Oxford Holy Week Events Lead up to Easter Sunday

By Camryn Sidley, Hope Mayo and Charissma Crump
Journalism students

Most people are aware that Easter Sunday services take place on this Sunday, however, some may now know what Holy Week is and what it means.

Holy Week is known as the week before Easter, starting on Palm Sunday.

Eddie Rester is the lead pastor at Oxford University United Methodist Church where different services have been held throughout the week in practice of Holy Week.

“Holy week is a week to simply hit the pause button rather than just moving through a regular week and celebrating with worship on Sunday,” Rester said. “Holy week calls us to slow down and remember the work of Jesus, to talk about the work of Jesus and even to be a part of it all.”

Billy Rainey, the college ministries coordinator at Oxford University United Methodist Church, believes that Holy Week is a great time for everyone to get plugged into a church.

“We hope that this week is an invitation for people no matter where they are in the spectrum of faith, whether they are a devout practicing Christian or whether they have never stepped foot in a church,” Rainey said.

Throughout this week, the church has held musical meditations for members to come and quietly pray and think on the week leading up to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“This is a time for people to come and reflect on the final days of Jesus Christ before his death and to prepare our hearts for the resurrection,” Rainey said.

Oxford University United Methodist Church will hold three services on Easter Sunday, two of them being traditional services and one being modern. Rester says they typically expect 1,500 to 1,700 people in attendance on Easter Sunday.