Preparing for Easter: Holy Week

This Week's Hymns:

Wednesday, March 27: A Lamb Goes Uncomplaining Forth

Thursday, March 28: Low in Thine Agony

Friday, March 29: Throned Upon the Awful Tree

Saturday, March 30: Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands

Sunday, March 31: Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

SPECIAL FEATURE: Holy Week

Preparing for Easter: Week 6

This Week's Hymns

Wednesday, March 20: Worship Christ, the Risen King 

Thursday, March 21: Hallelujah! Jesus Lives!

Friday, March 22: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Saturday, March 23: The Day of Resurrection

Sunday, March 24: All Glory, Laud, & Honor

Monday, March 25: Ye That Pass By, Behold the Man

Tuesday, March 26: Ah, Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended?

Special Feature: The Tradition of Sunrise Services

Easter Heart Preparation: Week 5

This Week's Hymns:

Wednesday, March 13: The Strife Is O'er
Thursday, March 14: O Sacred Head Now Wounded
Friday, March 15: Not All the Blood of Beasts
Saturday, March 16: Arise, My Soul, Arise
Sunday, March 17: This Is the Day the Lord Hath Made
Monday, March 18: All the Sacrifice Is Ended
Tuesday, March 19: All Ye That Seek the Lord Who Died

Special Feature: Christ and the Passover

Preparing for Easter: Week 4

This Week's Hymns

Wednesday: This Joyful Eastertide

Thursday: Father, Forgive, the Savior Said

Friday: 'Tis Finished! The Messiah Dies

Saturday: What Will You Do with Jesus?

Sunday: How Calm and Beautiful the Morn

Monday: Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Tuesday: Come, Ye Saints, Look Here and Wonder

This week's special feature (thanks to Ace Collins' Stories Behind the Traditions and Songs of Easter) is the custom of dressing up for Easter and the tradition of the Easter parade.

Preparing for Easter: Week 3

This Week's Hymns:

Wednesday: See Him in Raiment Rent

Thursday: Christ Is Risen!

Friday: Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

Saturday: Sweet the Moments, Rich in Blessing

Sunday: He Rose! O Morn of Wonder!

Monday: Ere Yet the Dawn Has Filled the Skies

Tuesday: On This Morn We See the Dawning

This week’s special feature (thanks to Ace Collins’ book Stories Behind the Traditions & Songs of Easter): The History of Passion Plays

Preparing for Easter: Week 2

This Week's Hymns:
Wednesday: Ye Humble Souls that Seek the Lord

Thursday: In the Cross of Christ I Glory
Friday: It Is Finished! Man of Sorrows
Saturday: And Can It Be?
Sunday: Awake, My Heart, with Gladness
Monday: One Day
Tuesday: Hallelujah! Christ Is Risen

Welcome back to Easter heart preparation! Before sharing the daily hymns for this week (thanks to NetHymnal), here are some fun facts about the origins of Easter eggs and Easter bunnies. I am grateful to Ace Collins, whose book Stories Behind the Traditions & Songs of Easter I enjoyed and gleaned this information from.

THE HISTORY OF THE EASTER EGG:

Easter Heart Preparation: Week 1

This Week's Hymns:

Wednesday: O Come and Mourn with Me

Thursday: We Worship Thee, O Crucified

Friday: Stretched on the Cross, the Savior Dies

Saturday: Hearts to Heaven and Voices Raise

Sunday: Christ Is Risen! Christ Is Risen!

Monday: Rock of Ages

Tuesday: Wake, Sweetest Strain

 

Believe it or not, I grew up having no idea what “Lent” was. It wasn’t until I attended a Presbyterian church in college, and they started talking in February about getting ready for Easter, that I realized the importance of preparing my heart for the most important event in the Christian calendar: the commemoration of Jesus’ death and resurrection. I was fascinated to read The Stories Behind the Traditions & Songs of Easter, by Ace Collins… let me share some of the things I learned about Lent: