This week.
I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self‑examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self‑denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. –The Book of Common Prayer, Ash Wednesday service
This week, those of you on Facebook are likely to see your feed filled up with churches attempting to ‘do’ Holy Week services in a variety of ways. Some will be, like we will, pre-recorded and from our homes; some will be as close to ‘normal’ as they can get while observing social distancing. Some will endeavor to recreate what you would see if these weren’t the times they are as churches, big and little, near and far, do Holy Week.
But what if the invitation to Lent, to Holy Week, this year isn’t about doing anything? What if the invitation is to stop worrying about questions like ‘how do we do it right?’ or ‘how can we make what’s supposed to happen, happen?’ What if, we’re just supposed to read the story, hear the story, and then find where we are in the story? What if all we’re supposed to do is cease trying to make everything fun, or exciting, or entertaining, or a spectacle, and just hear the story?
Old habits are hard to break and the church has been hearing and liturgically engaging with the last week of Jesus’ earthly life ever since the end of the 4thcentury. Doing church, by which most people mean offering a liturgical worship service, is a hard habit to break. But notice in that invitation to a holy Lent what we’re invited into is all about finding a way to connect that part of our lives which is so caught up in doing, achieving, performing, that we miss the real power comes in what we do inside ourselves: praying, examining our lives, learning to make do with less and by loving more. This is what Jesus came to show us by his whole life, not just one week in Jerusalem; my hope for you this week is to read and listen to the story in a different way this year. If that’s by watching one of our videos or another church then great; but I hope, if nothing else, you’ll just sit and read Exodus 12.1-14 and John 13.1-17, 31b-35 on Thursday. That you’ll read Isaiah 52.13-53.12 and John 18.1-19.42 on Friday. That you’ll read Exodus 14.10-31,15.20-21; Ezekiel 37.1-14 and Matthew 28.1-10 on Saturday evening. And if you can’t join us Easter Sunday at 6 pm on Zoom then I hope you’ll read Isaiah 25.6-9 and Luke 24.13-49 Sunday evening.
What I hope you hear is the story of God with us, and that, this year, while not doing anything, you’ll hear the ‘with us’ part a little more clearly and distinctly.
–Thomas
Gathering Online
Tuesday Checkin on Zoom @ 6 pm
Join Thomas and Kelley on Zoom. This is a time to check-in or just say hello. https://bit.ly/TCZoom
Maundy Thursday on Facebook @ 6 pm
Join us on our Facebook page (fb.com/trinitycommonsepiscopal) as we begin our Triduum worship with a service of prayers and scripture for Maundy Thursday. You can get the bulletin here.
Good Friday on Facebook @ 12 pm
Join us on our Facebook page (fb.com/trinitycommonsepiscopal) as we continue our Triduum worship with a service of prayers and scripture for Good Friday. You can get the bulletin here.
Stations of the Cross on Facebook @ 3 pm
Join us on our Facebook page (fb.com/trinitycommonsepiscopal) as we join in the Stations of the Cross across the diocese. You can get the bulletin here.
Easter Vigil on Facebook @ 7 pm
Join us on our Facebook page (fb.com/trinitycommonsepiscopal) as we conclude our Triduum worship and offer the first celebration of Easter with a service of prayers and scripture for the Easter Vigil. You can get the bulletin here.
Easter Sunday on Zoom @ 6 pm
Join us on Zoom for a service of prayers and scripture as we celebrate Easter. You can get the bulletin here. https://bit.ly/TCZoom
Trinity Commons 