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Our Holy Week journey takes us from the Last Supper to the cross to the tomb, as together we keep vigil.
We begin this observance today, on Maundy Thursday, with an online Tenebrae service.
Maundy Thursday, April 9
Tenebrae Communion Service
7:30 p.m.
Our Maundy Thursday online service will follow the ancient Office of Tenebrae (from the Latin for “shadows”). As our pastors read, from their homes, the Passion narrative texts and extinguish candles, this service will portray the progression from light to darkness in the passion of Jesus, beginning with his abandonment on Thursday and concluding with his crucifixion.
As is traditional on Maundy Thursday, we will also be celebrating the Lord’s Supper, although virtually.
We invite you to have some bread and juice on hand so that we might together take part, from our own homes, in this shared meal.
This celebration of Communion during our online worship is a way, the Presbyterian Church (USA) has noted, that we can continue to emphasize the unity of the body, the church, in an extraordinary time when we are not able to worship together in person for an extended period.
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Good Friday, April 10
Noonday Service
12:10 p.m.
Friday morning you will be able to download and print in advance the
worship bulletin
On Friday we observe the most solemn day on the church calendar.
Our Good Friday online worship opportunity will include our pastors each offering, from their homes, a meditation on one of the Seven Last Words of Christ.
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Holy Saturday, April 11
Easter Vigil
8:00 p.m.
An ancient tradition of the church, the Easter vigil invites us into the story of salvation as we mark the conclusion of Lent and the dawning of Easter. We will hear readings from the story of salvation, from creation through redemption. If you have not previously had opportunity to take part in this moving service, please consider joining us online this year!
During this service we will remember our baptism and also celebrate together from our own homes the Lord’s Supper, and so we invite you to have bread and juice on hand
before joining us online.
There are a few additional things you might gather as well that will help you to participate most fully:
- a candle, which you can light (if it is safe to do so) as a way for spreading the light of Christ
- a noisemaker for celebrating the resurrection (this could be keys on a key ring, or a bell, or percussion of any kind)
- a small bowl of water for remembering our baptism
- the bread and juice for sharing Communion
For those who would like to pause for
meditation on Holy Saturday morning, you are invited to join Tom Schemper of the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being for a livestreamed time of
Sacred Pause. This online meditation opportunity will be available on the
Replogle Center page on Facebook at 8:30 a.m. Saturday (as it also is on Tuesday mornings at 7:45 a.m.).
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Easter Sunday, April 12
Although we will not be able to gather in person, we hope you will join us online on Easter Sunday, April 12 as we gather in festive celebration of the resurrection of the Lord!
11:00 a.m. online
Shannon J. Kershner preaching
Our offering will be
received online
or via Venmo (@Fourth-Church). Our giving in this season supports our ongoing work of being church, as we continue to serve those in need and to pay our staff, whether they are able to work remotely or not.
If the 11:00 time does not fit your schedule, the service will be available for viewing throughout the week.
Easter Children’s Chapel
More than 100 children joined Pastor Matt on Zoom for a livestreamed Palm/Passion Sunday Children’s Chapel this past weekend. We are following up that festive time with livestreamed Easter Children’s Chapel on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Families are invited to follow the Zoom instructions sent by Pastor Matt to our children-and-family list and join in the celebration!
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Throughout Lent, our Sunday School children have been filling fish banks with their contribution to our One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. You too have opportunity to join them in touching the lives of those in need, as we reach out to those most vulnerable, both here in our city and around the world.
Fourth Church Meals Ministry, which is is continuing to serve those in our community who are hungry. Staff and volunteers are outside in the Cloister handing out “to go” lunches on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays and “to go” meals for Sunday Night Supper. This enables us to distribute meals while also limiting lines and in-person gatherings.
Chicago Lights Elam Davies Social Service Center, which is also continuing to offer “curbside” emergency services on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Wednesdays through Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. These services include essential emergency clothing, hygiene items, and pre-assembled bags of food for those who have scheduled Food Pantry appointments.
Chicago Lights Tutoring, which in these days of closed schools is facilitating virtual relationships between mentors and students, supplying educational and engagement tools, and creating content for e-learning.
Fourth Church Shower Ministry, which throughout the year welcomes guests without access to bathing facilities to use the showers at Fourth Church, with nearly 1,000 showers taken annually.
Presbyterian Hunger Program, which takes action to alleviate hunger, care for creation, and address the systemic causes of poverty so all may be fed.
Self-Development of People, which partners with communities responding to their experiences of oppression, poverty, and injustice and educates Presbyterians about the impact of these issues.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, which works alongside communities as they recover and find hope after the devastation of natural or human-caused disasters and provides support for refugees.
You can make a “One Great Hour of Sharing” gift by writing “Lenten Offering” on the memo line of a check made payable to Fourth Presbyterian Church (and mailed to Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E. Chestnut, Chicago, IL 60611), or
make a gift online.
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Did you see the video of an empty Michigan Avenue accompanied by the
sound of bells from Fourth Church on Palm/Passion Sunday?
Or the photos of children taking part in the
online Palm Sunday Children’s Chapel?
Or
Shannon Kershner on WTTW’s
Chicago Tonight, talking about celebrating Easter during the pandemic?
For these and ongoing glimpses into what we’re up to, be sure to follow us on
Instagram and
Facebook.
As you engage with us via these platforms, please know that
you are what makes our social media social! Your liking, commenting, sharing, and inviting is what connects us with others, expanding our reach and increasing our visibility. That in turn is how we together spread the word about what is going on at Fourth Church and Chicago Lights, build community, and extend hospitality and care, even while apart!
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Our Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being shares the following:
The COVID-19 virus has required that we all make radical changes in our lives.
This is not easy. In times of stress, relationships can be strained and people fear for themselves and those they hold dear. The restrictions and limitations on our normal activities can lead to frustration and anger.
To adapt to and endure these changes we are summoned to access our inner strength, hope, patience, and generosity of spirit. Most of us need support and guidance to do this. In a moment of crisis it is critical that we maintain our psychological flexibility and emotional well-being, not only for ourselves but for the benefit of the community around us.
The therapists at the Replogle Center for Counseling and Well-Being are here to support you by the use of teletherapy. In a teletherapy session therapists and clients meet face-to-face via the computer, a tablet, or smartphone. As in all therapy, these sessions are strictly confidential.
To schedule an appointment with a therapist or to learn more about how teletherapy can work for you, please call the Center at 312.787.2729, ext 2260.
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Fourth Church is a connectional community committed to living out our care for one another and remaining together while apart. We very much we want to hear from you! Our pastors, Deacons, Stephen Ministers, and other volunteers are available to connect with you by phone and email.
Please let us know—
- if you have a prayer request. Dave Handley, our Interim Minister for Pastoral Care, is receiving these as part of our Morning Prayer and Deacon Prayer Ministries.
- if you are a medical professional. Please let your Pastoral Care Office know who you are so we can reach out and care for you as well in what we know are are difficult days for you.
- if you are—or someone you know is—in self-quarantine or feeling isolated, lonely, anxious, or sick. Please contact our Pastoral Care Office so that we can reach out to you.
- if you would like to be in phone contact with a Stephen Minister. Please leave a confidential message at 312.573.3365 or contact Dave Handley.
- If you would like to talk to a pastor, please call the church (312.787.4570), and your request will be forwarded to someone on the pastoral staff.
- if you are available to reach out via phone or email to those in our community who might be feeling isolated or lonely. Our Pastoral Care Office is collecting names of those willing to help in this way.
- if you can help sew face masks for health care workers and other providers of essential services, please contact Nanette Sawyer.
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