Journey Through Holy Week

Dear friends, 

This year, while we may be physically distant from one another, we want to continue to engage in Holy Week together. May this resource give your family the opportunity to connect with Christ and create holy space for our community to ‘Journey through Holy Week’ in our hearts and in our homes.

Faye, Bree, & Pastor C.J.

Follow the daily Recommended Schedule, watch the appropriate Journey Path Video, and use your chosen Journey Path for instructions. You can share your insights and photos with your church by tagging us on social media & using the hashtag #CommunityChurchatHome.

This resource is a Video Walk-Through to be viewed with easy to use curriculum that we call Journey Paths. We've created three levels of Journey Paths. We’ve also included Hands on Holy Week, a great family resource to help you build the scenes of Holy Week, similar to a Nativity Scene. Do more or less, allowing the Holy Spirit to move in your chosen path. Go at your own pace and pick and choose what works best for your family. 

• Journey Path 1  for those new to our Church community, young families and people on the go. You simply watch the video as is. 

• Journey Path 2  for everyone and those who want to further explore. You will watch the video and explore Scripture for each station.

• Journey Path 3 for those who want to immerse and challenge themselves in daily spiritual disciplines during Holy Week. You will watch the video, read scripture and engage in Lectio Divina (Divine Reading), a spiritual practice of reading scripture for each station. 

Journey Path 1 – Watch the Journey Path 1 video. Be sure to read the scrolls through out the video. This pathway is best used with Hands on Holy Week as a companion. (Found below)

Journey Path 2 – Watch the daily video for Journey Path 2 & 3. Slides are included in these daily videos. Pause at each slide and answer a few discussion questions.

Journey Path 3 – Watch the daily video for Journey Path 2 & 3. Slides are included in these daily videos. Pause at each slide and read the given Scripture passage using the following Lectio Divina (Divine Reading):

1. Read - Read the scripture passage out loud to your family or to yourself two or three times. It is best if you can have each person read the passage out loud.
2. Reflect – Meditate on anything that stood out to you in the passage; Words, phrases, ideas, concepts, places, etc. Here is where you wrestle with the passage, turning it over in your mind for a few minutes.
3. React – React through prayer, discussion, journaling, etc… Take a moment to communicate with God. What did the passage make you feel? What might God be trying to tell you through the things you meditated on?
4. Respond – Respond to the message God has given you in this practice. What do you see differently? How might you live differently? Take a moment to thank God for meeting you in these moments of devotional reflection. 

(optional for any level) Hands on Holy Week – At each station, pass the object to each family member. Discuss how the object connects to the station, scroll or slide.

If you would like to have a physical representation of each Walk-Through Station for you to touch, meditate on, or discuss, you can gather the following hands on items for each station.

Set up a table or area of your home where you can add your hands on items each day. Some stations have multiple suggestions but we encourage you to be creative and come up with new ideas.

Watch the video and read the scroll then use items found in your home, yard or neighborhood that will represent each station. 

Palm Sunday: Triumphal Entry – a palm leaf or small leaf of any kind

The Temple Cleansed – a gold coin, a feather, a stuffed animal or animal statuette

In the Temple – a piece of fabric or gauze, incense or a burning candle

Anointing at Bethany – perfume or cologne, a decorative bottle, essential oils, cinnamon or clove

The Last Supper – a piece of bread or cup of juice

Foot Washing – a washcloth, small jar or bowl of dirt

Prayer in the Garden – a flower, a leaf, or a house plant

Jesus Betrayed – several silver coins

Peter’s Denial – a feather, a lit candle, or a piece of coal

Pilate Washes his Hands – a cup or bowl of water

The Soldiers Mock Jesus – dice or 3 nails

Good Friday: The Cross – a cross, 3 nails, or a thorn

Easter Sunday: Empty Tomb – a stone or a piece of white fabric

Family Tip: Make this a family scavenger hunt to find something in your house or yard that could represent that station, let children and teens get creative, give them space to explain why that item applies to that station. 

DAY 1, SUNDAY: PALM SUNDAY

Triumphal Entry

Scripture Reading: Mark 11:1-12

DAY 2, MONDAY

The Temple Cleansed

Scripture Reading: Mark 11:15-19

DAY 3, TUESDAY

In the Temple

Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:14-17

DAY 4, WEDNESDAY

Anointing at Bethany

Scripture: John 12:1-11

DAY 5, THURSDAY: MAUNDY THURSDAY

The Last Supper

Scripture Reading: Luke 22:14-20

Foot Washing

Scripture Reading: John 13: 2-12

Prayer in the Garden

Scripture Reading: Luke 22:39-46

Jesus Betrayed

Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:47-56

DAY 6, FRIDAY: GOOD FRIDAY

Peter’s Denial

Scripture Reading: John 18:15-18 & 18:25-27

Pilate Washes his Hands

Scripture Reading: Matthew 27:15-26

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

Scripture Reading: Mark 15:16-20

The Cross

Scripture Reading: Luke 23:32-49

DAY 7, SATURDAY

Rest and reflect.

DAY 8, SUNDAY MORNING: EASTER SUNDAY

The Empty Tomb

Scripture Reading: Mark 16:1-8

A great way to talk to your children about the Resurrection is to make Resurrection Rolls! They are a delicious and sweet way to start off your Easter Sunday morning and they allow you to talk about the Easter story as you prepare, bake, and eat them! Click the button below for the recipe, a YouTube video, and a short script you can use as you make them. The rolls can even be prepared on Saturday night and then popped in the oven on Sunday morning. We recommend these sweet homemade treats for all families.

Download instructions, slides, resurrection roll info, etc. to print physical copies at home: we've got it all in one place!