Keynsham Methodist Church - Festivals
The Church celebrates particular important times in the life of Jesus as Religious Festivals
LENT AND EASTER at Keynsham Methodist Church
Lent is the season of the church year when Christians prepare for Easter, the greatest of Christian festivals. During Lent we remember the highlights of the life of Jesus leading up to his cruxifixion (Good Friday) and his resurrection from death (Easter day)
We share in these preparations with "Churches Together in Keynsham and Saltford" (CTKS)
The day of resurrection begins with sunrise services in the grounds of Kingswood School (Bath) and at Woodford Lodge (Chew Valley Lake). These are circuit services.
Services including Holy Communion are usually held at 10.00am at both Queens Road and Victoria Centres of Keynsham Methodist Church.
There is usually an Easter Celebration at 6.30pm at Victoria.
PENTECOST
Pentecost is the festival when Christians celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is celebrated on the Sunday 50 days after Easter. Pentecost is regarded as the birthday of the Christian church, and the start of the church's mission to the world.
The Holy Spirit is the third part of the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit that is the way Christians understand God.
Pentecost is a happy festival. Ministers in church often wear robes with red in the design as a symbol of the flames in which the Holy Spirit came to earth. The symbols of Pentecost are those of the Holy Spirit and include flames, wind, the breath of God and a dove.
The First Pentecost
Pentecost comes from a Jewish harvest festival called Shavuot. The apostles were celebrating this festival when the Holy Spirit descended on them. It sounded like a very strong wind, and it looked like tongues of fire. The apostles then found themselves speaking in foreign languages, inspired by the Holy Spirit. People passing by at first thought that they must be drunk, but the apostle Peter told the crowd that the apostles were full of the Holy Spirit.
ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS
Advent is the four Sundays before Christmas. Sunday worship will follow the themes appropriate for the preparation of the birth of Jesus which we celebrate at Christmas.
We usually hold a variety of Christmas services including traditional and informal Carol Services; a Christingle service; Nativity service and age appropriate services on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.
COVENANT SERVICE
From the very earliest days of Methodism, John Wesley invited the Methodist people to renew their covenant relationship with God. We do this once a year in September - the beginning of the Methodist Church year.
We generally have a special joint service. The date for this service is Sunday 4th September at 10.00am at Victoria Centre. For those unable to get to this particular Sunday service we also have a Covenant Service on a weeknight - the date for this is Wednesday 7th September at 7.30pm at Queens Road Centre.
Details of all the services of the festival seasons will be given nearer the time