What is Lent?
Lent is a season of reflection, prayer, and preparation leading up to Easter.
At Trinity Presbyterian Church in Woodbury, we walk this forty-day journey together – pausing to listen to God’s presence, praying, slowing down, and preparing our hearts for Easter. Lent is observed through Holy Week concluding with the joy of Easter morning.
Meaning of Holy Week-
Holy Week is the final week of Lent, when Christians remember the last days of Jesus’ Life – His love, His sacrifice, and the hope of His resurrection.
It begins with the joy of Palm Sunday, moves through the compassion and humility of Maundy Thursday, the sorrow of Good Friday, and ends in the celebration of Easter morning.
The days that shape this season of Lent guide us through the story of Christ’s love.
It’s a time to walk with Jesus toward hope and promise of resurrection.
Key dates in 2026
- Ash Wednesday: February 18th
- Palm Sunday: March 29
- Maundy Thursday: April 2
- Good Friday: April 3
- Easter Sunday: April 5
Ash Wednesday-
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the holy season of Lent. In worship, Christians receive ashes on the forehead in the shape of a cross. It is a reminder of our mortality and our need for God’s grace. The cross shaped ashes remind us we belong to Christ.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week in the church and remembers Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” Matthew 21:1-11, John 12:12-19 It celebrates Jesus as a humble king riding on a donkey and sets the stage for the events that lead to the cross and the joy of Easter.
Palm Sunday invites worshipers to join that ancient crowd-celebrating Christ’s presence while preparing their hearts for the deeper story of Holy Week.
Maundy Thursday remembers the night Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples and gave them a new commandment to love one another. It marks the beginning of the final events of Holy Week, leading to the cross and resurrection.
It invites Christians to remember Jesus’ self-giving love and to enter the heart of Holy week with humility and gratitude. John 13:1-17, 34-35, Luke 22:7-23
Good Friday-
Good Friday remembers the day Jesus was crucified, a solemn moment at the center of the Christian story. It marks Jesus’ suffering, his sacrificial love, and the depth of God’s commitment to humanity. Isaiah 53:5, John 19:16-30
On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the central event of our Christian faith. It marks the moment when God raised Jesus from the dead after his crucifixion, overcoming sin and death and opening the way to new life.
Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-18
These accounts in the Gospel, shape Easter worship and the joyful proclamation, “Christ is Risen!”
