Dear Christ Church,
If the essence of the Christian life is to be united with Christ (which it is), then Holy Week is the most crucial week of the church year. This is the week that we walk with Jesus in real time, day by day participating in the week of his Passion, beginning with Palm Sunday. Join us this Sunday as we gather in the church’s “backyard” to begin our palm-waving procession into worship, mirroring Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem and to the cross. Then walk with us through the rest of the week in the following services (and check out this information page for more details).
Wednesday: We’ll gather for one last noonday Eucharist at 12:30pm, with doors open at noon for quiet meditation.
Thursday: Maundy Thursday commemorates Jesus’ washing of the disciples feet and his mandate (from which comes the word “Maundy”) to remember him in the holy meal of bread and wine. This will be a joint service at 7pm with Church of the Cross, our daughter church planted seven years ago.
Friday: Join us for our evening Good Friday service (7pm), which is for many people the most cherished and meaningful service of the year as seven parishioners share vulnerably about their own lives through the prism of Jesus’ last words from the cross. This is always a standing-room-only service . . . so come early to get a seat! It will also be livestreamed, but only available live, not recorded for later viewing. Childcare registration is here, and keep in mind that content of the service and testimonies might be “PG-13” as you consider your evening plans.
This year we are also doing a noonday Good Friday service from the Book of Common Prayer, a rich liturgy commemorating the hour Jesus hung upon the cross. (Pro tip: if you’ve never been to our evening Good Friday service, you’ll want to go to that one. It is an evening that embodies some of our most dearly held values as a congregation.)
Sunday: We will celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection in three services: 7:30am, 9am, 11am. And if you have any cut flowers to bring, you’ll get to add to the beauty of our flowering cross!
Lastly, head over to this page to dedicate an Easter lily to celebrate, honor, or express thanksgiving for someone in your life, or in memory of someone who might now be with the Lord!
Peace,
Cliff+