Lent to Easter

Our spring-like weather beginning in February has confused some of us looking at the calendar. It is only the fourth week in Lent and we have flowers and daffodils blooming everywhere along with 75-80 degree temperatures, and Lent is early this year. 

We continue with our Lenten Worship Services on Wednesdays at noon and 7 pm on March 9 and 16. We also have dinners on those Wednesdays at 5:45 pm (15 minutes earlier so the handbells can get to rehearsal).  We will have two more Friday noon Meditations on the Stations of the Cross, led by Rev. Lorrel Strom-Jensen, March 11 and 18.

Holy Week Schedule

• March 20 -- Palm/Passion Sunday -- worship at 8:30 and 11:00 am with the reading of the Passion according to St. Luke.
• March 24 -- Maundy Thursday -- worship at 12:00 noon (Holy Communion) and 7:00 pm (Holy Communion and Washing of the Feet)
• March 25 -- Good Friday -- worship at 12:00 noon ("The Way of the Cross" using the stations of the cross in the meditations) and 7:00 pm (Tenebrae service)
• March 26 -- Holy Saturday -- Vigil of Easter at 7:00 pm 
• Sunday, March 27 -- EASTER! -- Services are at 8:30 and 11:00 am. We have an Easter Breakfast at 9:30 am in Trinity Hall and an Easter Egg Hunt for children at 10:15 am. Bring a basket for the egg hunt. Flowers can be brought to decorate the   Easter Cross.

The Paschal Triduum

The three evening services in Holy Week (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Vigil of Easter) are the Paschal Triduum, and we experience them as one celebration marking the central events of the Christian faith.

On Maundy Thursday, the disciplines of Lent are concluded with a remembrance of the New Command to love one another as Christ loves us. This is demonstrated by washing the feet of a selected number of people. As this was the night Jesus instituted the Holy Communion at the Passover meal with his disciples, we come to the Lord's Table. This first day's worship concludes with the stripping of the altar. Symbolically, Christ now stripped of his power and glory, is in the hands of his captors.

On Good Friday, the baptized who could not watch with Jesus one hour in Gethsemane, fled from the Place of the Skull. Come to hear the story of our disobedience and Christ's obedience even unto death for our benefit. This is done by reading the Passion. By grace we are given the gift of laying our burdens down at the foot of the cross.

Neither Maundy Thursday nor the Good Friday liturgy ends with a benediction. As the benediction ("good word" from our God) concludes the worship; it is reserved for the end of the Vigil of Easter.

The Vigil of Easter is the earliest form of Easter worship in the church. Gathering in the darkness of sin and death, the church marks the gift of light at creation and in readings marks the mighty acts of salvation that bring us to the new creation in Christ, the light of the world. This new life of the resurrection is then celebrated in remembrance of the Holy Bath of Baptism and the foretaste of the heavenly banquet at Holy Communion. The three-day service is concluded with the benediction. 

Easter is a joyful celebration of music and words as we shout - "He is Risen -- He is Risen Indeed!" Our 8:30 and 11:00 am services welcome all to worship. There will be an Easter Breakfast beginning at 9:30 in Trinity Hall to share in fellowship with others. Children are invited to bring a basket and participate in the Easter Egg Hunt which begins at 10:15 am.