Dear Redeemer Faithful,

As we approach the holiest time of the year, we invite you to join us in celebrating Palm Sunday and Holy Week services. These services offer a time for reflection, contemplation, and an opportunity to renew our faith.

On Palm Sunday at the 8:00am and 10:00am services we will commemorate Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. This day marks the beginning of Holy Week, which culminates in the celebration of Easter Sunday. As we gather together, we will wave palm branches and sing praises to our Lord, remembering the joyous occasion of Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem. However, the service will shift markedly with the reading of the Palm Gospel, the ironic conclusion of a service that began with joy and wonder. At 5:00pm, Choral Evensong will reflect on this most auspicious of days in the Christian calendar.

Throughout Holy Week, we will follow Jesus’ journey to the cross, from the Last Supper, to his arrest, trial, and ultimately his crucifixion. Through these services, we will remember the profound sacrifice that Jesus made for us and the magnitude of his love.

On Holy Thursday, April 6th at 7:30pm, we will gather to celebrate the institution of the Eucharist, a reminder of Jesus’ sacrifice for us and the power of his love. We will wash each other's feet as a symbol of our commitment to serve one another, just as Jesus did for his disciples. We will witness the Stripping of the Altar as an act of solidarity with Christ’s trial and suffering.

On Good Friday, April 7th, we will remember the pain and suffering of Jesus’ crucifixion, and we will mourn his death. We will reflect on the darkness of sin and the weight of our own human brokenness, but also on the hope that his sacrifice brings. Our traditional service of Solemn Collects will take place at noon with a Children’s Stations of the Cross at 5:00pm. The evening of Good Friday will be commemorated by our second annual Service of Shadows at 7:30pm. This dark mirror of Advent and Christmas Lessons and Carols will mark the solemnity of the day and the quiet of the tomb.

On Holy Saturday, April 8th at 10:00am, Barrie Rose Bliss will lead a solemn meditative walk through the Houghton Garden. As Jesus’ body lay within a garden tomb, Houghton Garden provides a quiet and contemplative landscape to ponder the death of Christ.

We encourage all members of our parish to attend these services and to invite friends and family to join us. These services are a time for us to come together in community, to strengthen our faith, and to grow closer to God.

Please join us as we journey together through Holy Week and celebrate the hope and joy of Easter Sunday. We look forward to seeing you at our services.

In Christ,

Mike+