Mowery, Tom Gross and Don Kuehle will serve communion.

A sunrise service will be held at 6:30 a.m. on Easter. The youth of the church will lead this service. Breakfast will follow.

A prayer group will be held at 9 a.m. Sunday school will begin at 9:15 a.m. Worship service will be held at 10:30 a.m. and an Easter egg hunt will be held at 11:30 a.m.

Christ Church of the Heartland will present "The Second Gift" Easter production at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 21-22, and at 10 a.m. Easter Sunday.

Bald Knob Cross at Alto Pass, Ill., will hold its 64th annual sunrise service from 6:30-7:30 a.m. Easter Sunday. The Rev. James Weiss of Marion, Ill., will be speaker. Breakfast will be served beginning at 4 a.m.

The 5th annual Pre-Easter gospel sing will be held April 21-22 at the A.C. Brase Arena Building, sponsored by Good Life Promotions.

A talent search will be held Friday afternoon and continue Saturday with some of the area's most talented gospel singers and musicians. Winners will receive cash prizes and the opportunity to sing in a national talent search at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, Ky. Anyone interested should contact Good Life Promotions at 243-4737.

The evening concert on Friday will feature the Crabb Family, Charles Johnson and the Revivers, the Hoskins Family, Heirline, and Palmetto State Quartet. On Saturday, the Bishops, the Hoppers and Gold City will perform. Evening services begin at 6 p.m.

Lynwood Baptist Church will present its annual Easter pageant at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the church. "The Promise Fulfilled" follows the lives of two prisoners and the eternal choices they must make. More than 150 members of Lynwood are involved in the production.

On Easter morning, the community is invited to the Show Me Center for a celebration service beginning at 10:30 a.m. Evangelist Kelly Green will bring a message entitled "Here's Hope: Empty Tomb New Life." Bible learning activities for birth to age three will be provided at the church facility.

For more information or to register children for Bible learning activities, call the church office at 335-4600.

The Chancel Choir of Westminster Presbyterian Church, under the direction of Dr. Marlin McCutchan, will present Joseph M. Martin's cantata "Song of the Shadows" at 7 p.m. on Maundy Thursday.

Family Holy Week Tennebrae Scripture and song service will be held Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau.

On Easter, a sunrise service will be held at Riverfront Park at 6:30 a.m. with a family breakfast held in the lower auditorium from 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Sunday school will be held at 9:30 a.m. and worship and a baptism service will be at 10:45 a.m. Easter Vespers service will be held at 6 p.m.

An annual Community Easter Egg Hunt will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 22 at Cherokee Park on Perryville Road in Cape Girardeau. The event is sponsored by Bethel Assembly of God.

Red Star Baptist Church will have a Good Friday service at 7 p.m.

The Maundy Thursday communion service at Wesley United Methodist Church will have an upper room setting, much like Christ and the disciples experienced. The service begins at 7 p.m. and child care is available.

An Easter sunrise service is set for 6:30 a.m. at the church. A breakfast will follow with another worship service at 10:15 a.m.

Christ Episcopal Church will have a Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. Good Friday services will be at noon and 7 p.m.

The Great Vigil of Easter and Holy baptism will be at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Easter service is at 10:15 a.m.

Christ Evangelical Presbyterian Church will host a service of shadows Maundy Thursday at 7 p.m.

Easter morning worship includes Sunday school at 9:15 and worship at 10:30 a.m.

First Christian Church will have breakfasts and devotions at 7 a.m. each morning during Holy Week. Maundy Thursday service will be at 7 p.m.

Easter sunrise service will be at 6 a.m. April 23. Worship and baptism will be at 8:15 a.m., followed by a breakfast and Easter egg hunt at 9:15 a.m. A second worship service will be at 10:30 a.m.