NORWICH – With a strong history of team-ups over the past 60 some years, the United Church of Christ First Congregational, the Broad Street United Methodist Church, and the First Baptist Church parishes are banding together for an interfaith Holy Week celebration kicking off March 24 with Palm Sunday and ending March 31 with Easter Sunday.

The interfaith collaboration among the three Norwich Christian sects dates as far back as the 1950s and the Holy Week Celebration joint action dates back 2003. Holy Week will kick off Palm Sunday with a palm blessing at 10 a.m. at UCC, followed by a procession departing from UCC and traveling across the park to the First Baptist Church for a prayer. Afterwards the procession well head over to the Broad Street UMC for the rest of the day’s service.

“For me, Holy Week really represents the growing collaboration between our three churches,” said UCC pastor Joe Connolly.

The next point of interaction between the three churches will be the following Thursday, March 28, at UCC, followed the next day by a Good Friday service at the First Baptist Church starting 10 a.m. On Saturday, March 30, a Holy Faith Walk will be held for the second time, and Easter Sunday will cap off Holy Week on March 31.

During the Faith Walk, collections will be taken for local food pantries.