Fairfield, rural churches gear up for Holy Week

Several Fairfield and rural churches are planning special Holy Week and Easter events.

Rural churches

Prairie View United Methodist Church, near the intersection of Highway 78 and Packwood Road, will have Palm Sunday worship, with Communion, followed by fellowship at 9 a.m. April 1.

Faith United Methodist Church in Libertyville will have a Parade of Palms at 11 a.m. April 1. The church also will have a Tenebrae service at 7 p.m. April 5. A Tenebrae service is a ?service of darkness.? Readings and music focus on God?s love for mankind, a love that took Jesus, all the way to Calvary?s cross and into death itself. The sanctuary grows gradually darker as each candle is extinguished, and as the service ends, only the Christ candle remains lighted. The church will have a brunch and children?s Easter egg hunt at 10 a.m. Easter Sunday, April 8, followed by worship at 11 a.m.

Stockport United Methodist Church will have a children?s Easter program, ?A Banner Easter: The Musical,? at 8:15 a.m. April 1. The church will have a sunrise service at 7 a.m. Easter Sunday, April 8, with breakfast to follow.

Birmingham United Methodist Church will host the third of three ?Living Last Supper? presentations at 7:30 p.m. April 3. Other ?Living Last Supper? presentations are set for 7:30 p.m. April 1 at Bladensburg Church and 7:30 p.m. April 2 at Milton United Methodist Church. The presentations are open to the public.

Fairfield churches

First Lutheran Church will celebrate Palm Sunday, April 1, with a Palm Sunday worship and a first Communion class at 9 a.m.

First United Methodist Church is hosting a chicken noodle soup, ham and bean soup, chili and cornbread lunch at noon April 1. A free-will offering will help with funds for the summer youth mission trip.

First Presbyterian Church will have a Palm Sunday service with Communion, at 10:30 a.m. April 1.

Word of Life Lutheran Church will have Palm Sunday services at 8 and 10 a.m. April 1.