Palm Sunday
Sunday 24th March
8 am Holy Communion(traditional language) - Tring
10 am ** Holy Communion with children's activity - Tring starts on Church Square
10 am Holy Communion - Aldbury meet at the pond for procession with donkeys
10 am Holy Communion - Long Marston
3.30pm Evensong (traditional language) at Puttenham
** this service is live streamed from only inside the church
On Palm Sunday the Church remembers Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. This is the beginning of the passion story which leads to his betrayal, trial, death and resurrection. Central to the liturgy of Palm Sunday is the reading of the Passion Gospel. Here we have the opportunity to hear the whole story uninterrupted. We begin to understand that this story is the story of the whole of humanity. We begin to recognise ourselves in Jesus’ story. We will process from the Aldbury pond and Tring war memorial.
Mon, Tues, Weds
25th - 27th March
We mark this week by making time for prayer and reflection.
At 8 pm each evening there is a service of night prayer in Tring Church. The services will begin with a Holy Week series of talks on Waiting and John's Gospel.
There are two midweek communion services as well. On Tuesday at 9.15am in Tring, and 10 am in Wilstone
Maundy Thursday
28th March
10 am Holy Communion (traditional language) Tring
8 pm Team Holy communion and hand or foot washing
9 pm - Midnight Vigil Watch at Tring - stay for as long as you like
Maundy Thursday is the day when we remember the Last Supper that Jesus shared with his disciples. The word Maundy is derived from Mandatum meaning commandment, and at the 8 pm service that evening we celebrate the new commandment to love one another. This is the basis of our weekly Sunday worship. We hear how our Lord broke bread and poured wine and commanded us to ‘do this in remembrance of me’. After the service is finished (about 9 pm) the church is stripped of all of its ornaments. This is a symbolic reminder that having been betrayed, Jesus was abandoned by his disciples. Even Peter denied him three times. Do we have the courage to remain with our Lord? There is an opportunity to remain in the empty church in silent prayer until midnight, watching and waiting. Come for whatever time you can manage - even if it is only half an hour, it is still a sign of faith, of walking with Christ, a time when we can ‘Be still and know that I am Lord.”
Good Friday
29th March
10 am Worship for All, Tring Church
11am Walk of Witness from St Martha's Church to Tring Churchyard - Churches in Tring walk together in unity
2 pm Last hour at the Cross, Tring Church**
2 pm Last hour at the Cross, Aldbury Church
2 pm Last hour at the Cross, Wilstone Church
2 pm Last hour at the Cross, Puttenham Church
6 pm Good Friday Worship, Long Marston Church
7 pm Reflective eveing service, Tring Church
7 pm Reflective evening service, Aldbury Church
**denotes live-streamed service.
This is the day when Christ was crucified. It is the most important day of the Christian year. Without Good Friday there can be no Easter day. There is often a temptation to jump straight to the joy of the resurrection without taking into account the reality of human life. As we confront the cross we encounter the messiness of humanity and only when we come to Christ in total honesty can we meet him again on Easter morning.
Holy Saturday and Easter Day
Saturday 30th March
8 pm Easter Vigil and New Fire - Aldbury
A dramatic service for adults and children with refreshments served afterwards.
Sunday 31st March
6 am New Fire of Easter and Holy Communion Tring
followed by fizz and breakfast
8 am Holy Communion traditional language - Tring
8.15am Holy Communion Puttenham
10am ** Holy Communion with craft activity - Tring
10 am Communion for Everyone - Aldbury
10 am Holy Communion - Long Marston
**denotes live-streamed service.
Sometime between nightfall on Saturday and sunrise on Sunday Christ rose from the dead. We have our first celebration in Aldbury as the sun is setting and in Tring on Easter Morning as the sun is rising. The service includes the celebration of carrying the new light into the church. Christ the light has conquered death. The Tring new light service starts outside. At the end of the service we celebrate with breakfast together.
Later on Easter Sunday we continue to celebrate the resurrection. Christ is Risen Alleluia! At our services we reaffirm our faith by repeating the vows which we made at our baptisms and in the communions we are reunited with our risen Lord.
You might like to bring a long stemmed flower to place in the Easter Cross at Tring. We will also wave Alleluia flags. We have plenty to give out or you may like to make your own.
Some ideas below, (print, colour in, fold over in the middle and add a stick!)
At Aldbury, join in at 10am for an Easter celebration service followed by refreshments including something fizzy!
