Upcoming Worship Events in Holy Week and Easter
By Brian du Fresne, Director of Music & Worship Arts
As we continue our journey through the Lenten season, I hope you have found fulfillment in the online worship offerings. Our theme has been “We would see Jesus through…”, and we have so far centered our worship around temptation and rejection. Looking forward will be indignation, illumination, germination, and on Palm Sunday, Proclamation.
After Palm Sunday, we begin what many see as the most reflective and introspective time of the church year, that of Holy Week which leads us to our joyful celebration of the Risen Christ on Easter Sunday. During the Great Three Days (the “Triduum”), from sunset Holy Thursday to sunset Easter Day, we celebrate the saving events of Jesus Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection. All of these services will be celebrated outdoors on the front lawn of the church.
Beginning with Maundy Thursday, we celebrate the Last Supper and Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet. We will begin the service with a few prayers and the communion liturgy all together, then families can visit various stations set up on the lawn; you can write a prayer and leave it in the Prayer Basket; you and your family can experience the idea of Jesus washing the feet by receiving warm water poured over your hands; and you can come to a setup of the Last Supper at which you can receive Holy Communion. It will be a short but meaningful service that can center us for the days ahead.
Good Friday is the day we recognize the crucifixion of Jesus. As we did on Ash Wednesday, the sanctuary will be open from noon until 3:00 pm for you and your family to spend some quiet time in self-guided prayer and meditation.
On Saturday evening, we will have two services, very nearly back-to-back. The first will be celebrating the Way of the Cross. We will actually journey around the outside of the church and stop along the way to meditate at various groupings of the stations of the cross. It will be an interactive and participatory service, where various people can carry the cross from location to location. This will serve as a powerful reminder of the journey Jesus took to his own crucifixion.
The second service on Saturday will be at the Easter vigil, or “night watch,” beginning at sunset. This is a service of readings, music, and responses that outlines the entire history of the church. We will renew our baptismal vows. The vigil commemorates the final day of Christ’s death, and ends with a joyous acclamation of the resurrection of Jesus.
We celebrate together the most important day of the Christian year with our jubilant Easter Sunday morning worship at either 8:00 am 10:00 am. Both services will have a sermon, congregational singing of Easter hymns and songs, a children’s time, and special music by either the Bell Choir or Chancel Choir. Come and join the celebration of seeing Jesus in our lives through his resurrection and love for all of us!