We gather together: Holy Week Sermon Series returns as in-person event

For two years, it wasn't wholly, wholly, wholly.

Yes, thanks to the wonders of technology, the traditional Holy Week Sermon Series lived on. The four participating ministers each day gave their thematic message online.

Those messages celebrated Easter but the in-person gatherings were missed.

This year, it's back to being together.

"It's an incredible face-to-face group," said Cliff Stewart, who has led participating First Central Presbyterian since this month in 1993. "Many consider this series as some of the best evidence of the shared faith and trust of Abilenians."

This will be Stewart's 30th Holy Week series.

The Fab Four or Four Horseman of the series were founders James Flamming of First Baptist Church, Roy Zuefeldt of First Central, David Hamblin of St. Paul UMC and Chris Diebel of First Christian Church.

First Christian relocated to near the Wylie High School campus and the Holy Week project several years ago added Highland. For a short time, five ministers took part.

The venture, which goes back several years before Stewart arrived in Abilene and began participating, was presented online the past two Aprils.

This will be the first time in more than 25 years that Phil Christopher won't be participating. The former First Baptist pastor last year ended a 45-year career in the ministry - more than 26 years at the downtown Abilene church.

Stewart had called Christopher the "quarterback" of the Holy Week team.

The idea has been for one of the four ministers to preach at a brethren's church campus. Each tailors a sermon to fit a theme.

The theme this year is "Crux."

"Crux is a word with a double meaning," a press release on the four-day series stated. "Crux is the Latin world for cross. At the same time we often say in conversation, 'Well, the crux of the matter is....' In other words, the main point when all is said and done is ....

"Both of these meanings are embraced in our theme. The cross of Christ is what life is about. What Jesus did that Friday afternoon is the most important act anyone ever did."

Still, the series "is not meant to be a solemn church service. We always pick a theme and it's a lot of fun. I always try to do my very best," Stewart said. "And the other ones do, too."

Stewart said the ministers celebrate "the joy of getting together, so we always enjoy ribbing each other."

This will be the first in-person series for Hughes and Patterson. They did two online sermons.

They eat together, further solidifying their unity as local church leaders.

The series begins Monday with Stewart's "Cross Examination" sermon at First Baptist, 1333 North Third St.

It moves Tuesday to St. Paul, 525 Beech St. There, Highland's Shane Hughes will speak about the "Cross Bearer."

The next stop Wednesday is First Central, 400 Orange St., where Steve Patterson of St. Paul will play off "Cross Words."

Finally, the series Thursday travels from downtown to 425 Highland Ave., where Matt Cook and his audience will be "Crossed Up."

Cook, assistant director of Center for Healthy Churches, which assists churches in finding their next pastor, is consultant at First Baptist. Cook, who lives in Dallas, has been preaching some Sundays at First Baptist.

The daily gatherings begin at 11:45 a.m. The public is invited, not simply the congregations of the four participating churches.

Attendees are invited to bring their lunch. Unlike the pre-pandemic series, a meal will not be served to those paying for that.

Stewart said he was not sure how many would attend, with a post-pandemic church counting 70% in-person attendance doing well.

So, it would not make monetary sense to order lunches, usually at a loss compared to what was charged ($7) in 2019, and not have takers.

Tables will be set and refreshments served.

"Anyone who comes gets a free dessert," he said, laughing.

If dessert is not wholly devoured, it doesn't seem as big a problem to Stewart.

Greg Jaklewicz is editor of the Abilene Reporter-News and general columnist. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: We gather together: Holy Week Sermon Series returns as in-person event