Greetings, Trinitarians!
I'm writing today with an invitation to our Holy Week services. Whether you are new, or you've been at Trinity for many years, Holy Week offers a profound opportunity to meet God.
The basic idea is that we follow closely the story of Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, from his arrival on Palm Sunday, through the activities of the week, culminating in his death and resurrection. Each service highlights a different aspect of the story, and offers a different mode of engagement. The tangibility of these services makes them especially engaging for children.
In this e-mail, I'll briefly outline each service.
Palm Sunday (10AM)
On Palm Sunday, we remember the crowd that went with Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. Waving palms and singing hymns in procession, we join in the joyful declaration of Jesus as the returning king. But there is also a profound irony here, as we who shout "Hosanna" on Palm Sunday will very soon say "Crucify" on Good Friday. We'll also have a potluck lunch after this service.
Holy Monday (6PM)
On Holy Monday, we remember Jesus cleansing the Temple in Jerusalem by driving out the moneychangers. Because we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit, we also use this service as an opportunity to cleanse our souls, through repentance and forgiveness. In this service, we write our sins on pieces of paper and then burn them, to symbolize the forgiveness we have in Christ.
Holy Tuesday (6PM)
On Holy Tuesday, we remember Jesus' teaching in the Temple after he had cleansed it. This service takes the form of "Lessons & Carols" (and no sermon), with multiple readings from Jesus' dramatic teaching, paired with fitting hymns for Holy Week.
Holy Wednesday (6PM)
On Holy Wednesday, we remember the woman at Bethany who anointed Jesus with a costly oil, as contrasted with Judas, who sold out Jesus for merely 30 pieces of silver. This service gives us an opportunity to reflect on our own priorities, and also features an opportunity for prayer and anointing with oil.
Maundy Thursday (6PM)
On Maundy Thursday, we remember the Last Supper, including both foot washing and communion. At the end of the service, we strip back the altar and recreate the garden of gethsemane, preparing for the night vigil and Jesus' final consecration of himself to his calling. For some, this is the most powerful service of the year
Overnight Vigil (8PM - 8AM)
After the Maundy Thursday service and through the night, volunteers take a one-hour slot to "watch and pray" according to Jesus' command. This is a powerful opportunity to pray and meet Jesus in a deeply personal way.
Good Friday: Stations of the Cross (11AM)
On Good Friday, we gather at 11AM for a reflective journey to the cross, held outside if weather permits. This year, for the first time, the children of the parish will join the journey and help us to act out some of the scenes.
Good Friday: Seven Last Words (12PM)
At noon on good Friday, we hold a special service in which we remember Jesus' seven statements from the cross. Our Vestry members give short reflections on each statement, and then put out one of seven candles. When the last candle goes out, we observe a minute of silence, and then conclude with a reflection on the cross. This is a somber service, and deeply powerful.
Easter Sunrise (6:30AM)
For those who like to get up early, we hold an Easter Sunrise service outside, with a fire to mark the triumph of Jesus as the light of the world. The music and readings are simplified, but we do receive communion. Some attend only this service, and others come to both this and the 10AM service.
Easter Sunday (10AM)
This is the triumphant service in which we celebrate Jesus' victory over death. It features a baptismal remembrance, the flowering of the cross, and lots of wonderful music. After the service, there is an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids. There is no lunch after this service.
Living Stones Update #4
A lot of work is going into the south wall of the family center (exterior visible from the deck). When we took off the brick, we found some water damage around the windows. So we took out the affected materials and put in a new exterior wrap. The next step is cutting and framing on the wall from the interior, to fit the new door and window arrangement. The electrician and HVAC guys will also do work in this phase. So we are making good progress. Thanks as always to Bill Cober as our project manager and Walter Arceneaux as our general contractor.
In Christ -
Peter
I'm writing today with an invitation to our Holy Week services. Whether you are new, or you've been at Trinity for many years, Holy Week offers a profound opportunity to meet God.
The basic idea is that we follow closely the story of Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, from his arrival on Palm Sunday, through the activities of the week, culminating in his death and resurrection. Each service highlights a different aspect of the story, and offers a different mode of engagement. The tangibility of these services makes them especially engaging for children.
In this e-mail, I'll briefly outline each service.
Palm Sunday (10AM)
On Palm Sunday, we remember the crowd that went with Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. Waving palms and singing hymns in procession, we join in the joyful declaration of Jesus as the returning king. But there is also a profound irony here, as we who shout "Hosanna" on Palm Sunday will very soon say "Crucify" on Good Friday. We'll also have a potluck lunch after this service.
Holy Monday (6PM)
On Holy Monday, we remember Jesus cleansing the Temple in Jerusalem by driving out the moneychangers. Because we are now the temple of the Holy Spirit, we also use this service as an opportunity to cleanse our souls, through repentance and forgiveness. In this service, we write our sins on pieces of paper and then burn them, to symbolize the forgiveness we have in Christ.
Holy Tuesday (6PM)
On Holy Tuesday, we remember Jesus' teaching in the Temple after he had cleansed it. This service takes the form of "Lessons & Carols" (and no sermon), with multiple readings from Jesus' dramatic teaching, paired with fitting hymns for Holy Week.
Holy Wednesday (6PM)
On Holy Wednesday, we remember the woman at Bethany who anointed Jesus with a costly oil, as contrasted with Judas, who sold out Jesus for merely 30 pieces of silver. This service gives us an opportunity to reflect on our own priorities, and also features an opportunity for prayer and anointing with oil.
Maundy Thursday (6PM)
On Maundy Thursday, we remember the Last Supper, including both foot washing and communion. At the end of the service, we strip back the altar and recreate the garden of gethsemane, preparing for the night vigil and Jesus' final consecration of himself to his calling. For some, this is the most powerful service of the year
Overnight Vigil (8PM - 8AM)
After the Maundy Thursday service and through the night, volunteers take a one-hour slot to "watch and pray" according to Jesus' command. This is a powerful opportunity to pray and meet Jesus in a deeply personal way.
Good Friday: Stations of the Cross (11AM)
On Good Friday, we gather at 11AM for a reflective journey to the cross, held outside if weather permits. This year, for the first time, the children of the parish will join the journey and help us to act out some of the scenes.
Good Friday: Seven Last Words (12PM)
At noon on good Friday, we hold a special service in which we remember Jesus' seven statements from the cross. Our Vestry members give short reflections on each statement, and then put out one of seven candles. When the last candle goes out, we observe a minute of silence, and then conclude with a reflection on the cross. This is a somber service, and deeply powerful.
Easter Sunrise (6:30AM)
For those who like to get up early, we hold an Easter Sunrise service outside, with a fire to mark the triumph of Jesus as the light of the world. The music and readings are simplified, but we do receive communion. Some attend only this service, and others come to both this and the 10AM service.
Easter Sunday (10AM)
This is the triumphant service in which we celebrate Jesus' victory over death. It features a baptismal remembrance, the flowering of the cross, and lots of wonderful music. After the service, there is an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids. There is no lunch after this service.
Living Stones Update #4
A lot of work is going into the south wall of the family center (exterior visible from the deck). When we took off the brick, we found some water damage around the windows. So we took out the affected materials and put in a new exterior wrap. The next step is cutting and framing on the wall from the interior, to fit the new door and window arrangement. The electrician and HVAC guys will also do work in this phase. So we are making good progress. Thanks as always to Bill Cober as our project manager and Walter Arceneaux as our general contractor.
In Christ -
Peter
Recent
Archive
2025
2024
February
September
October
2023
January
June
2022
October
Categories
no categories