St. Joseph Catholic Church’s Senior Choir Partners with Members of Avon Lake's TrueNorth and Other Area Church Choirs for Christian Holy Week Service
AVON LAKE, Ohio, April 6, 2011 -- On Wednesday, April 20th, St. Joseph Catholic Church in Avon Lake will host Tenebrae, a Holy Week service of light and dark that is open to the entire community.
For the free, annual event, the parish’s Senior Choir is partnering with choir and orchestra members from TrueNorth and other area church choirs to present a 45-minute meditation on the Passion of Christ through Scripture and song.
“It is a service that is appropriate to all Christians and a wonderful way to keep focused on the meaning of what Christ accomplished for us as we observe Holy Week,” explains Lorene Coughlin, director of St. Joseph Parish’s Senior Choir.
The evening begins at 7:00 pm on April 20th at St. Joseph Church, 32929 Lake Road, Avon Lake.
The musical setting presented that evening will be Joseph Martin’s “Song of the Shadows,” a mournful contemplation that traces Jesus’s last days from the waving of palms to the agony of Calvary.
St. Joseph Parish is happy to welcome Rick Fortney as guest conductor and Mark “Munch” Bishop as the narrator for the event, which fills the church each year.
“Tenebrae is a solemn observance that leaves the congregation to disperse in silence and darkness, aware of the incredible sacrifice offered by our Lord for our salvation. It leads us contemplatively into the liturgies of the Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil,” shares Coughlin. “Those who have shared this evening with us in the past have made this part of their Holy Week observances each year.”
More information about St. Joseph Parish is available at www.stjosephavonlake.org/about.asp, by following @SJPAvonLake, or liking St. Joseph Parish of Avon Lake on Facebook. You can also read previous news releases at www.stjosephavonlake.org/PressReleases.asp.
About St. Joseph Parish of Avon Lake
St. Joseph Parish of Avon Lake is a Catholic community committed to celebrating the Eucharist and encouraging stewardship as a way of life. A member of the Diocese of Cleveland, it was founded in 1949 and has grown to its current enrollment of 1,750 registered families. St. Joseph Parish’s dedication to Catholic education is demonstrated through St. Joseph School which serves grades K-8 and is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The Parish is the only Catholic Church in Lorain County that currently offers a Sunday evening Mass at 5:00 PM, providing parishioners and the community with more options for attending Sunday Mass.