Unity of the Body of Christ in Idaho Falls – Part 1, Meeting Together During Holy Week

 

One of the many expressions of the unity of the body of Christ in Idaho Falls has been meeting together in joint services during Holy Week and/or on Resurrection Sunday.

As early as 1899, members of the different churches in Idaho Falls met together on Easter Sunday.[1]

On Easter Sunday, 1901, Union services were held in both the morning and evening, in the morning at the Catholic church, “largely attended by all religious sects,” and in the evening at the Presbyterian church, “attended by a full house,” with pastors of three churches leading the service.[2]

Beginning around 1920 and for more than 30 years, Union services were held in Idaho Falls nightly during Passion Week, typically starting on Palm Sunday and going through Good Friday. In 1922, for example,

“Passion week services are being held this week at the Trinity Methodist church under the auspices of the Idaho Falls Ministerial association, with representatives of the Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran churches and the Salvation Army participating.”[3]

In 1935,

“The Idaho Falls Ministerial Association is sponsoring Union Passion Week services, special sermons and music at various churches in the city in which all congregations will join… Monday at the Nazarene Church…Tuesday at First Christian church… Wednesday at the Swedish Mission church…Thursday at First Baptist church, and a service from noon to 3 pm Friday at Trinity Methodist church; seven churches represented in the Idaho Falls Ministerial association will take part in the Good Friday service, each taking 25 minutes…”[4]

By 1943, the Ministerial Association, having growth to include pastors from twelve churches, began planning Holy Week services several months in advance.  Some years guest speakers were invited and a cantata added to the Good Friday service.[5] Also in 1943, the city major, Ed Fanning, issued a proclamation urging all citizens to take part in Good Friday services.[6]  In 1949, some 100 young people of the United Youth Council of Idaho Falls met at the Presbyterian Church at 6:15 am to worship together on Taylor Mountain in an Easter sunrise service.[7]

While having from 5 to 9 Union services in the two weeks prior to Resurrection Sunday faded in the mid-1950’s, holding a joint Good Friday service in which seven pastors would speak on Jesus’s words from the cross resumed in 1989 and continued through the 1990’s.  The schedule for the service in 1995 was:

Noon -  Passion scripture and prayer for the world and peace, by the Rev. Dave Gibson, Christ Community Church.

12:20 p.m. - "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do," by the Rev. Rick Brown, Calvary Chapel.

12:40 p.m. - "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise," by the Rev. Tony Maupin, Shiloh Foursquare Church.

1 p.m.  - "Woman, behold thy son! Behold thy mother!" by the Rev. David McClain, New Hope Community Fellowship.

1:20 p.m.  - "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" by the Rev. David Bass, Evangelical Free Church.

1:40 p.m. - "I thirst," by the Rev. Tom Baird, Skyline Christian Church.

2 p.m. - "It is finished," by the Rev. Chris Williams, First Presbyterian Church.

2:20 p.m. - "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit," by the Rev. Joseph Phipps, Community Presbyterian Church of Rigby.

2:40 p.m. -  A meditation on the seven last words from the cross by the Rev. Les Moore, First Church of the Nazarene.[8]

Speakers at the 1994 Good Friday service included Rev. Michael Sheridan , St. Paul's United Methodist Church; Rev. Mark Gomez, the Salvation Army; Rev. O.B. Fjelstad, First Lutheran Church; Rev. Ray Vinson, Family Life Enrichment Center; Pastor Rick Lunsford, Family Bible Church; Rev. Herb Stoneman, Calvary Baptist Church; Rev. Les Moore, First Nazarene Church; Rev. James Asparro, Command Chaplain, U.S. Navy; and Rev. Richard S. Miller, retired Episcopal Church pastor.[9]

Community Easter sunrise services were held at Freeman Park for most years in the 1990’s, the first five sponsored by Concerted Promotions for Revival and after 1995 by the Idaho Falls Evangelical Ministerial Association.

Community Easter worship services were held at the Civic Auditorium in 2000 and 2001, organized by Calvary Chapel, and in 2006, organized by the First Church of the Nazarene.

In more recent years worship services during Holy Week have multiplied, with many churches in Idaho Falls offering between two and seven services during the week, and providing the community with an abundance of times and places to worship on Resurrection Sunday..

References and notes

[1] Idaho Falls Times, March 3, 1899, p. 4.  Union services were held at the Baptist church on Easter Sunday evening, with Presbyterian pastor Rev. Samuel McClelland delivering the sermon and a musical program “rendered by all the leading singers of the city.”

[2] Idaho Falls Times, April 11, 1901, p. 7.

[3] Idaho Falls Times, April 11, 1922, p. 4.

[4] Idaho Falls Post Register, April 21, 1935, p. 1 & 6.

[5] From numerous articles in the Post Register, 1940-1950.  In 1941 the guest speaker at the Holy Week services was Rev. Stanley Sandberg of Seattle, Regional Director of Lutheran Home Missions. In 1947, A. K. Harper, founder of a manufacturing company in Fairfield, Iowa, spoke at the services as well as to several civic groups during the week. In 1948 the guest speaker was Rev. Dr. James E. Milligan, District Superintendent of the Methodist Church of the Puget Sound District and former Idaho Falls resident.

[6] The Post Register, April 21, 1943, p. 2.

[7] The Post Register, April 17, 1949, p. 1.

[8] The Post Register, April 07, 1995.

[9] The Post Register, March 25, 1994.