Holy Week and Easter Worship:

Essential Parts of the Whole

Participating in Easter worship without participating in Holy Week worship is like eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the peanut butter and jelly and still calling it a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. We are fast approaching the most sacred time of the year for Christians. Even those believers who only come twice a year choose Easter Sunday as one of their two days a year to come to church.  99.9% of the Christian church would agree that Easter and Christmas are the two most important Sundays in Christianity.  But what are the next three most important days are in the Christian church?  I would suggest that not only are Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday the next three most important days of the church year, but also are essential to the context and understanding of Christmas and Easter.   The best way to enhance your Easter Day worship experience is to attend Holy Week worship, which starts at St. James’ Episcopal Church on Sunday, April 1^st at 11 am with Palm Sunday.  Below, I will share with you the intention and meaning behind each of the Holy Week worship services as they take us on a journey through the last days of Jesus’ mortal life.

Palm Sunday – (Sunday, April 1^st at 11 am)

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week with the opportunity to reflect on the final week of Jesus’ life.  Another name for Palm Sunday is Passion Sunday.   The word “passion” comes from the Latin word “pati,” which means, “to suffer.”  The account tells the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem on the back of a donkey while people shouted, “Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” as they raised and place palm branches before him.  Come hear the story of how the same people who cheered “Hosanna, in the highest!” 5 days later would condemn Jesus to death with shouts of, “Crucify him, crucify him!”  Come and be challenged on how we contribute to the suffering of Jesus today.

Maundy Thursday  - (Thursday, April 5^th at 7pm)

Maundy Thursday provides for us an opportunity to experience another part of Jesus’ journey during his last week of life.  The Maundy Thursday worship carries with it a solemn tone, as it commemorates the oldest and the most important institution of the church, The Holy Eucharist.  The Holy Eucharist reminds us of that evening when Jesus sat down with his disciples and shared his last meal with them and asked them to continue this practice “…in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19-20) Our Maundy Thursday worship service also contains a washing of one another’s feet.  We do this as a way of reminding us of the commandment that Jesus makes when he washes the disciples feet that evening many years ago. “…love one another as I have loved you.” (John 13:34)  In fact, Maundy comes from the Latin word, “mandatum” which means “commandment.” Come and hear the words of Jesus institute Holy Communion.  Come and be challenged to serve one another with the love of Jesus.

Good Friday – (Friday, April 6^th at 7 pm)

Good Friday is an opportunity to experience and reflect upon the pain, suffering, humiliation and death that Jesus endured on his journey to the cross. At St. James’ we offer a Good Friday experience like no other.  We start the day with a noonday Good Friday liturgy that picks up the story where Maundy Thursday ends with Jesus journey to Golgotha where he dies on the cross.  We lift the cross and hear the nails driven into it as we reflect on the last hours of Jesus’ life.  We continue the day with two Stations of the Cross offerings, both of which are very powerful liturgical processions retracing the footsteps of Jesus as marches to the cross.  They both began at 1 pm. One of the stations will follow the carvings done by our very own Arlene Polite located on the back wall of the church. The other will follow a predetermined path through the neighborhood surrounding Casa Marianella (maps of the route will be available in the office).  We round out our Good Friday offerings with The Good Friday Project at 7pm.  The Good Friday Project is composed of performance artists who share their reactions and interpretations of the scripture readings from Good Friday.  The performers share powerful and meaningful interpretations of the scriptures that keep people coming back for more and bringing their friends.  Come hear the sounds of the nails and let it challenge you.  Come walk the final steps of Jesus and let it convict you.  Come and share what others have to offer and let it move you.

Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil – (Saturday, April 7^th, 8pm)

Holy Saturday is mostly a day of mourning, reflection, anticipation and hope. We are mourning because Jesus is dead and Mary has lost her son.  The disciples are wondering what went wrong as they hid in shadows scared the enemy is coming after them next. With Mary we anticipate and hope that “Sunday is goin’ to come” and a new promise of light will break into the world.  Meanwhile we wait.  The liturgy St. James’s offers on this day starts in darkness and ends in the glorious light of Easter!  Where we get to shout the “A” word as loud and enthusiastically as we can!  In many ways, this liturgy is designed for those who could not make it to all of the Holy Week worship services.  In an effort to boost our hope of what God has for us in the future, the liturgy reminds us of the history that brought us thus far along the way.  Come hear the stories of God’s faithfulness.  Come and feel the power of Holy Week.  Come and bask in the joy of Easter knowing that Jesus has conquered death once and for all.

