Breckenridge Texan

The Breckenridge Ministerial Alliance and several local churches will host a lunchtime Holy Week or Passion Week service each day this week, Monday through Friday, April 15-19, at the Stephens County Courthouse.

According to information from the organizers, Passion Week services at the courthouse are a longstanding tradition of about 40 years among the churches in Breckenridge. It began initially at the courthouse lawn, but one year it snowed and the participants were invited to come into the rotunda to have their celebration.

There is an agreed theme set by Breckenridge Ministerial Alliance and then a host church provides the message, the music and the lunch (usually sandwiches, chips, drink and dessert) for each day of the Passion Week, the week before Easter. The services are open to the public to attend and participate in.

The services will begin about 5 minutes after noon each day to allow workers to arrive, and the music and message are usually completed at 12:30 p.m. Those who need to go back to work are invited to get in line for lunch first, and the others may follow and hang around to eat together and visit with one another.

This year’s Passion Week Services will focus on the theme “The Last Words of Christ From the Cross.” Each service is scheduled to begin at 12:05 p.m.

The schedule includes:

• Monday, April 15 – Patrick Frische of Gunsight Baptist Church – “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”                          
• Tuesday, April 16 – Andy Rogers of First Baptist Church – “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” 
• Wednesday, April 17 – Dennis Hall of New Life Church – “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 
• Thursday, April 18 – Matt Hall of First United Methodist Church – “I am thirsty.”   
• Friday, April 19 – Melinda Lane of Covenant Tabernacle – “It is finished.”