Lent: a 40-day Fast

Lent is a 40-day journey from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday — the ultimate challenge Jesus posed to the world and the world’s response. It is thus a time for all of us to take a look into the depth of our souls and to find there a deeper embrace of sacred grace at the heart of life. This all sets the stage for the Easter story: resurrection to life beyond life. The 40 days of Lent include only six days a week, excluding Sundays, because it was originally practised as a fast. Sundays were excluded from the fast because it is the Lord’s Day. Today, there are different ways to observe Lent. At Roberson-Wesley, this includes the following.

Ash Wednesday
2024 February 14, 7:00 pm

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. Please join us for a time of reflection, worship and ritual. Its roots lie in the ancient Jewish festival of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Atonement means “at-one-ment.” If we are to be at one with God, with creation, with each other, we must face honestly who we are, make our confession, and open ourselves to the supportive power of God and our faith community in the Lenten struggle for new life. So Ash Wednesday is a day of honest confession, commitment and healing.

Holy Week

The centre of Christian faith is the passion, death and resurrection of Christ. Consequently the celebrations of Holy Week, beginning with Palm Sunday and concluding with Easter Sunday are the central worship event of the Christian Year.

Palm Sunday
2024 March 24, 10:30 am

This service marks the beginning of Holy Week with the exuberant palm processional, recalling Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. In contrast to the joyful opening mood, the service moves toward a more sombre ending, leading into the passion (suffering) mood of Holy Week. The journey to the cross and the empty tomb has begun.

Maundy Thursday
2024 March 28, 7:00 pm

The name Maundy Thursday comes from the Latin mandatum, commandment. In this service we gather to remember Jesus’ last meal with his disciples before his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. The celebration of communion in remembrance of the last supper, is the centre-piece of this service. There will be special music provided for meditation as we prepare for Good Friday, which continues the story of the last days of Jesus life.

Good Friday
2024 March 29, 10:30 am

The central focus of this experience is the story of the crucifixtion, itself. It is a time to experience the pain, sorrow and brokenness of life, in the context of the larger story of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Easter Vigil/ Wake for Jesus
2024 March 30, 7:00 pm

On the night before Easter, some of Jesus’ closest friends gathered together to mourn their loss and to remember Jesus.
We like the disciples gather in the evening as the sun goes down to reflect on Jesus’ ministry here on earth, and what it means to us.
And unlike the time when the disciples fell asleep in the garden while Jesus was praying, we will stay awake to prepare for the Good News of
what is to come. This service is quiet and reflective, with music, candlelight and story which allows us to explore questions about faith.
“What does it mean to be a faithful follower of Jesus?” or What does Easter mean to you?

Easter Sunrise
2024 March 31, 7:30 am

We will gather together in the light of the sun newly risen to greet the new day in Paul Kane Park. As a faith community we will celebrate the resurrection in the morning light and announce again the Easter story, the Good News that Jesus Christ has risen.

Easter Sunday
2024 March 31, 10:30 am

We gather to celebrate the highlight of our third day of the Triduum with an inter-generational (Whole Family) style of worship, with the children and youth remaining with the rest of the congregation throughout the service. For the joyful music of Easter, the organ and Choir of Robertson-Wesley are complemented by the R-W Ringers.