March 21, 2024

Fr. Birch

Holy Week is upon us, which means it’s time for some annual reminders and one NEW THING 

On Palm Sunday the 8:00 service will be in the church as usual, where we will “process in place.” The 10:30 service, weather permitting, will begin at the lich gate and the procession of palms will move from there into the church. I AM STILL LOOKING FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN READING A PART IN THE PASSION NARRATIVE AT THE 10:30 SERVICE. Please let me (Fr. B+) know if you would like to help. 

The services of Holy Eucharist on Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday will be brief, simple services with Communion around the altar. 

The Wednesday Tenebrae service is beautiful, but rarely held service of shadows and darkness. It includes no sermon, but rather a series of nocturns (quiet responsive psalms and lessons with congregational responsories) interspersed with the extinguishing of candles. The version we use is greatly shortened from the traditional monastic form. 

Maundy Thursday will bring the NEW THING – a simple bread and soup supper at 6:00 provided by our Vestry. At 7:00 the Triduum begins as we mark Jesus’ final moments with his friends in the washing of feet, the sharing of his Body, and the commandment to love one another. This first movement of the Triduum ends with the stripping of the altar and the removal of the Elements to a chapel of repose, where we will keep watch as we wait for the second chapter to begin. 

On Good Friday the service continues as we hear the Passion, pray the Solemn Collects, and gather at the cross to share Christ’s Body, broken for us. 

The liturgy concludes at twilight (8:07 pm) on Saturday. As the long Sabbath ends, the eighth day of creation begins with the kindling of Pascal fire of the Great Vigil of Easter, the retelling of the history of salvation, and the celebration of the Resurrection of our crucified Savior as all creation sings Exultet! (Rejoice!) 

I hope that in this week ahead, we will all be able to step out of the busyness and anxiety of the world and into the living water of the Church’s celebration of those mighty acts by which God has given us life and immortality.