Holy Week and Easter 2020
Due to the Coronavirus emergency, our celebration of Holy Week and Easter in 2020 is much changed.
We will post pre-recorded audio services for Palm Sunday and Good Friday, with a pre-recorded video for Maundy Thursday and Easter Day. Our goal is to maintain the essential elements of each liturgy. Music will include YouTube recordings of the music our choir had planned to sing.
Palm Sunday, April 5th, 9:30 am
posted online here
Palm Sunday recalls Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem when the crowds stripped palms from the trees to pave his way, in the fulfilment of a messianic expectation that Jesus would free Israel from earthly oppression. This year, Palm Sunday will not be a Eucharist but will retain the essential elements of the blessing of palms, including the dramatic reading of the Passion according to Matthew, Prayers of the People, and ending with the concluding prayers for Palm Sunday.
The Triduum or Great Three Days
Maundy Thursday, April 9th, 7 pm
posted online here
At his final Passover Meal with his disciples, Jesus gave them the commandment “Love one another”! To demonstrate the meaning of this commandment he washed his disciples’ feet. This year we will not be able to have the foot washing ceremony, nor the celebration of the Eucharist. Instead, we will video Linda+ and Mark+ offering an early form of Christian celebration known as the Agape Table Fellowship Meal. This is not a Eucharist. Although the Agape Meal uses bread and wine, these are not consecrated and remain as symbols representing strengthening of bonds and the spirit of harmony and goodwill that embody Jesus’ Great Commandment to love one another.
There will be no Gethsemane Watch this year.
The Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday 7 pm
posted online here
This is a very ancient service comprising beautiful vocal music. It will still contain the singing of the Passion from St. John’s Gospel, the Solemn Collects, and the Veneration of the Cross, however, there will be no administration of Holy Communion from the consecrated elements traditionally reserved from Maundy Thursday through the night Gethsemane Watch into good Friday.
Holy Saturday
There will be no celebration the Great Vigil of Easter
Easter Day, 10 am
The Rector’s Easter Message will be posted here.
