Dear Christ Church,
This Sunday we enter Holy Week.
This is the week where we walk daily with Jesus towards his cross and resurrection. Every year during this week I slow down and imagine myself entering the story. In my imagination, I’m part of the crowd waving palm branches on Sunday with my own hopes about what I think Jesus might do for me. By Thursday, I’m in an upper room sitting near a table hearing the sound of water poured over my companions’ feet. Friday I walk furtively with others to the cross, noticing only Mary Magdalene and Mary the Mother of Jesus are brave enough to endure his death. On Easter morning, I’m huddled with other disciples hearing rumors that something has happened at the tomb.
Our Anglican heritage has daily prayers for each day of Holy Week to help us enter the week. And we will have many opportunities to worship, slowing down and entering the story together.
Palm Sunday
Arrive early to either service and join us in the backyard before the service begins. We will process into the sanctuary shouting our hosannas and waving our palm branches. Guest preacher, James K. A. Smith who has written on following Jesus, politics, and love of neighbor, will help us reflect on the kingship of Jesus.
Maundy Thursday
We will have a joint worship service at Church of the Cross at 6:30pm. The word “Maundy” derives from the word “mandate.” Just after washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus instructs them, “A new mandate I give you, love one another.” We’ll enact this mandate through giving and receiving foot washing and then watching as the altar is stripped for Good Friday. Register for childcare here.
Good Friday
Worship at one of our Good Friday services–a noon service that is family-friendly with a short homily and a 7pm service that we describe as “PG-13.” The evening service has testimony from seven parishioners as they take the last words of Jesus weaving his words with their own stories of pain and suffering. This is an incredibly powerful service but one which we encourage parents to use discretion for bringing children; the content is beautiful and raw. We will live stream the 7pm service in real time but it will not be posted later on Youtube. These are different services so choose the one that works best for you or your family.
Praying alongside you as we enter this week,
Matt+