Easter – (Sunday, April 8^th, 8 am, 10:15 am, 1 pm, & 5:30 pm)

Alleluia! Christ is Risen!  The Lord is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!  Is the first thing you will hear Easter morning at St. James’ as we begin our celebration of the risen Christ.  You will be challenged to improve your life in light of this Good news.  You will be offered the ways to create a stronger relationship between you and the risen Lord.  You will be challenged to take the Good news of the risen Lord into the world and make a difference in your family, neighborhood, city, and the world.  Come and share in the knowledge that death has been conquered once and for all.  Come and share in the joy of new life and light in the world.  Come and be moved to be God’s agent in a world that is desperate and waiting for the Good news of Jesus.

St. James’ Episcopal Church is a church that believes that the experience of Holy Week is essential in understanding the full impact of Easter.  Join us as we offer you the richest Easter experience possible by taking the liturgical journey through Holy Week.  Come and join us and have your heart opened to the agony of Jesus’ suffering and to the joy of His triumph over death.  Where ever you are on your journey of faith, you are welcome here.

God’s Peace Be With You,

Father Reggie+

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.  And, to make a right beginning to repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.              -The Book of Common Prayer, P. 265-                      

As we approach the season of Lent it is time for us to begin an intentional reflection on what we are called to do this year as our Lenten discipline that will help us to “renew our repentance and faith”.  Following in this article are some suggestions that you may want to consider for this year as you develop your Lenten discipline.  We have in Lent an intentional way to strengthen our relationship with God.  It is a wonderful opportunity and it comes with built in support from your community here at St. James’.

Monday Night Intercessory Prayer Group:  The intercessory prayer group meets every Monday night to pray for the concerns and joys of our congregation and their extended families for an hour from 6-7pm in the sanctuary.  What a wonderful experience it would be for you and the intercessory group to join together for the 5-week season of Lent to pray for our family. I know that some members of this group, on occasion could not physically join the group, but made a commitment to pray during the designated time to maintain their discipline.

Thursday Night Theological Group:  The Thursday night theological group generates a weekly lively conversation at the Seminary of the Southwest in Rm. #211 from 7-9pm, reflecting on many different aspects of Theology.  Some of the topics we have covered include death and dying, spirituality verses religion, Christian Mysticism, Spiritual Intelligence, and Centering Prayer.  Incorporating the Thursday night theological group into your Lenten discipline is a great way to find out if this is something you may want to attend more often.

Sunday’s Adult Forum:  This year’s Sunday adult forum will be a 5-week Lenten reflection entitled A Practical Christianity: Meditations for the Season of Lent.  A Practical Christianity: Meditations for the Season of Lent is a devotional book that challenges
readers to take up “practical Christianity”—proposing Christian faith as something we do, not
something we merely believe in. The starting point for Christianity lies within its practice, says
the author, The Very Rev. Jane Shaw, the new Dean of Grace Cathedral – San Francisco, and not in the blind acceptance of a chunk of undigested doctrine.

The book samples fiction, poetry, art and music, combined with the wisdom of scripture and
theology, to help pilgrims make sense of faith in the context of everyday life.  The adult forum is another resource for developing your Lenten discipline.  The Adult Forum takes place from 9 – 10 am Sunday mornings. Starting Feb. 26^th the group will be led by the rector, The Rev. Reggie Payne-Wiens+.  You are invited to join us!

The Book of Common Prayer:  The Book of Common Prayer contains within its pages a majority, if not all of the “official” theology of the Episcopal Church.  It is a wonderful source for a Lenten discipline if you know how to approach the book.  Listed below are just a few suggestions on how to use the Book of Common Prayer as a resource for your Lenten discipline.

The Collects, Prayers, and Thanksgivings The Episcopal Church has a distinctive style of prayer that is largely derived from the collects that we pray on a weekly interval as part of the Eucharist.  Memorizing and Praying these collects, prayers and thanks as a Lenten discipline will develop your ability to pray in public in the style of your church.  Among the thanksgivings is my favorite one found on page 840, The Thanksgiving for the Diversity of Races and Cultures.

The Psalms are ancient songs of prayer and praise that can provide a wonderful focus for your prayer life during the Lenten season. Once you become more familiar with the Psalms, they will be a source of reference for inspiration and strength during times of need in the future.

Historical Documents The historical documents listed in the back of the Book of Common Prayer provide some insight on how our church came to be.  One of the documents listed among the historical documents is the preface for the first Book of Common Prayer from 1549.  Several other historical documents are listed in the back as well.  As you read through them you will discover a richness and depth of theology that exists in our church.

The Catechism.  The word catechism literally translates as the teaching.  Another name for the Catechism is An Outline of the Faith.  The Catechism is also found in the back of the Book of Common Prayer.  Believe it or not, many Episcopalians have never read through the catechism.  Including reading the catechism as part of your Lenten discipline is a great way of increasing your knowledge of the church and the faith you profess.

