Holy Week

8 a.m. Spoken Holy Eucharist
10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Palm Procession and donkey

At the 8 a.m. service, we will read the Liturgy of the Palms and read the Passion in parts.

For the 10 a.m. service, everyone will gather at the front doors on Hackett for the Liturgy of the Palms. We will again have a donkey for our Palm Procession. If you would like to spend time with the donkey, come a little early! The procession will begin at 10 a.m. We will walk with Jesus as he enters Jerusalem, singing “Hosanna to the King of Kings!” We will process around the block ending back at the front doors. Palm Sunday moves into the story of Jesus’ Passion on the cross, read in parts by members of St. Mark’s.

6 p.m. Agapé Meal, Holy Eucharist & Footwashing
8 p.m. to 8 a.m. Keeping the Watch

The most stunning service of the Christian year, Maundy Thursday begins with an Agapé Meal in the parish hall, filled with prayer and song, followed by foot washing, a beautiful Eucharist in the church, the Stripping of the Altar, and then Keeping the Watch in the Chapel. Free-will offerings will be collected for the Agapé Meal (anything we collect over the cost of the meal will go toward the Good Friday Offering).

To help us with planning, please RSVP if you are attending the Agapé Meal. There is also a place on the form to sign up to help with the meal.

One of the ancient traditions in our Holy Week observance is Keeping the Watch. After the Stripping of the Altar, the priest sets aside some of the bread and wine and lays it in The Chapel of the Bread of Life. The Chapel will have been decorated to recall the Garden of Gethsemane — imagine candlelight, fragrant flowers, and flowering trees. During the night between Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, parishioners are invited to sit for an hour with Jesus — our response to Jesus’ question to the disciples, “Can you not stay awake with me for one hour?” We call this vigil Keeping the Watch. There are always two slots because we want people to watch in at least pairs. It’s a rich and meaningful tradition, and we hope you’ll consider signing up for a shift as a part of your Holy Week journey with Christ. If you need the door code to get in at nighttime, contact the office.

Sign up for Setting the Watch here.

12–2 p.m. Individual Prayer/Stations of the Cross
6 p.m. Good Friday Liturgy

The Sanctuary will be open from noon until 2 p.m. for private devotions or the Stations of the Cross. You are welcome to come at any time from noon to 2 p.m. to walk the stations on your own. We have a printed guide available. We will observe our full, choral Good Friday Liturgy at 6 p.m. that evening. The evening Liturgy includes the Solemn Collects and the Veneration of the Cross.

On Good Friday, The Episcopal Church takes up an offering for the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, an expression of unity with and concern for those who witness to Christ throughout that region. You can learn more about the Good Friday Offering here. If you wish to give a gift to the Good Friday Offering, you may donate through the Good Friday Offering website directly or write a check to St. Mark’s with “Good Friday Offering” on the memo line. Any online donations through the St. Mark’s giving portal designated to “Holiday Services” on Good Friday will go to the Good Friday Offering.

8 p.m. Easter Vigil

The Vigil is one of the most important services in the Christian tradition. We’ll hear foundational stories from the faith, light the paschal candle, and transition from the darkness of Good Friday to the celebration of Easter. Come commemorate the resurrection of Christ, a resurrection realized through Christ made manifest in each of us.

8 & 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist
11 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt and Festive Coffee Hour

Celebrate the Risen Christ with the great stories of our faith and the most worshipful songs of our tradition. At the 10 a.m. service, our wonderful choir to help lead us in the holiest morning of the Christian year.

He is Risen! In addition to the triumph of God over sin, this also means it’s time for Easter fun. We’ll have the annual Easter Egg Hunt ready to go.