Years ago, when I was in elementary school, I sang in my church’s children’s choir, in a tiny little town in Colorado. As a member of our small but mighty children’s choir, we sang in the front row of the adult choir every Sunday and every holiday. It gifted me two things that I didn’t appreciate at the time: a front row seat for the happenings of the Eucharist, sitting on level and at least 20 feet closer to the altar than the adult congregation, and the internal expectation that Holy Week was expected attendance. It didn’t even occur to me that you could go from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday without experiencing the gripping saga that was Holy Week. 

A mere 2 chapters of scripture encapsulates 8 days of worship, each with its own bit and back story, each giving a new lens to view the cross and Resurrection. As an adult, I understand the urge to skip the angst and drama, to go from the Hosanna cheers of Palm Sunday to the Alleluia chorus of Easter morning. From high to high, from hope to hope, from joy to joy, the Sundays are a narrative where God makes it all better, while we are sleeping, nonetheless, like some magical Santa or tooth fairy of resurrection and redemption. But that story on its own doesn’t explain why nor does it express my role in any of it. It also doesn’t enlighten or empower my own discipleship.

This year, I invite you warmly, into a front row seat to the unfolding of the definitive story of our faith. Like a child gifted a unique and formative view of the action, participate in the story from a place of openness and curiosity.

HOLY WEEK starts with PALM SUNDAY, this Sunday. Join us at either service, 8am or 10:30am, for a recounting of the joyous parade as Jesus marches into Jerusalem. Sit in reflection as we recount the whole narrative, bringing a crowd from “Hosanna" to “Crucify him.” Between or after services, walk the Stations of Holy Week in the Parish Hall, to interact with the events of the coming week, and the steps that bring us to the sealed tomb.

We rejoin Jesus’ tale on Wednesday, often called “Spy Wednesday,” in the sanctuary at 7:30pm for TENEBRAE, where the betrayal of not only Judas, but of our regular unfaithfulness to God is acknowledged. Through a service of story telling, we consider what brought humanity, to a place where God had to go to extremes to call us back into relationship. The stories we recount are both from scripture and secular sources, giving us space to meditate on what "for God to so love the world" means.

MAUNDY THRUSDAY, the evening that all the trouble unfolds, offers two opportunities to join in reflection and worship. At 5:30pm in the Parish Hall, we offer a casual service, around tables, with dinner, foot washing, and Eucharist, particularly designed with families in mind (inclusive of ages from little on up). 7:30pm in the Sanctuary offers the traditional Maundy Thursday service, with foot washing, Eucharist, and an invitation to watch the stripping of the altar. Maundy Thursday not only features the story of the gift of Communion but also the expectation of servant leadership and the invitation to sit with the God in His time of distress as God has so often sat with us in ours. Following the 7:30pm service, people are invited to the Prayer Room to take one hour to pray with Jesus in our Altar of Repose. All ages are welcome, but we would like at least 2 people for each shift to guarantee a sense of security for participants.

GOOD FRIDAY offers two distinct worship opportunities to remain with Christ. At 12 noon, we offer Stations of the Cross, a summary of events between Jesus’ sentencing and death. We gather in the Sanctuary at 7:30pm to pray and reflect together, and have a time to mediate and pray at the foot of the cross.

Finally we culminate our Holy Week with EASTER DAY. 

THE EASTER VIGIL at 6:30am begins outside at the labyrinth, in the darkness before dawn, as we recount the stories of Salvation and the wonder of an empty tomb.

FAMILY INTERACTIVE Service at 9am with worship props and the children’s choir, is an excellent service for families with young children or people who enjoy celebrating with child-like joy.

Easter Egg Hunt for Good follows immediately following the 9am Family service! Children hunt eggs filled with plastic coins, (coins will be used to vote for one of St. John's eco-project for the Easter season), participate in Easter games in the Parish Hall, and receive a candy filled gift to take home.



TRADITIONAL FESTIVE EASTER Service at 11am with with choir and brass. 

All three services feature different sermons and different reflections of Easter joy, come to one, or come to more!

Holy Week is not only holy because of what God is doing but also how we see ourselves reflected within the stories of it. Come and see where God is, where your story meets God’s, and where you are called to live into the Resurrected life of Christ because of it.

In Christ,

Mo. Shivaun