Throughout the year, St. John’s celebrates some special worship services with a different format from our weekly worship services on Sundays at 10:15 am and Wednesdays at 5:30 pm. These services include:
Lenten Season: Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday & Good Friday
Ash Wednesday (the start of the Lenten season) At 7:30 pm we have a special worship service in the Sanctuary with Communion and ashes. The tradition of the pastor placing ashes on the forehead is an old one, but relatively new in the UCC & at St. John’s. (This is an ‘optional’ part of the service for those who choose to participate while others can choose to remain seated.)
Palm Sunday The start of Holy Week, celebrating the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Sunday before Easter. Palms are distributed after both services.
Holy Week Prayer Vigil held Noon on Maundy Thursday to Noon on Good Friday. 30 minute time slots are available to pray at church, home, work or wherever you may be. The sign up poster is located near the elevator court for several weeks before the event.
Maundy Thursday (the Thursday between Palm Sunday and Easter, sometimes called Holy Thursday): 7:00 pm, including Communion in rememberance of the Last Supper. For many years we held Tenebrae, a service of darkness during which time eight candles and the sanctuary lights are gradually extinguished.
Good Friday – a service of reflection on the events of that day is held at St. John’s at 7:00 pm in the sanctuary. For many years this was held at 12 noon as a community service, but was changed to an evening tenebrae service in 2023 to accomodate those who work duing the day.
Easter Sunday – Our traditional 7:00 am Easter Sunrise Service is held at Whites Road Park in Lansdale at the bandstand stage, with seating on the hill (bring your lawn chairs). (In case of bad weather, the service is held in our sanctuary.) The service is followed by a children’s egg hunt (plastic eggs with small gifts inside). Our 10:15 am Easter service is held in the sanctuary with a display of Easter lilies and special celebration music.
Each year we ask for volunteers to help provide breakfast treats for Easter breakfast in the park.
Advent Season: White Gift Service (second Sunday of Advent in December). See more about this service on this website under the tab “Advent & Christmas at St. John’s”.
On Girl Scout Sunday in early March, members of our girl scout troop serve as door greeters and read the scriptures.
The first Sunday of November is All Saint’s Sunday when we read the names of all the church members and friends of the church who have passed away in the past year.
On the Sundays closest to Memorial Day & Veteran’s Day, our tradition is to have members of our congregation who served our country in the military serve as our door greeters, giving us a chance to also greet them and to thank them for their service!
For more information about these special services see the Herald, Bulletin & Enlightener! You can find them on the ‘Read Our Publications’ page of this website.