Annual Events

Harvest & Honorarium Service - November 19, 2023

1/5/2024

Fr. Ben Nnaji this year at St. Edmunds' Harvest service, took the opportunity to honor some of the longest-attending and most hardworking individuals/members of the parish. Over the years these people have dedicated hours of time and sweat into the upkeep and overall direction of this church building. Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do, for the betterment and success of our outreach pursuits and religious obligations to our parishioners and this community.

"Almighty God, we thank you for making us in your image, to share in the ordering of your world. Receive the work of our hands in this place, now to be set apart for your worship, the building up of the living, and the remembrance of the dead, to the praise and glory of your
Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord."
Amen.

PALM SUNDAY 2018

4/15/2018

PALMS RALLY & RE-TELLING of the STORY

On Palm Sunday, Christians all over the world will be carrying palms and other branches, a celebration of the day Jesus entered Jerusalem before he was crucified and then resurrected, according to the Christian faith. In Christianity tradition palm branches were waved at the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It was adopted into Christian iconography to represent the victory of martyrs, or the victory of the spirit over the flesh.
On April 1st, St. Edmunds' celebrated the historic day by taking to the streets of Morris ave with song and palms in hand. The congregation spent the morning distributing palms and sharing in the glory of their lord and with one another and any by-passers. Later on within the church service, members of the congregation participated in the retelling of the story of Jesus and his days leading up to his arrival, death, and burial; through this story we understand the importance of the palms as well as the a reminder that Jesus died for us and should be honored.

Easter Sunday- 2017

4/23/2017

Many churches hold special services on Easter Sunday, which celebrate the Jesus Christ's resurrection after his crucifixion. The spring began to be associated with Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. The crucifixion is remembered on Good Friday and the resurrection is remembered on Easter Sunday.

Since Easter represents the fulfillment of God's promises to mankind, it is the most important holiday on the Christian calendar.

As we know from the Gospels, Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day following his crucifixion. His resurrection marks the triumph of good over evil, sin and death. It is the singular event which proves that those who trust in God and accept Christ will be raised from the dead.

Good Friday Service

4/14/2017

Good Friday is a Christian holiday held in honor and remembrance of Jesus's death on the cross. It is held after Maundy Thursday, which recalls the Last Supper, and on the Friday before Easter Sunday.
For Christians, Jesus's death is one of the most important parts in the Bible. In dying, Christians believe Jesus took on all the sins of the world and thus it is only through his death (a perfect sacrifice), that people are redeemed and allowed to enter into heaven.

Jesus was nailed to and hung on the cross, he was also, according to the Gospels, beaten, flayed and scourged prior to his crucifixion and was so weak that he could not carry his own cross.

Good Friday is meant to be a day of reflection for Christians, a day when you focus on the sacrifice Jesus made. It is also a day of mourning for the church. Many churches also participate in Veneration of the Cross, a short ceremony in which Christians kneel before the cross and affirm their faith. Good Friday services also typically feature a reading of the Passion, which is the story of Jesus's death.

Maundy Thursday - 2017

4/13/2017

Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper when Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples on the night before he was crucified. In contrast to joyful Easter celebrations when Christians worship their resurrected Savior,

Maundy Thursday services are typically more solemn occasions, marked by the shadow of Jesus' betrayal.While different denominations observe Maundy Thursday in their own distinct ways, two important biblical events are the primary focus of Maundy Thursday solemnization:
Before the Passover meal, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. By performing this lowly act of service, the Bible says in John 13:1 that Jesus "showed them the full extent of his love." By his example, Jesus demonstrated how Christians are to love one another through humble service. For this reason, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of their Maundy Thursday services.

"This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." Then he took the cup of wine, shared it with his disciples and said, "This wine is the token of God's new covenant to save you--an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you." These events recorded in Luke 22:19-20 describe the Last Supper and form the biblical basis for the practice of Communion.
For this reason, many churches hold special Communion services as a part of their Maundy Thursday celebrations. Likewise, many congregations observe a traditional Passover Seder meal.

Palm Sunday- 2017

4/9/2017

On Palm Sunday we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, the week before his death and resurrection. For many churches, Palm Sunday, often referred to as "Passion Sunday," marks the beginning of Holy Week, which concludes on Easter Sunday.

Jesus traveled to Jerusalem knowing that this journey would end in his sacrificial death on the cross for the sins of all mankind.

The significance of Jesus riding a donkey and having his way paved with palm branches is a fulfillment of a prophecy spoken by the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9). In biblical times, the regional custom called for kings and nobles arriving in procession to ride on the back of a donkey. The donkey was a symbol of peace; those who rode upon them proclaimed peaceful intentions. The laying of palm branches indicated that the king or dignitary was arriving in victory or triumph.

Today, Palm Sunday traditions are much the same as they have been since the tenth century. The ceremony begins with the blessing of the palms. The procession follows, then Mass is celebrated, wherein the Passion and the Benediction are sung. Afterwards, many people take the palms home and place them in houses, barns, and fields. Many individuals transform their palms into cool crafts such as a cross.

Stations of the Cross

4/5/2017

This Lenten event is held once a week for six weeks. The service revisits the religious journey of Christ to his Crucifixion and the path leading up to it.

The "Stations of the Cross." originated in medieval Europe when wars prevented Christian pilgrims from visiting the Holy Land. European artists created works depicting scenes of Christ's journey to Calvary. The faithful installed these sculptures or paintings at intervals along a procession route, inside the parish church or outdoors. Performing the devotion meant walking the entire route, stopping to pray at each "station." Today, images of the Stations are on display in almost all Catholic churches. They serve mainly as a focus for Lenten worship services. But the Stations can also be performed privately, at any time of the year, even at home. Many organizations offer free or inexpensive, illustrated pamphlets for this purpose.

14 Stations of the Cross

Station 1 Jesus Is Condemned To Death
Station 2 Jesus Is Made To Carry His Cross
Station 3 Jesus Falls The First Time
Station 4 Jesus Meets His Sorrowful Mother
Station 5 Simon Of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross
Station 6 Veronica Wipes The Face Of Jesus
Station 7 Jesus Falls The Second Time
Station 8 The Women Of Jerusalem Weep Over Jesus
Station 9 Jesus Falls The Third Time
Station 10 Jesus Is Stripped Of His Garments
Station 11 Jesus Is Nailed To The Cross
Station 12 Jesus Is Raised Upon The Cross And Dies
Station 13 Jesus Taken Down From The Cross And Placed In The Arms Of His Mother
Station 14 Jesus Is Laid In The Sepulcher

2016 Thanksgiving- Harvest Service

12/6/2016

An annual service to thank the Lord for all of the blessings he has granted us in the past year, and we do that by honoring the last harvest of the fall season. In hopes of a fruitful and prosperous next year.