News

Wesley Mission will host a series of powerful Easter events and re-enactments over Holy Week this year beginning this Sunday, 1 April, with a Palm Sunday procession at Circular Quay.

Wesley Institute students bring this event to life with singing, dancing and waving of palm leaves as Jesus rides from the Sydney Opera House around Circular Quay on a donkey in the re-enactment of the Palm Sunday story. The procession begins at 3.30pm at the Opera House end of the Botanic Gardens and travels around the Quay to First Fleet Park in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art.

On Wednesday, 4 April, Wesley Mission will host an Easter Breakfast for friends and corporate associates of the Mission. Andrew Tyndale, Senior Executive of Babcock and Brown, is special guest and will give the address at the breakfast.  Superintendent of Wesley Mission, the Rev Keith Garner, will also speak on “The Pain of Denial… Peter” as part of his Characters around the Cross Easter series.

Good Friday, 6 April, sees Wesley Mission’s Way of the Cross event - an interactive street theatre procession re-enacting the first Good Friday by Wesley Institute drama students. The procession assembles at Martin Place at 2pm and, after a short drama, proceeds through the city streets to Wesley Theatre, 220 Pitt Street.

The procession depicts the suffering and public humiliation of Jesus as he was led out of the city to the place of crucifixion. Jesus carries a wooden cross and at various points along the way actors ridicule and mock him. The procession enters into Wesley Theatre and is followed by a free theatrical program and a service of Holy Communion.

Also on Good Friday at 12 noon, the Wesley Mission documentary Flying Through the Seven Churches of Revelation will air on Channel 9. Recorded on location in modern day Turkey, this one hour documentary looks at the historical sites of the first century churches featured in the biblical book of Revelation. Join the Rev Keith Garner as he flies over the landscape and visits these culturally rich locations while discussing the letters written to the ancient church communities in Revelation, revealing their meaning and relevance for today.

Then it’s an early start to the day on Easter Sunday, 8 April at 7am, as the Superintendent of Wesley Mission, Rev Keith Garner leads a special Sunrise Service to be telecast live on Channel 7 from the Sydney Opera House. The service commences at 7am and is simulcast at the same time on 103.2FM.

Following the Easter Sunrise Service, hot cross buns are served with hot tea and coffee on the Opera house forecourt.

This Easter takes the theme ‘Characters around the Cross’ and throughout the week Rev Keith Garner will explore the different roles of the people who dominate the Easter story.  The emotions and characteristics of each give insight into what motivates and drives people to do good or evil. These human factors will be looked at in the light of their contemporary relevance.

For more information visit Easter Mission 07.

Graeme Cole
Public Affairs Manager
Ph: (02) 9263 5350
Mobile: 0408 470 722

Linda Barclay
Public Affairs Officer
Ph: (02) 9263 5509
Mobile: 0434 076 642

Dinoo Kelleghan
Public Affairs Officer
Ph: (02)9263 5545
Mobile: 0434 076 644