HOLY WEEK AT HOLY TRINITY

Passion/Palm Sunday

Holy Week begins with the blessing of palms and a festive procession into the worship space.

Then the mood changes. We hear one of the passion accounts from Matthew, Mark, or Luke that portray the humanity of Jesus and his suffering. On Good Friday we will hear John’s account of the passion in which Jesus is triumphant and reigns from the cross. Since each Sunday is a celebration of the resurrection, celebrating the passion on this Sunday juxtaposes death and life in a profound way.

HTLoop - Saturday, April 12 + 5:00 p.m.

Sunday of the Passion / Palm Sunday

(In-Person @ 637 S. Dearborn or Online)

HTLoop Bulletin

Zoom Link

Zoom Passcode: 068508

HTLakeview - Sunday, April 13 + 9:30 a.m.

Sunday of the Passion / Palm Sunday

(In-Person @ 1218 W Addison or Online)

HTLakeview Bulletin

Maundy Thursday

As nightfall comes, Lent ends and the Three Days (the paschal/Easter triduum) begins. The liturgy begins with praise as we glory in the cross of Christ-our salvation, our life, our resurrection.

We hear Jesus' new commandment to love one another. As a sign of our baptismal vocation, those who desire share in the footwashing ritual. This act is a reminder of our baptismal call to be servants in the manner Christ modeled for us.

At this service we gather around the altar to share the holy meal. In the eucharist we become what we eat and drink, the body of Christ, offering ourselves in love for the life of the world. As the liturgy ends, the chancel is stripped of its furnishings, recalling that Jesus was abandoned by his followers.

Good Friday

The liturgy of the Three Days continues as we celebrate our Lord's passion. We hear the Passion according to John. John proclaims Jesus as a triumphant king who reigns from the cross. On this solemn day we use the ancient Bidding Prayer, offering petitions for the whole world for which Christ died.

Then a large wooden cross is carried high among us. Following an ancient Christian tradition, those who desire may come forward and honor the cross with a non-verbal sign of devotion or spend some moments in meditation. In this moving ritual we touch the heart of our Christian faith: that resurrection and new life is born out of suffering and death.

Easter Eve

This is the night of nights. The service is the most ancient and dramatic of all Christian liturgies. Though it lasts several hours there is a sense that time stops and we enter eternity. There will be fire and candles; word and silence; processions with banners and incense; water, bread and wine; spring flowers in abundance; choir, trumpet and organ. This liturgy is the pinnacle of the year at Holy Trinity—you will not want to miss it! It is both a celebration and a renewal of your faith!

Like ancient prehistoric peoples we gather after the spring equinox with a nearly full moon, when the hours of light and darkness are more or less balanced. We gather outside around a new fire, a primal symbol that announces the new creation in Christ's death and resurrection. We carry a large candle into the darkened church, even as a pillar of fire led the Israelites to freedom.

We tell some of the great stories of our faith, including the story of the creation of the world. God creates light out of darkness, and from a watery chaos life comes forth ... sounds like baptism! We tell the story of the exodus and we are bold to say that God is the liberator from all forms of oppression, sin and death... another picture of Easter and baptism! We tell the story of the three men in the fiery furnace and we know that even in the midst of life's most terrifying moments and at the moment of our death, we are not alone. In baptism God brings life out of death.

On this night thousands will be baptized all around the world. Baptism is another profound picture of Easter: this water both drowns and saves as new life comes forth. Resurrection is made present among as Christ's new body takes on flesh and blood. On this night we often celebrate baptism and welcome new members. We affirm our baptism and feel droplets of water from the font on our thirsty skin.

Finally we share the great and promised feast. The risen Christ feeds us with the life that will never die.