Holy Week MEMO
Saint Andrew’s-in-the-Valley
Tuesday, April 3, 2012






As we walk the walk of Holy Week, whether you plan to gather with the parish for services or are unable to do so, consider setting enough time aside to read the Gospel passage appointed for the day…

Monday of Holy Week: Mark 14:3-9
Tuesday of Holy Week: Mark 11:15-19
Wednesday of Holy Week: Matthew 26:1-5, 14-25
Maundy Thursday: Luke 22:14-30
Good Friday: John 18:1 – 19:37
Holy Saturday: John 19:38-42

Wednesday of Holy Week: 9 AM Service of Morning Prayer (and discover this treasure of our liturgical life at Saint Andrew's.), Cathie Lewis officiating.

Wednesday of Holy Week 7 PM Film Night: Jesus of Montreal.
This film presents the creation of a modern Passion play. In the process, it juxtaposes traditional understandings of the Passion narrative with modern discoveries about the historical Jesus. The result, in the film, is conflict over the “truth” of our understanding of the actual events of the time.
Additionally, as the actors work on the new Passion, the events of the narrative begin to influence their own lives in the world. This is especially the case for the actor “Coulombe” who plays Jesus.
The original version in French was released in Canada in 1989 and received an academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. A U.S. release, with English subtitles and a dubbed English version occurred in 1990. It won twelve Canadian “Genie” awards, the Golden Globe for best Foreign Language Film, nomination for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and the 1989 Jury Prize at Cannes.
I hope you will join us for this evocative film and the conversation to follow.

Maundy Thursday Liturgy with foot washing, remembrance of the Last Supper, and the stripping of the altar: 7 PM

Good Friday, noon to 1:30 Meditations at the Cross; 1:30 Stations of the Cross.
Good Friday Liturgy of the Day with Holy Communion 7 PM

Holy Saturday, Children's Easter Garden gathering 12:30 to 2 with bag lunch.

The Great Vigil of Easter Saturday at 8 PM with kindling the new fire, the Vigil readings, and the first Eucharist of Easter. Bring your bells to ring at the Easter acclamation!!!

Food for thought from poet Anne Weems from her collection Kneeling In Jerusalem…
It’s tempting for many of us to just skip over the observances of Holy Week in our eagerness to get to Easter. The poet poignantly reminds us that the “only road to Easter morning is through the unrelenting shadow of that Friday.”

HOLY WEEK

Holy is the week….
Holy, consecrated, belonging to God…
We move from hosannas to horror
with the predictable ease
of those who know not what they do.

Our hosannas sung,
Our palms waves,
Let us go with passion into this week.
It is a time to curse fig trees that do not yield fruit.
It is a time to cleanse our temples of any blasphemy
It is a time to greet Jesus as the Lord’s Anointed One,
To lavishly break our alabaster
and pour perfume out for him
without counting the cost.
It is a time for preparation…
The time to give thanks and break bread is upon us.
The time to give thanks and drink of the cup is imminent.
Eat, drink, remember:
On this night of nights, each one must ask,
As we dip our bread in the wine,
“ Is it I?”
And on that darkest of days, each of us must stand
beneath the tree
and watch the dying
if we are to be there
when the stone is rolled away.

The only road to Easter morning
Is through the unrelenting shadow of that Friday
Only then will the alleluias be sung:
Only then will the dancing begin.

See you in church!
Blessings,
Heidi+