GILROY
– Along with the warm weather of spring and the blooming of
flowers in the South Valley comes the most holy time of year for
the areas faithful.
GILROY – Along with the warm weather of spring and the blooming of flowers in the South Valley comes the most holy time of year for the areas faithful.
With Passover starting at sundown Tuesday, members of Congregation Emeth met at the Krazy Koyote for a Passover Seder to start the eight-day observance commemorating the freedom and exodus of the Israelites from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II.
Gilroy’s Christians also find this to be a holy time as well, with today marking Good Friday and Easter marking their belief in Jesus’ ascent to heaven. Local churches have several events set up to for the celebration of the Easter holiday, including the play “The Choice,” which opened last Friday at New Hope Community Church, located at 886 Muraoka Drive.
“We’ve had pretty much sellout crowds, just an immeasurable response,” said Bill Hawkins, music director in his third year with New Hope Community Church. “People are blown away from the time they walk in the door.”
The church is holding a final run of the play at 7 p.m. today at the church. Hawkins said that everyone is invited to see the play, which is a recreation of the Bible story of a Roman soldier named Marcus, who is led Jesus through his love of a Jewish girl named Hannah. Marcus soon is forced to make a choice in his path of belief when he is ordered to crucify Jesus.
“By no means is it just for our church,” Hawkins said. “We advertised at the theater, put an ad in the paper and we’ve encouraged out congregation to bring their friends.”
The church holds about 250 people for the show, which has sold most of its tickets but plans to make it possible for anyone who wants to see the show to get in … somehow.
“We’ll make room,” he said.
Services at the church are at 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday and will include some of the music and solo parts from the play.
First Baptist also is holding a special ceremony for the holy weekend.
According to Barbara White, the secretary of First Baptist, visitors are welcome to meet at the Wienerschnitzel on First Street at 6:30 p.m. to carry a cross to the church in time to start the 7 p.m. Good Friday mass.
“Just show up at the location and come walk with us,” White said. “We will take turns carrying the cross.”
The church, located at 8455 Wren Ave., also will hold an Easter egg hunt at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church. Services for First Baptist include an outdoor service at Las Animas Park at 7 a.m. Sunday, followed by Bible study at the church at 9:30, brunch at 10:15 and a second service at 10:45 a.m.
Gilroy Presbyterian, located at 6000 Miller Ave., will hold Easter services at 9 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The services will feature music from the church’s Sanctuary Choir, directed by Karin Whitman.
“Our choir did a great musical last Saturday, and they will be doing some music from that,” said Pastor Bruce Rowlison, who will be speaking during the Sunday service.
Today, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, located at 11 First St., will present a traditional outdoor Stations of the Cross observance sponsored by Juventude Cristiana, the parish’s Latino young adult group. Participants at the event will accompany an actor representing Jesus as he follows The Way of the Cross, a series of 14 incidents described in the gospels while Jesus made his way to Golgotha for his painful execution. The Stations of the Cross will be held on the St. Mary School yard at 4:30 p.m. Afterward, everyone will assemble in the church for Adoration of the Cross, a period of private reverence of God accompanied by the choir singing appropriate hymns. Then the evening will conclude with a celebration of the Holy Eucharist, concluding at 7:30 p.m.
