Easter 2021 Near Elmhurst: Local Holy Week Celebrations

ELMHURST, IL — Easter celebrations across the country and in Elmhurst will look different from ever before in 2021 as traditional events such as egg hunts, religious services and restaurant deals will go on virtually as well as in person.

Mostly religious services went virtual during the Easter season last year, when the coronavirus pandemic was still fairly new and most states remained under strict shutdown orders in mid-April. This year, there’s more of a combination of virtual and in-person services taking place with the pandemic having passed the one-year mark.

Many major American archdioceses, such as in Chicago, will continue to hold virtual services that will be streamed throughout Holy Week, which includes the Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday and Good Friday holidays leading up to Easter.

Good Friday, on April 2 this year, marks the death of Jesus Christ. Easter, two days later, celebrates the time when he was resurrected. The Sunday holiday always occurs on the Sunday after the first full moon of spring, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Religious traditions on Good Friday include periods of silence and fasting for many Christians, prominently in the Catholic faith.

Churches across the Elmhurst area are meeting both in-person and virtually, according to plans announced by local congregations. Here’s what’s going on for Holy Week observances at local houses of worship around Elmhurst.

At Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, located at 149 W. Brush Hill Rd., services will be held outdoors and online, according to the church’s website. During Holy Week, the church will host the following services: Maundy Thursday, 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Good Friday, 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., Easter Sunrise 6:30 a.m.; Easter worship services 9, 10 and 11 a.m.

At West Suburban Community Church, located at 825 W. Van Aucken Rd., a Good Friday service will be held at 6 p.m. and Easter worship services will be held at 10 a.m.. The church is limiting in-person attendance to 50 people and free tickets may be obtained at the church’s website.

At Immanuel Lutheran Church, located at 142 E. Third St., the following Holy Week services will be held both online and in person. Maundy Thursday: 12 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Good Friday Services: 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Easter Sunday: Organ-led worship services at 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. and band-led worship at 10 a.m.

At First United Methodist Church, located at 232 S. York St., the following Holy Week services will be held: Maundy Thursday service with Holy Communion; 7 p.m. (in-person and live-streamed); Good Friday, 12 p.m. (Facebook on Demand); Easter sunrise service 6 a.m. (Facebook On Demand); Easter worship service with Holy Communion 10:30 a.m. (in-person and live-streamed).

Yorkfield Presbyterian Church, located at 1099 S. York St., will hold the following Holy Week Services: Maundy Thursday with communion 7:30 p.m.; Good Friday (Zoom service) 7:30 p.m.; outdoor service with Scripture, a sermon and communion), 11 a.m., contemporary worship service at 11:15 a.m. (indoor).

Visitation Catholic Church, located at 779 S. York St., will hold the following Holy Week services: Holy Thursday 5 p.m. Mass; Good Friday: Stations of the Cross 3 p.m., Liturgy of the Word 7 p.m.; Holy Saturday: Blessings of the Baskets 12 p.m., Saturday Easter Vigil 8 p.m.; Easter Sunday 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. services in Podesta Hall.

Bethel United Church of Christ, located at 315 E. St. Charles Rd., will hold the following Holy Week services: Maundy Thursday at 12 p.m. A musical meditation will be posted on the church’s YouTube channel featuring “Reflections in D”; Good Friday, 12 p.m. when a live-streamed worship service will be posted to the church’s YouTube channel and the Bethel sanctuary will be open for prayer from 1-3 p.m.; Easter Sunday: Easter Service from the Bethel Sanctuary 10 A.M.. Decoration of the Bethel Cross 11 A.M. - Noon. This year we will celebrate Easter with limited in-person worship and walk-up opportunity to decorate the Easter cross. The wooden cross will be set up outside so that people are able transform it with flowers to celebrate that Christ has risen. Decoration of the cross will begin at 11 A.M. as we place our flowers.