We begin Holy Week at Grace Church on Palm Sunday, April 2, with a commemoration of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem and reading of the Passion Gospel. On Maundy Thursday we celebrate the institution of what we have come to see as the Holy Eucharist and on Good Friday commemorate the Crucifixion of our Lord.
The Great Vigil on Saturday evening is the pivotal service that symbolically marks the transition of Jesus Christ from death to life, with the celebration continuing on Easter Day.
Continue reading below and follow the links for complete details for all our Holy Week & Easter services.
We invite you to join us – all are welcome!
Services on April 2 will begin with the blessing of the palms and a procession into the church in a reenactment of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem – remembering when people gathered, waving palms and shouting, “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Both services will feature Holy Communion and a reading of the Passion Gospel.
Weather permitting, the 8:15 AM service will begin on the porch just outside the front door into the narthex and the 10:45 AM service will begin at the fountain on the Brenau lawn. In the event of inclement weather we will process into the nave from the parish hall for both services.
Maundy Thursday comes from the Latin word for commandment: mandatum. In John 13:34, Jesus says to his disciples “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another just as I have loved you.” The Maundy Thursday liturgy observes Jesus washing the feet of his disciples and sharing in the Last Supper with them. The Church has long seen this as the time when we celebrate the institution of what we have come to see as the Holy Eucharist. Our service on Maundy Thursday is at 7:00 PM.
Good Friday, a name that derives from “God’s Friday”, is the day we commemorate the Crucifixion of our Lord.
On this day in Holy Week we will host a community wide service at 9:00 AM here at Grace, with a focus from seven of the senior pastors in town sharing in the Seven Last Words of Christ.
There will also be a Good Friday service in the nave at 12:00 PM. Following that service, the nave will be open until 3:00 PM for individuals and families to reflect on the Stations of the Cross. These 14 stations, key moments in the story of Jesus’ Crucifixion, are commemorated on plaques posted on the columns in the nave.
At 3:00 PM, the Tower Bells will toll to mark the traditional time of Jesus’ death.
The Great Vigil service at 7:00 PM on Saturday is the pivotal moment in our celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. This is the service that symbolically marks the transition of Jesus Christ from death to life, and thus invites us to reflect more fully on our own practice of faith.
We come to the Vigil from a place of confusion and chaos, looking for guidance. We will begin in darkness with the lighting of a fire, the kindling of the Paschal Candle, and the chanting of the Exsultet. The lessons that are the narrative of our entire salvation history will be told during the first part of the service, all of which happens in darkness—itself a dramatic setting.
Midway through this service, the celebration of Easter begins with the celebrant proclaiming in a loud shout “Alleluia! Christ is risen!” To which the people respond joyfully, “The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.” At this point, the lights are raised and the joyous celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord commences!
Please note that Compline will not meet on Tuesday, April 4.
There will be no CE classes on Palm Sunday, April 2
For 101 years, Episcopalians have generously shared their love, compassion, and financial gifts to support the ministry of the Anglican Communion Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. These gifts have made an astounding difference in the lives of many people in the homeland of Jesus and beyond. Learn more about the history of the Good Friday Offering.
Grace Church will send all undesignated plate contributions on Good Friday to the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East.
Look ahead to upcoming opportunities for prayer, worship, and community!
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