Rector’s Update: the days of our Lord’s Passion
Dear Restoration,
‘… He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.’ Hebrews 9:26b
We are grateful to God for the death and resurrection of His Son, for the putting away of sin in forgiveness, for new life in the Spirit. We are grateful for all that these days hold as we find our hope and our joy in Jesus Christ.
I am writing to invite you to walk with your church through the Triduum, the 3 days of our Lord’s passion ending in the glorious celebration of Easter.
All of the details you need for Holy Week, including the links to sign-up for in-person worship and links for our YouTube Live broadcasts, are succinctly written, here.
I would like to draw your attention to a few details that will help you more fully enter in to all that God has for you and for us this week.
Maundy Thursday
Our service begins at 7:30pm. There is an opportunity for your feet to be washed, just as Jesus did for his disciples. And just as it was awkward and uncomfortable for his disciples, so it is for us. Yet, there is something that moves deep in our soul as we choose the humility of having our feet washed. May you meet the grace of our Lord in it.
During this service we also strip the Lord’s table of it’s linen after the Eucharist. This will happen after 8pm, outside, under the tent. You are welcome to join, even if you are not worshiping in the sanctuary. It will be chilly.
Many of us have chosen disciplines to assist our Lenten experience. Some people will choose to fast from food from the Eucharist on Maundy Thursday to the Eucharist at the Great Vigil. I continue to pray that the grace of God has met you in your choices to more deeply meet Him.
Good Friday
Every year, we process the cross that will hold our sins from the home of Steve and Louise Brooks to the church. This solemn and quiet walk is profoundly meaningful for those who choose to bear it. You can sign up to participate, here.
Throughout the day, until 4pm, the cross, along with hammer, nails, paper, and sanitizer, will be available under our tent. We invite you to make an intentional trip to the church, to write down your sins and nail them to the cross, and to use our self-guided stations of the cross to remember Jesus’ final hours.
If you have a kid, there will be a guided journey through the stations of the cross, for kids, with Louise, on Zoom, at 10am. If you would like to move through the stations of the cross with others, you can do so with Beth, on Zoom at 12pm. You can find the links for both of these corporate events, here.
At 7:30pm, we will gather on YouTube Live and in the sanctuary to hear reflections from members of our congregation on Jesus’ 7 last words from the cross.
The Great Vigil of Easter
Holy Saturday is just that— holy, still, quiet, set a part. We are waiting.
As the day becomes evening, we will gather again at 7:30pm for The Great Vigil of Easter. This service will be entirely outside and mostly spoken without music. After we renew our baptismal vows, there is a Great Shout— the first Alleluias of Easter. We invite you to bring a bell and to join us as we ‘raise our joys and triumphs high!’
Easter Sunday
We will start the day at 7am with Eucharist, outside, under the tent. At 8am, we will broadcast a special episode of Ms. Louise’s neighborhood on our YouTube channel. At 9am, we will worship both inside the sanctuary and broadcast over YouTube Live. You can join the Eucharist for this service at 10:15, outside, under the tent. Then at 11am, we will worship in the sanctuary and you can join the Eucharist for this service at 12:15, under the tent.
These days are an accurate use of the word, glorious.
Glory to our King and Savior! Glory to God in the highest!
I look forward to seeing you in the days to come.
-David