Exploring a New Ministry

Part of your Lenten discipline may include taking time to explore a new ministry that you think God is calling to you to join such as Mobile Loaves and Fishes, Neighbor 2 Neighbor, or Casa Marianella.  These are just a few possibilities within our church.  Remember in the church we do more than volunteer, we offer our time and talent to and for others as a response to the blessings that God has bestowed upon our lives.  The offering of our time to support a ministry is another form of stewardship.  Perhaps there is an outreach ministry offered in the city that you have been thinking about trying.  The Lenten season is a nice finite time to discover if that is what God is calling you to next.

Reconnecting with Old Friends

Lenten disciplines can be something we give up or something we take on or tryout to see what it tells about our relationship with God.  One of my all-time favorite disciplines is letter writing to old friends.  It is a wonderful way for me to reconnect with old friends in a very special way.  There are so many media avenues now to explore this discipline such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  My favorite is old-fashioned pen and paper letter writing.  Nothing beats the personal touch of a hand-written letter or note.

Whatever you end deciding as your Lenten discipline, whether you succeed or fall short of your goal, you will have an opportunity to learn something about yourself and your relationship with God.  The question is what are you going to do with what you learn.

The peace is also a sign of reconciliation. In the early church if you were unwilling to exchange the peace with anyone in good standing with the congregation you were not allowed to receive communion (Matt. 5:23-24).

There is an ancient connection between the prayers of the people and the peace. It is easier to see that connection on the occasions that we omit the confession of sin. Those who are assembled pray for the gift of God’s peace to the whole church and to the whole world, and for people everywhere according to their need, so they share that peace with each other.

As you can see the peace we exchanged is described as many wonderful things from the expression of love and joy to one another to the sharing of the peace first given to us through the love and sacrifice of the risen Christ.

At no time was the peace described as a social time to catch up with our friends whom we have not seen in a while. It is not a time to exchange phone numbers or news of an event or any of the many other misuses of this time.

Please remember the peace is a sacred time deeply rooted in the beginnings of the church and our belief in Christ. I ask that you consider responding during the peace in one of many appropriate ways. Eye contact with hand shakes, hugs and the words, “Peace” or “God’s Peace” or “The Peace of the Lord”. Please make sure to offer the peace to those you do not know around you, which will include any visitors. Please consider only exchanging peace with those who are in your section and not those on the other side of the church.

We are quickly approaching the season of Lent. Starting with the first Sunday of Lent, February 26th, and running through the entire season of Lent, we will observe a silent peace. You are still encouraged to shake hands and offer hugs, while exchanging the peace, but to do so in silence. Exchanging the peace this way gives us an opportunity to share the peace of God and reflect on what it is we are doing when we share and receive the offer of God’s peace. I am interested in hearing your responses to what I have shared about the exchange of the peace. I am also interested in you sharing with me how you experienced the silent peace during the Lenten season. I pray this was a helpful blog article. I look forward to your feedback.

May God’s Peace Be with You,

Father Reggie+
Bibliography

Galley, Howard E. The Ceremonies of the Eucharist: A Guide to Celebration. Cowley Productions; Cambridge, Mass. 1989.

Flancher, Arlene and Wilson, Barbara S. ed. The Episcopal Handbook. Augsburg Fortress; Philadelphia, PA 19106. Church Publishing; New York, NY 10016. 2008

Welcome to St. James’ new website! Please take some time to browse around and experience our new site. Our website designer, Karen Barry, along with parishioners Michael Clark Madison, Karen Hartwell, Ora Houston, Pat Braithwaite, and Walter Bell worked tirelessly to create a website that represents our heritage and who we are today. The color scheme mimics the color of the church while the wood texture that surrounds the site represents the front doors of the church. The unique angle of the banner follows the roofline of our church. You will also find a link to our new You Tube channel, “stjamesaustin,” that contain movie clips of the interviews that Walter Bell and Karen Hartwell have done of our elder members telling us what they love about St. James’ Church. Michael Clark Madison and Ora Houston have added their talents by writing copy for our new site. Most of the pictures for the website, of course, were taken by Pat Braithwaite, with contributions by Erin Peloquin and a few others.

The site will eventually include a webpage for every service with descriptions and you tube videos that capture the ethos of that service. Several sections of the site will be available in both English and español. The site contains a few new features, including a link to the Rector’s blog, a link to the St. James’ Facebook page, a link to our new online monthly newsletter and e-news, a link to our youth group page (coming soon), a link to our music page, a link to upcoming events and events this week, and a link to our wonderful school, St. James’ Episcopal School.

We will have several staff members who will be trained on how to update the new site, so we will have multiple people with the ability to update the site anytime we need it. Our new site can be expanded and modified to accommodate our needs, growth and imaginations. I hope you enjoy and appreciate the hard work and time that was put into our new site. I look forward to your feedback. Our goal is to have the most dynamic site in the diocese. We want the people who visit our site to experience just a taste of who we are and whom we believe God is calling us to be.

God’s Peace Be With You,

The Rev. Reginald Payne-Wiens+