“Holy Week 2022 will be truly special at First Congregational Church of Wiscasset, UCC, as we emerge from a long winter and the distancing restrictions wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Interim Minister Rev. Dr. Amy Lignitz Harken. “In a spirit of community, many of these services will be joint services with St. Philip’s Episcopal Church.”

Palm Sunday service will be held on April 10 at 10 a.m. Rev. Harken will deliver the morning message, and both the choir and chimes choir will contribute choral selections. The service will be held in the sanctuary at First Congregational Church, 28 High St.

The Maundy Thursday Tenebrae communion service will be held on April 14 at 7 p.m. in the First Congo sanctuary. All are welcome to take communion.  Music by organist Joel Pierce will include “Ubi Caritas” by Gerald Near.  The choir will perform “God So Loved the World” by John Stainer and the postlude “Were You There?” will be sung by Margot Stiassni and Martha Speed.  

The April 15 Good Friday service will be held at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 12 Hodge St., at 7 p.m. Rev. Tom Junkert’s sermon, “Only a suffering God can help” will be followed by Taizé chants, a prayerful form of music known for its simple, rich meditative character. Martha Speed, Margot Stiassni-Sieracki and Rev. Junkert along with combined choirs from First Congregational and St. Philip's will lead the congregation in the Taizé chants. The sanctuary at First Congregational will be open from noon to 3 p.m. for quiet prayer.

Easter Sunday services will begin with a joint sunrise service with St. Philip’s at the Wiscasset waterfront at 6 a.m.

A traditional Easter service celebrating the resurrection of Christ will be held on April 17 at 10 a.m. in the First Congregational Church sanctuary. Pierce will open the service with the traditional spiritual, “My Lord, What a Morning.” The Chime Choir will perform “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” and the choir will present “The Risen Christ” by Getty/Fettke followed by Rev. Harken’s sermon, “Living among the living.” The service concludes with the postlude, “Easter Toccata” in C-major by Percy Fletcher.

All services are open to the public. Masks are optional but will be required for singing. The Easter service will be available through Zoom and Facebook. For more information, please call 882-7544.