A passionate story about one man who sacrificed his life for humanity.

This historical account of faith based on the suffering and death of Jesus Christ is the focus of a week’s worth of worship and service for many campus religious organizations, deemed Holy Week. The celebrations actually began April 8, Palm Sunday, a representation of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem where people waved palm branches and sang songs in praise of his arrival.

“This week is the highlight of the Christian year,” said Rick Gibbons, campus minister with Judson Baptist Fellowship. “It’s a chance for people who may not be familiar with campus groups to experience something new.”

Holy Week is the last week of Lent, which spans 40 weekdays beginning Ash Wednesday and ending Good Friday. According to the Christian Resource Institute at www.cresourcei.org, Lent is a time of preparation for people who were to be baptized during an Easter vigil, recognized as Jesus’ resurrection.

Gibbons said Judson Baptist Fellowship tries to involve students and others directly in the worship process. The group will host a 6 p.m. foot-washing session and seder meal on Thursday, representative of Jesus’ last supper with his disciples.

“Members of generations X, Y and Z don’t want to learn in books,” Gibbons said. “They want to do learning, and these types of services become practical for people who really want to experience their faith.”

LeAnn Baie, secretary for the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 830 Annie Glidden Road, said the church has a 7 p.m. Maundy Thursday service, which includes communion and a Passover presentation explaining the seder meal.

“Passover is a traditionally Jewish celebration, but it’s coming more into the Christian church with more of an understanding,” Baie said.

Maundy Thursday is recognized with the Passover meal and Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet to illustrate his service, according the institute. After his last meal, Jesus was arrested and sentenced to die on the cross.

“It used to be within the last 10 to 15 years that people knew the story of Holy Week, but now they don’t,” Gibbons said. “The skepticism about Christianity comes from this lack of knowledge because change is so strange to people.”

Gibbons said Friday actually represents Jesus’ death on the cross, sacrificing his life for people’s sins. The Judson Baptist service will begin at noon Friday and will be sponsored in part with New Hope Baptist Church and First Baptist Church.

“It’s the most gruesome form of capital punishment the world has ever known,” he said. “Good Friday illustrates Jesus’ passion and agony.”

Easter Sunday represents Jesus’ resurrection.

Baie said the Westminster church also will have a 7 p.m. Good Friday worship service, a sunrise service at 7:30 a.m. Sunday and another service at 10 a.m. that day. The Easter services will feature special music, more than organ and piano, she said.

Judson will hold Easter services at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.