Easter Photos with thanks to Carolyn Ellis

Holy Week Reader Assignments:

Maundy Thursday Service:

First Lesson: Linda Bryant
Psalm: Ben Garza
Epistle: James Fairleigh
Prayers of the People: Pat Mills
Psalm 22: Mary Morrison

Good Friday Noon Service:
Attendees.

Good Friday 7:00 PM Service:

First Station: Old Testament - Ella Tweedie
Second Station: 
Third Station: Passion of John -
Fourth Station: Evangelist - Pat Mills
Fifth Station: Meditation, Jesus - Billy Tweedie
Sixth Station: Pilate -  Artist or volunteer
Seventh Station: Woman - Nadine Gordon
Eighth Station: Peter
Ninth Station: Slave
Tenth Station: Priests, Police, Women, Men, Soldiers -

Holy Saturday: 10:00 am
Attendees 

Speaking Episcopalian For Holy Week 

Since at least the fourth century, religious pilgrims have observed the week before Easter Sunday as a special time for reflection, devotion and visiting holy places. In the Western Church, that includes several services that commemorate the last week of Christ’s earthly life, and we observe those services here in our own congregation.

Palm Sunday begins Holy Week, we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we humble ourselves on Maundy Thursday, sorrow in the desolation of Good Friday and wait throughout Holy Saturday for a joyous Resurrection. The Book of Common Prayer provides liturgies for all seven days of Holy Week. (BCP 270-295.

Palm Sunday: (April 9th) This day is also called “Passion Sunday.”  In our neighborhood, it is often referred to as “The Sunday that the crazy Episcopalians raise a big racket.” It memorializes the triumphal entry of Jesus and his disciples into Jerusalem, with Jesus riding upon a donkey. We have everything except the donkey, so far, but we’re working on that.

The disciples untethered the donkey and her foal, brought them to Jesus, and he entered the city to cries of “Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Our procession begins over by the thrift shop area, complete with palm fronds waving and music, and heads toward the church.

The Passion Liturgy includes special readings with the character parts read by various readers.
Services at 8:30 am and 10:00 am

Maundy Thursday: April 13th)  There's a lot to unpack about Maundy Thursday. For one thing, what does “Maundy” mean anyway?  It comes from Latin, meaning mandatum novum or “new commandment.”  Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, whose feet must have been really dirty. They’d been on the road to Jerusalem, and the facilities couldn’t have been great. Of course, they balked, because usually, slaves washed feet. They didn't want their Lord washing their feet.

Jesus wasn’t having it, though. He informed the disciples that unless they allowed him to humble himself, they would have no part with him, and he washed their feet. That was new. But that wasn’t all.

He instituted the Eucharist, giving us the new and second great sacrament of the church. They couldn't have understood the import of his words:

            This is my body.

            This is my blood.

            For this is the blood of the covenant

            Poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

An important meal.  And then, a new commandment according to John 13:34 is, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.” 

The love that Jesus invoked was agape love, the love of friends for each other, and at 6:00 pm, on Thursday evening we will celebrate that very kind of love. We'll share the Agape Meal in the Narthex. This celebration has quickly become a new tradition before we enter into the Maundy Thursday service.

At the end of our service, the church is darkened, and the altar is stripped. The congregation leaves in silence.
Service at 7:00 pm

Good Friday: (April 14) The Friday before Easter commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. It may be a day of fasting.  A morning liturgy that includes John’s account of the Passion gospel and solemn collects is provided It usually includes a simple veneration of the cross. There is no Eucharist.

These services will focus on the Stations of the Cross, orThe Way of the Cross as it sometimes known. Members have donated their own works of art memorializing the  Scriptural Stations of the Cross, and they will be displayed at these services. This exquisite piece of art by Jackie Richter is the Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross:

Good Friday Services are at noon and 7:00 pm

Holy Saturday:(April 15)  The Saturday after Good Friday is a time for reflection and prayer. The sacrament of reconciliation may be offered in some congregations. It commemorates the day when the crucified Christ descended to the dead, while his body remained in the tomb. There is no Eucharist, but The Book of Common Prayer provides a simple morning liturgy (BCP 283).. Holy Saturday ends at sundown after the Jewish practice, and all fasting and other practices end then.

