April 6, 2022

This is the week before THE WEEK.

If you think Holy Week is stressful, you should be in the office this week.

Melonie is working to get all of the bulletins – Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter – updated, corrected, drafted, and ready to print, as well as ensuring we have all the proper lector spots filled, and ushers and LEM's scheduled. Mark is putting the finishing touches on music selections and working to ensure he has all the right choir people and other musicians lined up and ready to go. I'm putting together instructions for the altar guild, proofing bulletins, writing sermons, and discussing traffic flow with Dcn. Sue, while she is writing her own sermon, working on her Lukan study, and doing other diaconal things.

And we are all praying that the computers don't crash and the printer/copier doesn't die.

All of this to say that there is a lot of behind the scenes work that most people don't see or don't understand in preparation for Holy Week.

Holy Week is so named because it is the most holy week of the year. This is the week we participate in our Lord's Passion – from the whiplash events of Palm/Passion Sunday through the Triduum of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Day. We also have the two added services of Stations of the Cross along with the usual Evening Prayer offerings.

As we approach these holy days, I encourage you to mark them on your calendar and make every effort to attend these sacred services; especially since we are coming out of the dark days of COVID when all was restricted. If you happen to be out of town next week, or if you live somewhere other than the Hagerstown area, I encourage you to find a church close by and attend their Holy Week offerings.

Please pray for the clergy, staff, musicians, and others who are involved in these services as we work to honor God and each other through our worship and service.

Holy Week Schedule

April 10: Palm Sunday, 9:30 am (gather in the parking lot for the Liturgy of the Palms)

April 13: Wednesday in Holy Week

Stations of the Cross, 12:15 (enter through the elevator or Tower entrances)

April 14: Maundy Thursday

Stations of the Cross, 12:15 (enter through the elevator or Tower entrances)

Evening Prayer, 5:30 (enter through the South Transept)

Holy Eucharist, 7 pm

April 15: Good Friday

Stations of the Cross and Passion Liturgy, Noon

Stations of the Cross and Passion Liturgy w/choir, 7 pm

April 16: Holy Saturday

Holy Lamentations, Noon

April 17: Easter Day

Holy Eucharist Rite I w/Renewal of Baptismal Vows, 8 am

Holy Eucharist Rite II w/Renewal of Baptismal Vows, 10:15