“Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” John 12:23

Dear Friends:

Today is the second day of spring. The government offices and schools are closed. It’s snowing! God is always searching for ways to enter into our lives, surprising us with the unexpected that we may take notice of God’s good work among us, with us and through us. And, while it’s unlikely we’ll be snowed in for very long, this gentle nudge from God is truly a vivid reminder of the importance of paying attention to God. Holy Week begins next Sunday March 25 with Palm Sunday at 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. worship. Respond to God who bursts into our lives, calls us to attention with a message of bold love revealed through God’s incarnation as the Christ, loving us so that he is willing to suffer and die for us before gloriously risen from the dead. Be surprised by God’s passionate presence in our lives by participating in Holy Week worship offerings.

Holy Week has been celebrated since the first Christians journeyed to Jerusalem honoring Jesus journeying to Jerusalem in the first century. Later as Christianity became legal, Holy Week developed with more clarity under Bishop Cyril of Jerusalem as churches were planted throughout. Symbolic remembrances, such as the Stations of the Cross, were incorporated into Holy Week during the Middle Ages. Through this period of piety faithful communities were known to carry a coffin into Good Friday worship. Today, during the 7:00 p.m. Good Friday worship, we remember Jesus’ suffering for us as a huge, hefty cross is carried into worship. As the Reformation came along, much of the austere pious ritual vanished but the theology of the cross as a sign of Christianity remained and remains to this day. We journey through Holy Week not just to commemorate Jesus’ journey to the cross. We journey through Holy Week to draw closer to the pain and sacrifice Christ made for us, in his love for us. We journey through Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Eve, caught up in the divine mystery of Christ with us in his death and resurrection. We celebrate Easter with a glory like no other as Christ is raised from the dead, that we may live in the newness of life given to us in Christ. Come, walk through Holy Week, and your Easter will illumine the great glory of God in Christ like never before.

Palm Sunday typically begins with anticipation and triumph as we wave our palms and cry out, “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Hosanna means, “save us”. We hail our savior born among us and now ready to die for us that we may be saved, found forgiven and free in God. Palm Sunday is a roller coaster ride. As it begins high with celebration the passion narrative is read, revealing the truth of our human condition as we easily cry out, “crucify him” sending Jesus to his unjustified death. Our hearts sink as Jesus is tried, convicted, humiliated, mocked, hung upon the cross as Jesus cries out, “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” We exit worship in silence with the weight of Jesus’ death upon our shoulders holding close in our hearts the believing words of the centurion soldier, “Truly this man was a son of God.”

Monday is a quiet day of Prayer. All are invited to take time throughout the day. Our Book of Common Payer is an excellent resource for prayers. Consider praying the prayers beginning on page 814. Or, simply ponder this prayer: God of love, my prayer is simple: Your son, Jesus, suffered and died for me. I know only that I cannot have real strength unless I rely on you. I cannot feel protected from my many weaknesses until I turn to you for forgiveness and your unalterable love. Help me to share this strength, protection and love with others. Amen.

Tuesday we’ve marked as a day to help others as we remember Christ’s call to love our neighbors. Help out with the Food Pantry anytime during Tuesday. Ask Sally Savas, Food Pantry queen, to lead you. Also, bring Food4Thought food items. Bring your kids to bounce in the bounce house from 10:00 – 2:00 as a sign that in serving others, we find joy.

Wednesday at 7:00 a.m. in the chapel we’ll gather for Holy Eucharist, a meal that feeds us and strengthens us to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world.

Thursday begins the Triduum, the final three days of Holy Week. We’ll gather at 6:00 p.m. for an agape feast remembering that among Jesus’ final teaching he commanded that we are to “love God and love one another”. We re-enact Christ’s humble love in 7:00 p.m. worship with Foot Washing, sharing in the final Lord’s Supper until Easter and the stripping of the altar as a sign of Christ being stripped away into imprisonment and to his death.

Friday at 7:00 a.m., noon and 7:00 p.m. we read “The Solemn Collects” and pray for the world that in Christ all are delivered from sin, and heirs of everlasting life. During the noon worship we pray for every person by name who participates in the life of Epiphany. In the evening we’re blessed with Jiji’s accompaniment as we sing.

Saturday morning at 9:00 we’ll gather with the Altar Guild for brief prayers as they begin the rumblings of setting up for Easter. The Children, Youth and Family Ministries team is hosting an Easter Egg hunt and a creative, interactive Stations of Holy Week in the worship space. At 7:00 p.m. in the parking lot with Scout Troop 1257, we’ll begin the Easter Vigil. We light a candle of Christ’s light with us from a roaring fire and remember the Paschal feast, the Passover of our Lord in which God passes over death to the victory of everlasting life. As we once again hear our salvation story as told in scripture, Easter is hailing in as lights ablaze. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Sunday at 8:30 a.m., Rite II with music, 10:00 a.m. with the Praise Band, and 5:30 p.m. Celtic Worship with sacred music, Easter is here! The Lord is Risen! The Lord is risen indeed!!! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 10:00 a.m. Easter worship is particularly joyous as we welcome the newest member into the body of Christ through baptism, Mary Michael Thomas, newborn daughter to Kate and Rob Thomas!

As you can imagine, Holy Week requires all hands on deck. In obedience to our Lord on his journey to the cross and his resurrection, we ask that no meetings are held other than worship meetings and meetings that prepare for Easter. At the same time, should you wish to serve as a worship leader during Holy Week, please let Richard Durkin (macdurk@gmail.com) or me (clergy@epiphanyec.org) know. More readers for the Palm Sunday Passion reading are more than welcome. Then, we’re training readers and Lay Eucharistic Ministers on Palm Sunday immediately following worship. If you’re able to serve Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday, please, let us know!!!

Finally, good friends, we travel through Holy Week as a reminder that all that we are and all that we have is from our God in Christ who, because of his love for us, came, lived among us, died for us and then, miraculously rose from the dead that we may be made free, in him, who saves us. So, we come. We journey. We walk along this Holy Week and we celebrate on Easter Sunday because, we are Easter people. We are resurrected people in Christ Jesus. Come, together, let’s journey and give thanks that we are alive in God in Christ.

Many Blessings,

Hillary