Holy Week Letter
Dear Members and Friends of St. John’s,
Soon we are to enter into one of the holiest of times of the Church Year – Holy Week and Easter. One cannot fathom or adequately express the experience one undergoes with the diversity of worship services that are offered with this sacred time. One is truly transformed and enriched with this spiritual journey as we accompany the Church with Christ in his final days.
We begin with Palm/Passion Sunday where we recognize Jesus as the Messiah through a journey to death and resurrection. As we acknowledge him as Lord and Savior, we end this Sunday Service with the reading of the Passion of St. Mark that gives us an overview of the entire week through Easter.
The most Sacred time is the Triduum, the three days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. They are constructed as one service in three parts. I highly encourage you to participate in these three days. You will be spiritually transformed! We begin with the silent Maundy Thursday Agape Meal in the parish hall, the foot-washing, table Eucharist, and the solemn procession to the church with the blessed Sacrament to the Altar of Repose, and conclude with the stripping of the altar.
The second day, Good Friday, offers us an opportunity for private Confessions, a noon-day Meditations on the Seven Last Words, and the evening Veneration of the Cross. At this traditional Book of Common Prayer evening service, we read the Passion of St. John, pray the Bidding Prayers, venerate the cross as a sign of victory and hope, receive Communion from the Reserved Sacrament, and toll the bell thirty-three times, then depart in silence.
Third, is the Queen of all Festivals of the Church Year - the liturgy of the Great Vigil of Easter. Traditionally (since the year 250+) it has been the time to receive new members through baptism. We also renew our own baptismal vows. This Service is rich in symbolism and drama moving from darkness to the light. We begin outside with the new fire to light the Paschal Candle (the Light of Christ) as we enter into the darkened church (the tomb) with the ceremony of passing the Light of Christ (lighting our hand candles), singing the praise of Christ’s victory over sin, the grave, and darkness, and listening to salvation history from the sacred scripture. The Reading of the Resurrection text brings us into the full light as we restore our “Alleluias” to our liturgy. After a Baptism and the joyous celebration of the First Eucharist of Easter, we experience the full joy of Christ’s Resurrection. We conclude the Service with cake and champagne!
On Easter Sunday, we have ONE Eucharist at 10:00 AM, where we celebrate the full joy of Easer with song, the Service of the Word, renew baptismal vows, and celebrate the Eucharist. We follow the service with the children’s Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch in the parish hall.
I look forward to leading you and walking with you through this wonder experience of spiritual nurturing and worship as we become more intimately connected with our God and his entire Church. I continue to wish you a blessed and holy Lent!
Blessings,
Willisam+