Dear Brethren and co-workers in Christ:
This letter contains links to help you observe the Passover, Night to be Observed, and the First Day of Unleavened Bread for 2013.
Passover
Passover is for Christians who have been baptized, have had hands properly laid upon them for God’s Holy Spirit, and have examined themselves as the Apostle Paul taught (2 Corinthians 13:5).
It is to be observed on the 14th of Nisan, which will be after sunset March 24, 2013.
Here is a link to an article titled Passover and the Early Church, here is a link to a YouTube titled History of the Christian Passover, here is a link to a YouTube titled Preparing for Passover, here is a link to how one should be Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, and here is a link to a Passover Service that many in the Continuing Church of God will use.
For the service, you may wish to refer to the article Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread or, and this will be better for many, watch the step-by-step instructions in the new video titled Passover Service.
Prior to sunset March 25, deleavening should be completed. For more information on that, please refer to the articles Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? and Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread.
Night to Be Observed
The Night to Be Observed is observed on the 15th of Nisan, which means it should be observed after sunset on March 25, 2013.
Written information about it can be found in the article The Night to Be Observed. Some of you may wish to play the video as part of this night, which is also titled titled The Night to Be Observed.
First Day of Unleavened Bread
The first Day of Unleavened Bread runs from sunset March 25, 2013 to sunset March 26, 2013. It is a holy day and no regular work is to be done. It is also a holy convocation.
Here is my suggested format for Holy Day services for the first Day of Unleavened Bread on March 26, 2013:
- 2-3 hymns (we are using the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG, and in most areas, the Choral Accompaniment).
- Opening prayer.
- Offertory sermonette. Here is a link to one: Offertory: What has the Continuing Church of God been doing?
- Announcements (if any) and one hymn.
- Sermon (which for most will be a recorded one for the first day of unleavened bread, March 26, 2013), titled Christians and the Days of Unleavened Bread (there is a related article here Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? for those who prefer the written word over the video or who may wish to refer back to this source as the sermon is based on this article).
- Final hymn.
- Closing prayer.
If people wish to have more than one service, they may wish to watch one or more of the following video sermons (even if you may have seen them):
There are also articles related to the above (Living as a Christian: How and Why?, Persecutions by Church and State, and Passover and the Early Church, respectively) for those who prefer to study more that way.
Have a blessed Spring Holy Day season.
Sincerely,
Bob Thiel, Pastor and Overseer
Continuing Church of God