Dear Saints,

This is primarily to send information about Holy Week beginning with Palm Sunday on April 10. I am particularly pleased that my friend – and a wonderful and creative priest – The Rev. Carolyn Metzler will be with us for the later part of the week, the three holy days referred to as the Triduum.

Carolyn was here on the Sunday of Charlotte Delgadillo’s baptism, so many of you have met her.Our Palm Sunday, (Apr. 10), will begin with the Blessing of the Palms in the courtyard. We will process around the building to the narthex and into the nave together, waving our palms. This service features a reading of The Passion Narrative and Celebration of The Great Thanksgiving. It begins, as always, at 10:00 am.

The Triduum, our holy three days, begins with Maundy Thursday, April 14, at 6:00 pm. We are hoping that will be early enough for everyone to be able to drive there. The evening begins with the first part of our regular liturgy, and we break at The Peace to serve our family dinner.

This year Corrine Polhemus is coordinating dinner (Lamb!). She is requesting that you bring whatever side you prefer – with someone(s) bringing dessert. Our evening ends with literally The Last Supper, that last time Jesus and his disciples are together.

Following Communion we move into the nave briefly to “strip the altar” of all of those things we hold dear: frontals, candles, and all. We leave in silence.

On Good Friday, April 15 we gather at 12::00 noon for a reading of The Passion, of psalms and anthems for that dismal day when our faith symbolically dies.

Friday evening we again meet for the Service of Shadows, when the lights go out. It will be at 6:00 p.m.

Holy Saturday is a day of reflection on the events of the previous days, preferably a day of silence and contemplation where possible. We again gather together in the evening at 6:00 for The Great Vigil of Easter. In this service we recall God’s redeeming work among God’s People and renew our Baptismal Vows.

SPECIAL NOTE!! If you have a choice between coming to the Vigil or coming on Easter Sunday, I encourage you to choose the Vigil! Many people of the Church regard The Great Vigil as the most important service of the year – and I concur with that!

Finally, we gather on the First Day of the Week, The Day of Resurrection, for our regular weekly liturgy at 10:00 am. Holy Week is a deeply spiritual and, sometimes emotion time for the family of God. It takes the time and gifts of many people. We invite you to participate in ways that you are able.

I am attaching a schedule of readers and those that have agreed to serve. You will notice that there are available opportunities for readers. If you can take one of those assignments please give Ann Miller a call to put your name in.

Over the 21 plus years of serving in the Episcopal Church Holy Week has been the climax of our lives together. I do hope that in this, my last Holy Week as your Rector, we will share it together as God’s Beloved People at All Saints, El Paso.

Sincerely,

Phil+