EASTER
is the celebration of
Jesus Christ's victory over death.
His resurrection changed all.
The Easter Season
Begins with Ash Wednesday (February 14th, 2024)
and the 1st Sunday in Lent (February 18th, 2024)
and ends with Pentecost (Sunday, May 19th, 2024).
​
​
LENT
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday,
-February 14, 2024-
and last 40 days, excluding Sundays.
This period of time represents the
40 days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness.
It is a time in our faith to
reflect, fast, and give penance
in preparation of Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022.
Click on Lent Devotionals for daily devotionals that will deepen your journey through Lent.
ASH WEDNESDAY
February 14th, 2024
Ash Wednesday takes place 46 days before Easter Sunday and begins an important season of fasting and prayer.
​
Ash Wednesday is celebrated with the beginning of the Community Lenten Services and an Ash Wednesday evening service.
Ash Wednesday Service
February 14th
First Presbyterian Church
110 S. Ray St., Carthage
​
Ashes are placed on the forehead
in the shape of a cross to symbolize the dust from which God made us.
Palm Branches from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned into ash for this service.
COMMUNITY LENTEN SERIES
Wednesdays during Lent
​Noontime worship service.
Celebrate this wonderful opportunity to worship and fellowship
with our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the Carthage area.
February 14 - NOON
Carthage United Methodist Church
​401 McReynolds St.
​
February 21 - NOON
First Presbyterian Church
110 S. Ray St.
​
February 28 - NOON
Grace Church
108 S. McNeill St.
March 6 - NOON
First Missionary Baptist Church
576 Needmore Road
MARCH 13 - NOON
Mt. Olive AME Zion Church
440 Bethlehem Church Rd.
MARCH 20 - NOON
John Hall Presbyterian
520 Dowd St.
​
​
​
​Stay tuned for Community Lenten Series updates via
FPC's One Call Now, Sunday announcements, and the church website.
HOLY WEEK
March 24 - 31, 2024
​The Sunday before Easter to Easter Sunday.
​
​Holy Week observes a time of devotion to the Passion of Jesus Christ. His Passion? The unconditional love of mankind.
Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday, followed by Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday Resurrection Day.
PALM/PASSION SUNDAY
March 24, 2024
The Sunday before Easter.
The 6th Sunday of Lent in 2024.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​10 a.m. Children's Sunday School
ages 4-12th grade
11 a.m. Worship
Virtual worship available live a on FPC's Facebook Page
and afterward by clicking on our website's virtual tab.
​
​​
The Sunday before Easter is known as Palm Sunday and is the beginning of Holy Week.
​
Jesus came to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover - entering on the back of a donkey.
​
While an unlikely entry for a king, great crowds of people thronged the streets waving palm branches to welcome Him.
During Palm Sunday worship service, children of the church enter worship waving Palm branches singing, "Hosanna. Hosanna in the Highest" - as a praise in appeal for deliverance.
MAUNDY THURSDAY
March 28, 2024
The Thursday before Easter.
Mourning the tragic events of Christ's death.
​
​
​ Tenebrae Service
The Latin word for “darkness,” Tenebrae is a service of mourning the upcoming crucifixion of our Savior on Good Friday, by means of prayer, scripture, music, and the symbolism of light.
​
​Jesus and his disciples were in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover -
the Jewish festival commemorating the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt with Moses - an account that appears in the Old Testament books of Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, and other texts.
Escaping quickly from Pharoah and his army, no time was given for their bread to rise during the night.
​
​​While commemorating that historical event of freedom for his people, Jesus gathered his disciples in the Upper Room for what is known as the
"Last Supper" - a Passover Seder feast of unleavened bread.
"The Last Supper" by Leonardo DaVinci
​Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, commemorates the Last Supper, (the beginning of Holy Eucharist/communion), which is described in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 22.
​
At the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus breaks bread, saying, "This is my body," and pours wine, saying, "This is my blood." He then asks the disciples to "Do this in remembrance of me."
​Because Jesus instructs his followers to love and to serve, the term Maundy is derived from the Latin word for "command," and refers to Jesus' commandment to the disciples to "Love one another as I have loved you."
​
Maundy Thursday is also associated with foot-washing. In Jesus' time, when someone entered a home, a servant of the household would wash their feet. At the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of the disciples - an act described in the Gospel of John, chapter 13 - as a way of teaching them to be servants. Eucharistic celebrations often include washing of feet in commemoration of Jesus teaching his disciples to become leaders through servitude.
GOOD FRIDAY
​March 29, 2024
The Friday before Easter Sunday.
​
Good Friday commemorates the day that Jesus made the perfect atoning sacrifice so that our own sins can be forgiven.
When we accept Jesus Christ's payment for us to have a new birth or beginning, He washes away our sin and restores our right standing with God.
It is through God's mercy and grace that makes our salvation possible, and we receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. This explains why the date of Jesus' crucifixion is considered a "Good" Friday.
EASTER SUNDAY
March 31, 2024
"He has risen. He has risen indeed!"
​
7 a.m. Community Sunrise Service ​​at the FPC Cemetery, followed by the Community Easter Fellowship Breakfast
hosted at FPC
​
11 a.m. Indoor & Virtual Communion Worship Service
Virtual worship available live a on FPC's Facebook Page
and afterward by clicking on our website's virtual tab.
​
​​​
Easter Sunday commemorates Jesus Christ’s resurrection from death as one of the most festive Christian celebrations worldwide.
​
Jesus' resurrection gave victory by our Messiah over death as a new act of God in history, so that we may have eternal life as believers.
Celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the Spring equinox, Easter signifies rebirth and a new beginning. Beautiful white blossoms of the Easter Lilly decorate church sanctuaries on Easter Sunday - symbolizing rebirth, new beginnings, and purity in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The rugged cross is also decorated with new flowers to signify new life and beginnings.
