St. George’s Anglican Church
Holy Week Services
April 9th to April 16th, 2017
| Passion Sunday April 9th |
10:30 am Holy Eucharist with Liturgy of the Palms |
| Monday April 10th |
4:00 pm Prayer with Readings for Holy Week |
| Tuesday April 11th |
4:00 pm Prayer with Readings for Holy Week |
| Wednesday April 12th |
4:00 pm Prayer with Readings for Holy Week |
| Maundy Thursday April 13th |
12:00 Noon Blessing of the Oils* at Trinity Church, Cambridge 5:00pm – 7:00pm Seder Supper 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Footwashing, Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar* |
Good Friday
|
10:30 am – 12:00 Noon Meditations on the Cross of Christ* |
| Easter Sunday April 16th |
6:25 am Easter Sunrise in the park with Holy Eucharist 10:30 am Holy Eucharist |
The Holy Week Services
Each service continues from the previous one as the story of Christ’s death and resurrection are told, starting on Passion Sunday.
Blessing of the Oils: The oils of Chrism (used for baptism) and the oils for healing will be blessed by Bishop Linda. This is the last liturgy of Lent. The service will be held at Trinity Church, Cambridge.
Footwashing, Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar: The start of the Tridiuum. “Triduum” means three days, and refers to the three days before a major feast. The Easter Triduum consists of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
The Gospel speaks of love and service, which are expressed in the ceremony of Foot-washing. By washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus displayed the self-emptying love God shows for the world — a sacred example of love. Nothing and no one are to be beneath them, and by this undifferentiating love the world will know that the disciples belong to Jesus.
The Eucharist commemorates the first Eucharist at the Last Supper and includes the reservation of sacrament for Good Friday.
The service ends in complete silence. The altar is stripped and all decorative furnishings are removed from the church in recognition of the despair and death to come.
Meditations on the Cross of Christ: A continuation of Maundy Thursday night’s service, this service starts in silence. The name Good Friday comes from “God’s Friday,” and on God’s Friday, we commemorate the Crucifixion.
The Liturgy has four parts: the Word of God (with the Passion according to John), the Solemn Collects (which date back to the 4th century and are an early form of the Prayers of the People), the bringing in of the Cross and Veneration, and Communion from the Reserved Sacrament.
Sunday of the Resurrection: The end of the Triduum. We celebrate Jesus having been raised from the dead and we reflect not on the empty tomb but on the risen person of Jesus.
Easter is to the year what Sunday is to the week.
The service starts outside, weather permitting. A fire is lit symbolizing the creation. The Pascal candle is lit from the fire and we follow the lit Pascal candle back into the church.
Afterwards we gather to renew our baptismal vows and participate in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is a meal of thanksgiving and a sign of our community, with Christ and with one another.
You are invited to join us as we celebrate Easter together.
Rev Margaret Walker
3 Byron Street, New Hamburg ON N2A 1P1519-662-3450