Good Friday, sometimes called Great Friday or Great and Holy Friday, is celebrated by, the Oriental Orthodox, the Eastern Orthodox, Catholics, Anglicans/Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, many Baptists, many Evangelicals, many Charismatics, almost all Christian denominations.
Good Friday solemnly commemorates the crucifixion and burial of Jesus of Nazareth. For Christians, this day marks the day that Christ died for their sins, therefore is central to their belief.
Celebrations vary widely in the Christian world. These include: commemorative Masses or liturgies that remember his death, partaking in communion, plays depicting the death of Jesus, reading of Scriptures and hearing sermons on the sacrifice of Jesus, adoration of the cross, walking the Stations of the Cross, etc.
I will be attending Washington Heights Church (formerly known as Washington Heights Baptist Church) for Good Friday services.
Washington Heights Church is the closest I am going to find to a Christian megachurch in my area. It is a very large church building located in South Ogden, and part of a larger Heights Church Community, a group of congregations in Utah that formally belong to the Conservative Baptist Association of America, which is a loose confederation of regional, autonomous churches. This means the local churches are self governing and not controlled by any outside influence.
The Heights Community has three churches it refers to as campuses, one in South Ogden, one in Bountiful, and one in Ogden serving the Latino community. The Heights Church, though officially Baptist, has in recent years, seemed to drift further from that label and embracing a more general Evangelical Christian label.
Their beliefs are fairly general Baptist/Evangelical beliefs:
- The Bible is the inerrant Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit and the final authority on matters of faith and doctrine.
- Belief in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as one God in three Persons (the Trinity).
- Christ died for the sins of all mankind.
- Those who trust in Jesus Christ and accept him as their Lord and Savior are regenerated and saved.
- Salvation is through faith alone and not by the works of mankind.
- Immersion baptism required as a sign of commitment by those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior.
- Traditional family and conservative values.
- Separation of church and state.
I'm curious to see how this service is as I have never been to a Good Friday service at a church that didn't have Catholic ceremony. The LDS Church of my childhood doesn't celebrate Good Friday, and I've only really been to Catholic Good Friday services. I'm going into this fairly blind as I have no idea what the service will be like.
I will keep you updated as to what happens. Until next time, peace be with you.
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