Holy Week at Redeemer
Holy Week at Redeemer:
Maundy Thursday—7PM
The Paschal mystery—the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—is at the heart of the Christian Gospel. The evening of Maundy Thursday begins the Triduum (the sacred three days). This service, together with Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and The Great Vigil of Easter (which, because of our recent move we will not practice this year), form a single liturgy.
Maundy Thursday receives its name from the mandatum (commandment) given by our Lord: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34). At the Last Supper, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and commanded them to love and serve one another as he had done. This day commemorates the Lord’s example of servant ministry, the institution of the Eucharist, the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal leading to the crucifixion.
Good Friday—7PM
The Good Friday liturgy is the second part of the Triduum (the sacred three days). This most somber of all days is appropriately marked by fasting, abstinence, and penitence, leading us to focus on Jesus and the meaning of his Cross. Some churches do not use musical instruments or bells on this day. The church is darkened. The bare, stark appearance of the church serves as a reminder of the solemnity and the sorrow of the day. The Lord of Life was rejected, mocked, scourged, and then put to death on the Cross. We’re reminded of the role which our own sin played in this suffering and agony, as Christ took all sin upon himself, in obedience to his Father’s will. By the Cross we are redeemed, set free from bondage to sin and death. The Cross is a sign of God’s never-ending love for us. It is a sign of life, in the midst of death.
Holy Saturday—Noon
The Holy Saturday liturgy is the first part of the third sacred day of the Triduum. Holy Saturday is a brief service of quiet watching and waiting patterned in part after Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” sitting quietly opposite Jesus’ tomb when the others had gone (Matthew 27:61).
Easter Sunday—10AM
The celebration of the great mystery and central reality of the Scriptures; that Jesus Christ is, in fact, risen from the dead. Conquering death and the grave, he rose on the third day and as a result, the Kingdom of the heavens is opened to anyone and everyone who will believe. Thanks be to God!
Easter Lilies
Help beautify our Sanctuary and Lobby Sunday by helping provide—loan, actually—Easter Lilies. Simply drop them by 10AM-2PM Holy Saturday (maybe when you come to the service!), or beforehand on Easter Day, and take them home with you after the service to enjoy.
Parking on Sunday
Our hope is to repave our parking lot later this spring or summer. Till then, the lot will be unstriped, making parking a little more of a cooperative effort. We own the parking area in front of the house (behind the Sanctuary), so if you park there, please park head-in only, in order, leaving a normal amount of space between cars. There’s also parallel parking on the north side of Park Lane (the street next to the Sanctuary), but PLEASE do not park on the neighbor’s lawns (they’ve both offered and caveated;-). If you plan to park in the lot, please park head-in, filling the perimeter first. We will have an attendant in the lot to assist.
Photo: Wesley Tingey on Unsplash
