Holy Week at Home
Preparations for Holy Week at Home
As we begin Holy Week from home, Church of the Redeemer provides a few suggestions to prepare for a memorable experience from where you are now and a continued connection to your worshiping community.
Make a Sacred Space at Home
During the last few weeks, we have experienced that the Church is not a building, but a community gathered in prayer. We’ve also realized that our homes can also be places of prayer. So, as we near the end of our Lenten journey and prepare for Holy Week, perhaps it’s time to create a prayer space at home that is available any time of day or night to anyone in your household. In the midst of the chaos of homeschooling and worries of this world right now, working together as a household to build a sacred space at home may be an excellent way to create order and peace.
It is quite simple and can be done with what you already have at home most likely. Find a surface in a low traffic area such as a windowsill, small table, portable tray table, or bookshelf. It may be helpful to have it in a quiet area where there is little “action."
Here are some items to gather for your sacred space:
- Cloth: a placemat, tablecloth, or any piece of fabric. Try to match the color of the church season if possible: red for Holy Week.
- Candle: to remind us that Jesus is the Light of the World and that God is always present. You may say, as you light the candle, “We light the candle to remind us that God is with us in this place, at this time.”
- Cross: any shape, type, or media. If you don’t have a cross, you could make one out of paper, two sticks tied together with twine, even popsicle sticks.
- Icon: a holy image of a saint or biblical figure. Not everyone will want (or have) an icon, and that’s okay.
- Scripture, poem, or prayer: a Bible or Book of Common Prayer is useful for reading lessons or the Daily Office. You can also write your verses on cards that can be read (perhaps every night at dinner would work well for your rhythm). The Good Shepherd of Psalm 23 is a wonderful image to meditate on with young children.
- Bowl with paper and pen: to write the names of people or thanksgivings on a slip of paper and put it in the bowl as part of your prayer practice.
Daily Meditations for All Ages
Each day, by noon, Church of the Redeemer will offer a scripture verse, musical offering, and meditation via our Online Worship Podcast (subscribe wherever you get your podcasts), and also available on our website. Listen to them and take time to reflect on the story being told. We will also provide resources daily for our families on our website and our Facebook page.
You may also consider using art or journaling to meditate on the scriptures for the day. Some have also found using building blocks, like Legos, to build a diorama of the story is helpful for children. They can then tell the story back to you by describing the scene they have built.
Please feel free to share pictures of your at-home creativity by sending them to our Communications Minister, Nancy Schwartz or posting them on social media. Be sure to tag Episcopal Church of the Redeemer (@RedeemerCincy) and use the hashtag: #HolyWeekatRedeemerOnline.
Palm Crosses
Church of the Redeemer’s Altar Guild has once again created palm crosses for our Palm Sunday celebration. If you would like to have one (or more) stop by the church (at the back door under the overhang) anytime from Friday morning through 6:00 pm on Saturday and pick yours up. They can be used at your sacred space as you journey through Holy Week at home.