Palm Sunday • Children’s Holy Week Dinner & Experience • Maundy Thursday
Good Friday • Way of the Cross • Great Vigil of Easter
The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday
April 14 at 9:15 and 11:00 AM
Note: There is no 8 AM service.
Our Palm Sunday observance places primary emphasis on the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. We’ll begin in the narthex for the Liturgy of the Palms, singing ‘Hosanna in the highest,’ then move into the nave as cantor and choir chant Psalm 118:19-28 in procession. Once gathered, we’ll sing All glory, laud, and honor as our hymn of praise. Our festive mood begins to wane at the offertory as the choir sings ‘Vexilla regis prodeunt’ from Via Crucis by Franz Liszt, a beautiful setting of the plainchant hymn ‘The royal banners forward go.’ During communion, our mood shifts drastically. In place of the usual post-communion prayer, we’ll say the Collect for Passion Sunday together. In place of the usual closing hymn, the Passion according to Luke will end our liturgy, with verses of the hymn O sacred head sore wounded interspersed throughout. We will depart in quiet.
Children’s Holy Week Dinner & Experience
Wednesday, April 17, 6:15 PM
Offered as part of the Wednesday evening supper and contemplative prayer program.
Our Lent and Holy Week services are powerful rites, layered with deep meaning. They can also be difficult for children to understand, sit through, or enter into. You’re invited to bring your young ones for dinner at 6:15 PM, followed at 6:35 PM by time with Katherine+ specially designed for children to hear the Holy Week story, ask questions, and understand more of this without the challenge of sitting quietly in the pews. Please contact us by April 12 if your family plans to attend so we can ensure ample food and service learning aids; also, let us know if you need a gluten- or dairy-free dinner option.
The Three Holy Days: The Triduum
Three holy days enfold us now in washing feet and breaking bread in cross and font and life renewed in Christ, God’s firstborn from the dead.
Maundy Thursday
April 18 at 7:00 PM
This liturgy includes foot-washing and a remembering of the first Eucharist. We don’t use bulletins, but allow clergy and choir, together with word and song, to guide our liturgical journey. We’ll recall and fulfill Jesus’ mandate to wash each other’s feet, sing Where true charity and love dwell, hear the story of the first Passover, share bread and wine, and sing Jesus’ words to the disciples, Stay here and keep watch with me, as the altar is stripped.
Good Friday
April 19 at 12:00 Noon
In this Prayer Book liturgy, we’ll hear the Passion according to John, pray, recite the solemn reproaches, and sing Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Way of the Cross
April 19 at 7:00 PM
You are invited to walk the Way of the Cross on Good Friday at 7:00 PM. This service is a careful blending of the Stations of the Cross and Tenebrae services, both found in the Book of Occasional Services. Readings from the Passion narrative are combined with deepening darkness while a chamber choir offers choral reflections periodically; hymns and Psalms are sung.
The Great Vigil of Easter
April 20 at 8:00 PM
Ancient stories told in new ways—song, word, drama—recalling God’s saving acts; we will renew our baptismal covenant.
For additional information about any of the above services, please phone us at 425-392-3215 or email us.
