Join us at Grace Church, in person or online, this Holy Week.
Palm Sunday traditionally has two sections, the first being a celebratory entrance with the waving of palms and the second being a focused reflection on the Passion of Our Lord. This year, we will celebrate this entrance into Holy Week in person and online at the 8:15 AM Eucharist and the 10:45 AM service will be streamed to Facebook and our website.
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.” On Maundy Thursday we will give thanks to God for the Presence of Christ’s Body and Blood in our lives in person at 12:00 PM and online at 7:00 PM.
Good Friday, a name that derives from “God’s Friday”, is the day we commemorate the Crucifixion of our Lord. We will gather on Zoom for the Good Friday Liturgy at 12:00 PM and all are welcome to stop by the nave between 1:00 and 3:00 PM to pray and reflect on the Stations of the Cross.
This Great Vigil service 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.
The observance of Good Friday is an important piece of our Holy Week Triduum, and walking the Stations of the Cross can be a a visceral reminder of the story of Jesus’ journey to the cross. The nave will be open from 1:00 until 3:00 PM on April 2 for individuals and families to come reflect in the Stations of the Cross. These 14 stations, key moments in the story of Jesus’ Crucifixion, are depicted on plaques posted on the columns in the nave. The Stations of the Cross reflections and prayers can be found online or print a copy to bring with you.
Pre-registration is not required. Please enter the building through the double doors under the bell tower and register in person with the Rev. Dr. Park so we have record of your attendance. Masks and physical distancing are required. Be aware it is possible you may be asked to wait just a few minutes to begin in order to allow for appropriate spacing as people move through the stations.
Should you not be able to come in person, we recommend the following Way of the Cross video and reflection guide from The Virginia Theological Seminary’s Department of Lifelong Learning. Through scripture, art, and music, the video invites us to walk with Christians of every generation on a virtual pilgrimage, meditating on our Lord’s passion and death.
If you’re not yet ready to be inside and are “over” virtual offerings, we invite you to consider finding your own way of the cross in your neighborhood or local park. We oftentimes forget that the story of Good Friday, the Cross and the Resurrection are written into the natural world around us, but it’s easy to spot if you’re paying attention. Consider using this guide for adults, or this guide for children, and find your own Way. May Easter hope be resurrected in you!
Join in our virtual Easter procession! Family photos are still being accepted for sharing on Grace Church’s Facebook and Instagram accounts during the season. Your photo should include at least one current Grace Church parishioner but it does not need to have been taken at Grace Church and does not need to be recent. So let’s see those gloves and bonnets from the 60s, or get all dressed up and take a special photo for 2021!
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