Waving of palms and shouts of “Hosanna” will mark the beginning of Holy Week during the celebration of Palm Sunday on March 25 at 10 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of Wiscasset. The title of Rev. Josh Fitterling’s sermon will be, “Love Hopes.”

Holy Week services continue on Maundy Thursday, March 29, at 7 p.m. with a candlelight communion service commemorating the Last Supper.

The church will be open from noon to 3 p.m. on Good Friday for prayer and quiet contemplation. The church bell will toll at noon and again at 3 p.m., marking the hours of darkness that fell over the land while Christ was on the cross. In the evening, at 6 p.m., First Congregational Church will join St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in the St. Philip’s Parish Hall for a shared Good Friday worship service.

The First Congregational Church will once again join with St. Philip’s Episcopal Church for Easter by the Bay, a community sunrise service on the Wiscasset pier, beginning at 6:30 a.m. on Easter, April 1. Music will be provided by Dr. Jeff Grosser and Sarah Whitfield. Following the service, coffee and doughnuts will be served in the Wiscasset Yacht Club. Blankets and folding chairs are recommended for those attending but some chairs will be available. In the event of rain, the service will be held in the yacht club.

The 10 a.m. Easter service in the First Congregational Church will celebrate the hope and faith of Easter with the sermon, “Love Never Ends” by Rev. Fitterling. The choir under the direction of Linda Adams will offer “The Risen Christ” by Keith Getty & Phil Madeira and “The Strife is o’er” by Henry G. Ley. Roger Whitney will accompany the hymns on brass. Following the service, coffee hour will include a festive Easter brunch and free gifts for all the children!

The First Congregational Church is located at 28 High Street in Wiscasset. All events are open to the public and guests of all ages are always welcome. There will be Church School for the children on Palm and Easter Sunday. For more information contact the office at 207-882-7544, at fccw@myfairpoint.net or view the website at www.uccwiscasset.org.