Please see Mother Kelly Jenning's message in MidWeek regarding the Rite of Reconciliation.
Service at 10:00 am

References:

Armentrout, D.S., Slocum, R.B., Eds. An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

The Book of Common Prayer, The Seabury Press,

The New Jerusalem Bible, Doubleday, NY, NY
Wall, J.N., A Dictionary for Episcopalian
Wolsey, Roger Patheos, March 24, 2016

The Girl's Got Rhythm!
We've never accused our Lana Beyer of being shy, and that's a very good thing for this great and very diverse group of kids, when they get together to celebrate diversity and colors, as she led them in a dance.

From The Episcopal Cafe, Speaking to the Soul 

The Other Father - On the Feast of St. Joseph

by Sarah Brock

Today’s Readings for the Feast of Saint Joseph
AM  Psalm 132; Isaiah 63:7-16
PM  Psalm 34; 2 Chronicles 6:12-17; Ephesians 3:14-21

Matthew 1:18-25

I wonder if sometimes we give Joseph the short end of the stick. We don’t really know all that much about him, our information coming primarily from the birth narratives of Jesus. I know I tend to focus mostly on the Blessed Virgin Mary and baby Jesus during the seasons of Advent and Christmas. In fact, I can’t say I’ve ever really thought much about Joseph at all. Have you?

 And yet, here we have a man who must have had a great deal of influence in the early years of Jesus’ life. While Joseph may not be a prominent figure through the Gospels, he is clearly an enduring presence for his son. We see this in the ways that Jesus uses imagery of a loving father to talk about God, most likely a projection of his experience of the fatherhood of Joseph. Presumably, it’s in his own home that he first learned the meaning of father.

 What strikes me most about Joseph, however, is not the seemingly quiet, consistent influence he held in shaping and forming Jesus. But rather, the way he chooses to trust God from the very beginning. Joseph is initially inclined to stay within the expectations of his society. When he learns of Mary’s pregnancy, in which he had no part, his makes plans to dismiss her. Quietly, with compassion, but stern rejection nonetheless. Mary’s pregnancy tarnishes her reputation making her something of an outcast, someone to avoid engaging. Then, just as his mind is made up, an angel appears in his dream with instructions which Joseph chooses to follow.

Joseph listens to the angel and takes Mary, a woman he should reject, as his wife. He offers her protection from disgrace and scandal. He becomes a father to her child, Jesus. He takes up his own role in the birth of Jesus, the incarnation of God.

Joseph causes me to wonder. How do I allow our society to dictate who I do and do not engage in relationship? Who do I reject on the basis of the expectations of my peers? How do I distance myself from or even prevent moments of birthing God into the world?

This week, Joseph is a reminder of what can happen when we open our lives up to the Divine. He is a reminder to look past the judgments society passes on an individual.

Joseph is a reminder that we can all participate in birthing Christ into the world.

Sarah Brock is becoming a postulant in the Diocese of Massachusetts and lives in Boston.

Image Credit: My own. Olive wood carving of Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus.

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Kids, Pancakes & Mardi Gras...

Oh, and a Big Birthday, Too!

 Amity says, "Balloons make me so happy."

Who is that young lady? I'll bet I know.

 Here is our birthday young man -- Vitaly!

Annie is fine tuning her cupcake techniques.

 Annie seems to think that big guy Vitaly is a cupcake expert.

There is just nothing scary about Miss Lillian, even with a mask. ;-)

Breaking News Alert!

How many times have we said, "We need some signs, so that people will know that we're a church, and we're here?"  Well guess what -- the signs are starting to arrive, and they are great. Thanks to the efforts of Jo Wicker, coordinating with Michael Paulsen, several signs have gone up today.
Take a look!

There are several, clearly visible from the street, and more signage is yet to come. When you see Jo and Michael, be sure to thank them for their efforts. Letting people know who and where we are is an important part of our witness in the neighborhood.