Holy week schedule of services

by Julie Fink, Gazette Staff Writer

HAMMONTON—Area churches prepare for the Holy Week as Christians commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and their belief in the return of Christ to the world with the resurrection.
St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, located at 285 Route 206 in Hammonton, begins the Holy Week Saturday, March 15 with confessions heard at 3:30 p.m.
It continues on Sunday, March 16 with a Palm Sunday Mass at 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. On Wednesday, March 19 there will be a 7:30 p.m. Mass followed by a penance service.
On Holy Thursday, March 20, there will be no morning Mass, but at 7 p.m. Mass of the Last Supper will be held, followed by adoration and will continue all night long with an 11 p.m. holy hour service.
The Knights of Columbus Padre Pio Council will be watching over the Blessed Sacrament until prayers are held at 8 a.m. on Good Friday.
On Good Friday, March 21, there will be a morning prayer service followed by “The Seven Words” at noon and a Good Friday Procession at around 1:30 p.m. Following the procession, there will be Good Friday liturgy.
At 7 p.m. on Good Friday there will be a Stations of the Cross service.
On Holy Saturday, March 22, there will be morning prayers at 8 a.m. There will not be a Mass held at 4 p.m., but at 7:30 p.m. a vigil Mass is scheduled.
On Easter Sunday, March 23, there will be a Mass at 7 a.m. and at 10 a.m.
For more information on St. Anthony’s Holy Week services call 561-3313.
St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, located at 226 French Street in Hammonton, will be hosting a Holy Thursday, March 20 Mass at 7 p.m., a Good Friday, March 21 Mass at 7 p.m. and a Holy Saturday, March 22 Mass at 7:30 p.m.
On Easter Sunday, March 23 there will be a sunrise service held at 6:15 a.m. in the area between the church and the rectory.
A church service will be held at 10 a.m. A Spanish Mass will be held at 12:30 p.m.
For more information about the services at St. Joseph call 561-3012.
St. Martin de Porres Church, located at 129 Park Avenue, will hold a Stations of the Cross service every Friday evening in Lent at 7 p.m.
According to Father Chris Bakey, Easter is a time of rebirth and renewal. During the days of the Holy Week there will be many opportunities for a living reconciliation with God.
Beginning the commemoration, a parish family breakfast will be held on Palm Sunday, March 16 from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $8 per person.
There will be opportunities for reconciliation on Monday, March 17 during the reconciliation service at 7 p.m. held at the church in partnership with St. Joseph’s. On Tuesday, March 18 confessions will be heard between 7 and 8 p.m. and Wednesday, March 19 from noon to 1 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m.
On Holy Thursday, March 20, there will be a Mass of the Lord’s Supper and Eucharistic Procession at 7 p.m. and visits to the repository will be held until midnight.
On Good Friday, March 21 ,there will be Liturgy of the Passion and Death of Our Lord with Holy Communion at 3 p.m. and Stations and Veneration of the Cross at 7 p.m.
On Holy Saturday, March 22, an Easter Vigil is scheduled for 8 p.m. and on Easter Sunday, March 23 Masses are scheduled for 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. There will be no evening Mass on Easter Sunday.
For more information on St. Martin de Porres Holy Week services call 561-4322.
The First United Methodist Church of Hammonton at 398 Bellevue Avenue will hold its Palm Sunday services at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
On Thursday, March 20, a Maundy service of Tenebrae will be held at 7 p.m.
“This is truly the core service of the whole year,” the Reverend Kathy Chiovitt said.
The annual Hammonton Ministerium Annual Good Friday service will be held at the United Methodist Church from noon to 3 p.m.
On Easter Sunday, March 23 there will be a sunrise service at 7 a.m. in partnership with the Presbyterian Church at Veteran’s Park immediately followed by a free breakfast at the Methodist Church.
A service in the Celebration of the Resurrection will be held on Easter Sunday at 10 a.m. inside the church.
“It will all be joyful and inspiring,” Chiovitt said.
For more information call 561-1537.
The Presbyterian Church of Hammonton at 326 Bellevue Avenue will begin the Holy Week with Palm Sunday services at 9:15 a.m. in Spanish and 11 a.m. in English.
On Thursday, March 20 the Maundy Communion service is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the Good Friday service will be held at the United Methodist Church through the Hammonton Ministerium from noon to 3 p.m.
In conjunction with the United Methodist Church there will be a sunrise service on Easter Sunday at 7 a.m. at Veteran’s Park followed by a free breakfast at the Methodist Church.
A traditional Easter Sunday service will also be held at 9:15 a.m. in Spanish and 11 a.m. in English at the Presbyterian Church.
For more information call 561-0168.
The Hammonton Assembly of God, 272 Route 206, begins its commemoration with a series of meetings with missionaries from Sunday, March 2 to Sunday, March 9.
The “Spring Missions Convention” will be held Sunday, March 2 at 10 a.m., Monday through Saturday at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, March 9 at 10 a.m.
Hosting missionaries that served in places such as Mexico, Hungary and Columbia, parishioners of Hammonton Assembly of God will hear stories about their experiences and ask questions about their travels and mission.
The Sunday meetings will be held at the church during the 10 a.m. service, but during the week venues will vary each night. For more information call 561-1239.
There will also be a Palm Sunday, March 16 service at 10 a.m. and an Easter Sunday, March 23 service at 10 a.m.
The Hammonton Baptist Church at Third and Vine Streets in Hammonton will have a Palm Sunday, March 16 service at 11 a.m. and a Maundy Communion Service on Thursday, March 20 at 7 p.m. On Easter Sunday, March 23, commemorate the holiday with a sunrise service at Camp Haluwasa on Ehrke Road off of the White Horse Pike. There will also be an Easter morning church service at 11 a.m.
For more information call 561- 6867.
The Victory Bible Church at 816 S. Egg Harbor Road will hold a Palm Sunday service at 8:30 and 11 a.m. and at 6:30 p.m.
A sunrise service will be held at 6 a.m. outdoors weather permitting on Easter Sunday.
Additional services on Easter Sunday, March 23 will be held at 9 and 11 a.m. and at 6:30 p.m. in the church.
Members of the congregation of Victory Bible Church will be performing the Passion Play at 6:30 p.m. on March 16 and March 18 through March 22.
The play depicts the recreation of the passion week of Jesus Christ, his crucifixion and resurrection. For more information call 567-4466.