CHESAPEAKE — The annual Holy Week ecumenical services in Chesapeake will get underway on Wednesday with services each night through Saturday at the village churches.

The services are part of an ever-growing outreach effort by these churches.

“We want to strengthen our ministerial association in the Chesapeake area. We have been doing that in joint efforts from lay and pastoral aspects geared to ecumenical worship to allow multiple denominations to interact,” Bill Flannery, pastor of Defender United Methodist Church, said.

“One of the emphasis of Holy Week is to encourage the community in Christian worship rather than Methodism or the Baptist denomination.”

Four churches will participate with the host church for the night, opening its pulpit up to a guest preacher. The theme for all homilies revolves around the last words of Jesus.

On Wednesday Harold Hamlin, pastor of Getaway United Methodist, will speak on “I Thirst,” at Defender United Methodist.

Thursday, Flannery will take over the pulpit at Chesapeake United Methodist Church, preaching on “My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?”

Daryl Fourman, pastor at Chesapeake United Methodist, will speak on “Father, Into Thy Hands I Commend My Spirit” at the Church of the Nazarene. Saturday, Paul Merritt of the Nazarene Church will preach at Getaway United Methodist on “It Is Finished.”

“Basically this is just to provide services where people from various churches can gather and worship together for the Holy Week,” Fourman said.

There will be a procession of the cross prior to the Good Friday service beginning at 6 p.m. at the CVS Pharmacy processing to the Nazarene Church. All services begin at 7 p.m.

There will be no collection taken, but contributions will go to the Community Mission Outreach that provides a food pantry for area residents.

The churches will also sponsor a sunrise service Easter at the village’s triangle park at 7 p.m.