Palm Sunday and Holy Week Services:
Their Meaning and Schedule
What
These Services Are All About
Whatever time of
year it is that you read this, here's a quick overview of the history and
purpose of the service that occur during Holy Week.
Palm
Sunday Service 9 AM. Palm Sunday
celebrates Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. It is here that we also hear the
"Passion of Jesus Christ," the story of his prayer on the mount of
Olives, his arrest and trial. This service begins in the church basement with a
blessing of the palms, and then a procession of the whole congregation
(including children, of course!) out the back door and up to the church. Our
regular 7:45 and 10:30 AM services are combined for this service at 9 AM.
Maundy
Thursday with foot washing and stripping of the altar - 7:30 PM.
The name "Maundy Thursday" comes from the Latin
"mandatum novum," or "new commandment" (from John 13:34:
"A new commandment I give you, that you love one another even as I have
loved you.") These were the first words of the old service in Latin, which
were said on this evening. This is a very old and special service where feet are
washed in commemoration of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples (John
13:1-15). In many countries kings would wash the feet of peasants on this day,
and abbots would wash the feet of the monks over whom they had charge.
In
Jesus' day people walked in sandals or barefoot, and their feet grew dusty. When
they entered someone's house, a servant would wash their feet. This task was
considered worthy only of a servant or slave, so when Jesus did it to his
disciples it caused great shock and horror, that their master would himself wash
their feet.
Most
of us feel the same discomfort with the notion of washing our feet, both out of
personal embarrassment, and the apparently demeaning nature of the task. It
calls for humility on the part of both the washer and the washed. Such an act is
therefore a real opportunity to build a bridge with someone you may have been
struggling with, or to honor someone whom you respect.
When
you come to this service you will have the opportunity to wash and to be washed,
but you may decline either if you wish, without having to offer an explanation.
You will be respected either way.
At
the end of the service, the entire altar is stripped bare and removed, as a
reminder of what we have without Jesus: nothing. We are lost in our sins. The
altar will remain empty, except for the cross, throughout Good Friday and most
of Saturday. The altar will be restored when we celebrate the resurrection
during the Easter Vigil.
Good
Friday - church open for prayer Noon - 3 PM.
The church will be open for prayer from noon until 3PM on Good Friday
afternoon. You may come and pray for as long or short a period as you wish.
There is no formal service, although a Bible will be open on the podium if
anyone wishes to read aloud from it.
Good
Friday - stations of the Cross - 7 PM.
What are the "stations of the cross?"
These are the 14 places/events along Jesus' route to Calvary - from his
condemnation at Pilate's house to his entombment. Pilgrims in the Holy Land
still retrace Jesus' steps; the carvings on the walls of the church represent
this pilgrimage, and there are prayers said at each station as the path that
Jesus trod is remembered. This devotional practice predates the Reformation, so
technically it's neither Roman Catholic nor Protestant, but in practice this is
common in RC churches and pretty rare in Protestant ones. Nevertheless, it is
biblically-based and theologically sound. Even if you=re
a dyed-in-the-wool Protestant, there is nothing improper or unscriptural about
this service. (In fact, we all should pray to get over our fear of worship
styles and traditions from churches other than the one we grew up in. The
important questions to ask are: does it glorify God? Is it consistent with what
He reveals to us in scripture? If the answer to both of these is Ayes,@ you
honor God by your worship - even if you=ve
never worshiped Him that way before.)
Come
and participate. If you are interested, this service begins at 7PM and will go
until about 7:20. It is a moving time of prayer and reflection.
Good
Friday service - 7:30 PM. This
is our major Good Friday service. This is a somber and reflective service that
acknowledges our sinfulness, and the reality that we are lost without Christ and
his sacrifice for us. Only the cross is in front of us during this service. Even
the clergy will be present in street clothes, to symbolize that without the
crucifixion and resurrection there would be no church in which to be ordained.
Saturday
Great Vigil of Easter - DON=T
MISS IT. THIS IS OUR PRIMARY EASTER SERVICE - 7:30 PM.
In the earliest church, Easter celebration began on Saturday night after
dusk (the beginning of Sunday according to Jewish reckoning) and continued all
through the night with prayers for those who were candidates for baptism. At
sunrise on Easter morning those approved during the night were baptized and
allowed to take their first communion.
Easter
services, whether on Saturday night or Sunday morning, are therefore a Acompressed@
version of this long vigil. We will celebrate the Great Vigil on Saturday night
in a service which begins in darkness (signifying the world without the light of
the world, Jesus) and the emerging into bright light, signifying Jesus' triumph
over death. We start a bonfire outside of the church, and carry a burning ember
from it up to the church door. There we light the APaschal
Candle,@
a large candle signifying the Light of Christ.
Each of us has a small, personal candle, which is lighted from this large
candle until the darkened church is ablaze with candlelight.
As
the early church did, we may have people, children and adults, baptized at this
service. There will also be some drama. Watch for it!
This
is a very powerful and thrilling service, and if you've never been to one, don't
miss it. Also, bring bells! These are rung by
everyone in celebration of the resurrection each time the word
"Alleluia" is sung or said. Don=t
forget your bells!
Easter
Sunday Service 9 AM. We will also have Easter Service on Easter morning. It is
not expected that you would go to the Great Vigil and also go to the Sunday
morning service. You may, if you wish, of course, but most folks will choose one
or the other. Bring bells to this service, too!
Love
God, neighbor and enemy. 
SUNDAY SERVICE
10 AM.
Join us!
(Announcements for Sunday service?
Here.)