HOLY WEEK & EASTER AT ST. ALBAN’S

Holy Week is almost here! We have rich and full week of worship planned for the St. Alban’s community. If you have been wondering about any of our worship offerings, take a look below. I am sharing some details and background information about each of services. I hope this information will guide you and help you know what to expect in the days ahead.

For centuries, the week before Easter has served as a special time of devotion for Christians. Holy Week is our annual pilgrimage of following the path of Jesus in his last days. The heart of Holy Week is the Triduum: the great three days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, which culminates with the Great Vigil of Easter that evening. These are days are intended to be spent in quiet reflection and gathering with your church family for worship and prayer. They are central to our faith and they are some of the most beautiful services you will experience all year long. Experiencing as much of Holy Week as possible will make your Easter celebration all the more joyful and meaningful.

April 13 | Palm/Passion Sunday

8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II

9:00 a.m. Palm Cross Workshop and Fellowship for All Ages

10:30 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II

On Palm Sunday, both services will include a procession to commemorate the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem in the days before the Passover celebration. The 8:00am service will gather in the circle drive, weather permitting. For the 10:30 a.m. service, we will gather in the Parish Hall for the short liturgy of the Palms and then process from there to the nave. Those with limited mobility are welcome to stay in the nave during the Palm liturgy and procession.

April 14, 15, & 16 | Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week

12:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II

These simple services in the chapel of our nave are a wonderful way to carve out some prayerful time to prepare our hearts, minds, and souls for the Triduum and Easter. This year, the services will include some time for contemplative prayer and music from the Taize community.

April 17 | Maundy Thursday

7:00 p.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II

On Thursday evening of Holy Week, the Church enters the Triduum together. The word “Maundy” derives from mandatum, meaning “mandate” or “commandment,” in reference to Jesus’ words: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34). After hearing the Word of God, we take up a basin and towel to wash one another’s feet, as Jesus did for his disciples. Then Holy Eucharist is celebrated, remembering Jesus’s institution of the Lord’s Supper on the night before his death. After Communion, the clergy and Altar Guild strip the altar and sanctuary of everything decorative or beautiful. No adornment remains in the nave as we anticipate the pain and anxiety of the forthcoming betrayal. The service has no dismissal. All are invited to remain in the nave for silent prayer for a time.

April 18 | Good Friday

11:30 a.m. Stations of the Cross, outdoors if weather permits

12:00 p.m. Good Friday Service

7:00 p.m. Good Friday Service

At 11:30 on Good Friday, we will gather outside near the SEEDS Garden to observe the Stations of the Cross service on our Prayer Trail. The Stations of the Cross is an ancient liturgy tracing the footsteps of Jesus on his way to the cross. Please be mindful that the terrain of the trail is uneven and may not be well-suited for those with limited mobility. In the event of inclement weather, we will gather in the nave instead of outdoors and make use of our interior Stations from the Holy Land.

The 11:30 a.m. Stations of the Cross walk will lead into the 12:00 p.m. noon Good Friday service. You can come for one or both.

At both noon and 7:00 p.m. on Good Friday, we will gather in the nave to hear the Passion narrative from St. John’s Gospel. We pray at length for all the world’s needs. A large wooden cross is placed in the nave and the congregation is invited to approach it in a spirit of gratitude and veneration, as the means by which God rescued us from sin and death.

April 19 | Holy Saturday

8:00 p.m. Easter Vigil, Holy Eucharist Rite II

Holy Week ends with the Great Vigil of Easter, just after sundown on the Saturday night before Easter. The service will begin in the Memorial Garden (or, in the event of rain, under the belltower) before moving into the nave. Full of anticipation, the congregation gathers in darkness and lights a new fire, to celebrate the light of Christ coming back into the world to defeat death. The paschal candle is lit and the service begins in candlelight with a cantor chanting the Exsultet, a beautiful poem telling the story of resurrection. We then review the history of God’s loving salvation throughout the Bible: creation, the flood, the crossing of the Red Sea. We reaffirm our baptismal vows and renounce evil. We celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter. Then after the service, instead of coffee hour, we enjoy sweet treats and bubbly beverages courtesy of the Ministry of Fun. If you have never attended an Easter Vigil, it is truly an incredible experience not to be missed!

April 20 | Easter Sunday

7:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II

9:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II

10:15 a.m. Children’s Easter Egg Hunt on the playground, weather permitting (rain location: Preschool)

11:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist Rite II

Our Easter celebrations will be beautiful and FULL! We plan to have the Parish Hall set up for overflow during the 9am and 11am services if needed. For those in the nave, please be mindful that we may have large crowds at our 9am and 11am Easter services. Try not to leave any open seats between you and others on your row. Some St. Alban’s parishioners may want to consider opting for the Parish Hall first, as an act of hospitality to leave room in the nave for the many visitors and newcomers who join us on Easter Sunday. Worshipers in the Parish Hall will be able to watch the livestream while and enjoying coffee and having plenty of “wiggle room.” Above all, come with a joyful heart and a welcoming and flexible spirit, for Christ is risen indeed!

Yours in Christ,

Carmen