Wilshire Baptist Church
Wilshire Baptist Church and Cathedral of Hope United Church of Christ will collaborate on a shared set of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services this year.
Wilshire will host the Maundy Thursday service at 7:30 p.m. on March 29, and Cathedral of Hope will host the Good Friday service at 7:15 p.m. on March 30. Ministers from both congregations will share leadership roles in the services. The congregations also will exchange handbell choirs.
For Maundy Thursday, Wilshire’s Sanctuary Choir will anchor the service which will include communion and the traditional slamming of the Bible in darkness.
For Good Friday, Cathedral of Hope will offer a service built around the Stations of the Cross.
“We look forward to sharing worship experiences during Holy Week with Cathedral of Hope,” said Wilshire Baptist Senior Pastor George Mason. “We hope this experience together on two of the most meaningful days of commemoration in the passion story will give fresh evidence of the reconciling love of Christ.
“During the difficult days of Wilshire’s decision to be fully inclusive of the LGBTQ community, one of the first pastors to reach out to express support and compassion was Neil Cazares-Thomas, senior pastor at Cathedral of Hope. We quickly discovered a shared vision for the power of the gospel to transform lives and to bring people who had lost faith in God or in the church into our spiritual communities.”
Added Pastor Neil: “We are honored and delighted to share Holy Week with Wilshire Baptist Church. Our shared commitment to a gospel of radical inclusion, relentless compassion and extravagant grace makes complete sense to be together in unity and fellowship. Our shared worship experiences will speak volumes as we speak to the values of Jesus who came to offer us new ways of being in relationship with God and one another.”
Cathedral of Hope is located at 5910 Cedar Springs Road. Wilshire Baptist Church is at 4316 Abrams Road.
