Schedule of Events
- Wednesday, March 27, 7pm ~ Stations of the Cross and Compline
- Thursday, March 28, 5:30pm ~ Maundy Thursday Potluck in the Parish Hall
- Thursday, March 28, 7pm ~ Maundy Thursday Service with Choir
- Friday, March 29, noon ~ Good Friday Service
- Friday, March 29, 7pm ~ Good Friday Service with Choir
- Saturday, March 30, 10am ~ Holy Saturday Service
- Saturday, March 30, 8pm ~ Easter Vigil
- Sunday, March 31, 7:30am, 9am & 11:15am ~ Easter Sunday Services with Choir
- Sunday, March 31, 10:30am ~ Easter Egg Hunt beginning in the Parish Hall
- Sunday, March 31, 7pm ~ Easter Sunday Contemplative Service
All services will be held in the Church and broadcast on our Facebook page with the exception of Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday at 7:30am and 7pm. Digital bulletins can be found on our Online Worship Resources page. (Please note the Easter Vigil service begins outside and upon entering the church, the service continues in darkness until the lights are turned on halfway through the service.)
The nursery will be open for all evening services Wednesday through Saturday. On Sunday morning, the Nursery and Children’s Chapel open at 8:45am.
See below for a description of the Holy Week services with which you might not be familiar!
Wednesday: Stations of the Cross & Compline, 7pm (approximately forty-five minutes)
Stations of the Cross were first erected in Franciscan churches around the beginning of the 16th century, and were meant to replicate the holy shrines commemorating Jesus’ final journey through Jerusalem. There are 14 stations, and in most churches, they are on the walls and worshippers travel from station to station, praying at each one. This year, we have incorporated a beautiful new set of images into our worship bulletin, which will allow us to remain seated during the service as we contemplate the words and pictures together. A lesson, prayers, and a short chant accompany each station. The service begins with tenor section leader Jake Michael chanting the “Stabat Mater,” a 13th century hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Sorrows. There’s no sermon or Communion at this liturgy. At the conclusion of the Stations, we will move directly into the Compline service.
Thursday: Maundy Thursday, 7pm (approximately one hour and fifteen minutes)
The Maundy Thursday service commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, and his washing of their feet. The name Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum, which means commandment; the Gospel lesson for the liturgy includes the story of the foot-washing, and Jesus’ saying “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34). You don’t have to participate in the foot-washing if you don’t want to, and many people don’t. There will be two foot-washing stations, one at which the clergy will be washing feet, and the other at which you are given the opportunity to have your feet washed by a fellow parishioner, and to wash the feet of another parishioner. After Communion, the liturgy concludes with one of the most profoundly beautiful moments in the Church’s worship, the stripping of the altar. We’ll remove everything from the area behind the altar rail, extinguish all the lights, and in the darkness, we’ll listen to Ryan Antillon, bass section leader, chant Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” before we leave in silence.
Friday: Good Friday, noon & 7pm (approximately one hour)
On Friday, we offer the Good Friday liturgy twice, at noon and at 7pm, with the choir singing at the evening service. The Good Friday liturgy, commemorating Jesus’ death on the Cross, is somber and reflective, and includes hymns (like “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”) and a sermon, but no Eucharist. Good Friday is the one day in the Church’s calendar on which the Eucharist may not be celebrated (unless it is part of giving someone Last Rites), which reminds us that the sacrifice of the Eucharist and the sacrifice on the Cross are the same. Good Friday is a “day of obligation,” meaning you should attend church if you are able to do so, or should watch the broadcast. Good Friday is one of the official fast days of the Church. You can fast by eating only one small meal, or by abstaining from eating during daylight hours, or in another way that is possible for you.
Saturday: Holy Saturday, 12pm (approximately ten minutes)
This very short liturgy commemorates the day on which Jesus rests in the tomb. It consists of lessons from Scripture and prayers.
Saturday: Easter Vigil, 8pm (approximately an hour and a half)
The Easter Vigil begins in the churchyard in front of the church after sunset, at which time we will light the “first fire” of Easter, and then process into the church carrying the newly lit Paschal candle while the Exsultet, a hymn that dates from around the 5th century, is chanted. The service continues by candlelight in the darkness with a series of lessons from Scripture recounting “God’s saving deeds in history, how he saved his people in ages past.” Then all the lights are turned on and the first “alleluias” since Lent began are spoken in the church. The liturgy continues with the first Holy Eucharist of Easter. Attending the Easter Vigil does fulfill your Easter/Sunday attendance obligation. For those of you wishing to avoid the crowds on Easter morning, the Easter Vigil would be a great choice for you. You are welcome, if you have children, to attend the Easter Vigil and then return on Easter morning for the Easter Egg hunt only.
Sunday: Easter, 7:30am, 9am, 11:15am (approximately an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes)
The schedule for Easter morning is our usual Sunday schedule, and we will have Children’s Chapel at the 9am and 11:15am as usual, but no Sunday School. If you’re looking for an Easter service that is less crowded, the 7:30am is the way to go. The 9am is usually the Easter service with the highest attendance, though the 11:15 isn’t far behind and has some years been larger. Another option if you’re looking for a much smaller crowd and a quieter service is the 7pm, at which we have prayers, eight minutes of silent meditation instead of a sermon, and then celebrate the Eucharist. This service will also have a different Gospel lesson, which includes the story of the Road to Emmaus.
Sunday: Easter Egg Hunt, 10:30am
Gather in the Parish Hall at 10:30am for the start of our annual Easter Egg Hunt. Bring your own basket, but if you forget, we will have some extra bags available. We will gather the little ones (3 and under) in the churchyard and then take them to the courtyard outside the Children’s Chapel for their own special, gentler Easter Egg Hunt.
Sunday: Easter, Contemplative Service, 7pm (approximately forty minutes)
The 7pm is a quiet service with more time for quiet reflection and prayer. The service draws 10-15 people, making it an excellent option for people who wish to avoid crowds.
