At Redeemer Holy Week is very special. We believe that this may be the most important week of each year for our faith. This is the week that the Gift was given, the week that Jesus died for us. Join us as we walk daily with Jesus through his last week -- Easter will mean so much more if you do. Easter services are at 7:45 am, 9:15 am (contemporary music) and 11:15 am (organ and brass).

The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday       March 16, 2008
As Holy Week begins, we journey with Jesus up to Jerusalem.  Our worship begins with the Liturgy of the Palms. The triumphal procession symbolizes our pilgrimage to Jerusalem. During the liturgy, the more somber atmosphere of Holy Week unfolds as we participate in the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.

8:00 am    The Liturgy of the Palms and the Holy Eucharist

10:00 am    The Liturgy of the Palms on the plaza followed by
        The Holy Eucharist in the Sanctuary
        and
        The Banquet in the Great Hall   

5:00 pm    The Liturgy of the Palms and the Holy Eucharist in the Celtic tradition in the Chapel
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Monday            March 17

Tuesday          March 18

Wednesday    March 19

On Monday through Wednesday of Holy Week, the Holy Eucharist is celebrated at 7:00 am(sanctuary), 12 noon (chapel), and 7:00 pm (sanctuary). These simple liturgies provide quiet opportunities to continue our immersion in Word and Sacrament.  The lessons follow Jesus during his last days; tension mounts as his betrayal draws closer.

You may find daily attendance at the services inconvenient. Our busy lives don’t allow a lot of extra time to add daily worship to the schedule. Yet it is vitally important that you make time to follow Jesus. It may be a difficult week for you, but it was even harder for Jesus. Immersing ourselves in the Holy Week story enables us to more fully experience the Good News of Easter Day.

7:00 am    Holy Eucharist
12 noon    Holy Eucharist
7:00 pm    Holy Eucharist
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Maundy Thursday    March 20
7:00 am    Holy Eucharist
12 noon    Holy Eucharist
6:15 pm    Agape Meal & Holy Eucharist

The liturgy for the evening of Maundy Thursday is a remembrance of the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples and of the events that led to his betrayal and arrest.  At 6:15 pm our worship starts informally in the Great Hall with a simple supper of bread, cheese and fruit.  As the meal begins, we hear a reading from the Hebrew scriptures describing Israel’s preparation for the Passover celebration. Following the meal we process to the main sanctuary, where the Holy Eucharist is completed.  The solemn stripping of the Altar concludes the evening’s worship, symbolizing the abandonment of Jesus by his followers on this night of betrayal.  We depart in silence. 

Afterwards, a vigil is held through the night until the 12 noon service on Good Friday.  Parishioners are invited to watch with Jesus for an hour during this time.  Please sign up for your chosen hour.
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Good Friday    March 21

12 noon    A Liturgy of the Hours

7:00 pm    Proper Liturgy for Good Friday

The Good Friday service from 12 noon until 3:00 pm coincides with the hours that Jesus hung on the cross.  This service is a quiet time of hearing the story of Jesus’ crucifixion through Scripture, meditations, and music, balanced with periods of intentional silence. You may want to bring devotional reading material and a seat cushion with you for this time.

Recognizing that some may not be able to attend the complete service, we encourage folks to come when they can and leave for service in the world when they must. 

The evening service offers the Proper Liturgy for the day as appointed by the Book of Common Prayer.  At this service we will be invited to write down those sins and burdens we ask Jesus to carry on the cross; then we nail these to a large wooden cross. The concrete action that symbolizes bringing our burdens to Christ – along with the painful sound of hammering nails – makes this service very meaningful.
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Holy Week for children:
Getting Ready for the Last Supper
On Monday through Wednesday of Holy Week, during the evening services, children in kindergarten through fourth grade are invited to join us for a program in the Great Hall  which will offer an exploration of an agape meal like the one Jesus celebrrated on his last night. 'Tweens are encouraged to participate or assist in this program.  Join us to hear the Exodus story, make matzah bread, design and create a chalice and paten and more.  Wednesday evening will feature a symbolic agape meal. On Thursday all children are invited to share in the parish dinner and worship.

In addition to this special program, there will be child care for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers during the evening services of Holy Week and during both services on Good Friday. Please let us know if your child will be joining us – either for the program or for child care. Sign up on the information center sign-up sheet, online, or by calling the office at 321-6700.