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hrmjustin

(71,265 posts)
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 04:32 PM Mar 2013

What does your church do for Holy Week and Easter celebrations?

This is what my church does;
-Psalm(Passion) Sunday we have a procession in the church and we sing All Glory Laud and Honor and psalm 118 while we hold our psalms. The choirs sing the Passion Gospel. We than proceed to a regular mass but we leave in silence as if we were leaving the foot of the cross.
-Maundy(Holy) Thursday we have a mass with a foot washing and a light supper. After communion we process the blessed sacrament to the Lady Chapel where it will stay overnight for the watch. Then we process to the school gym for a light dinner and we hear Jesus's high priestly prayer from John. We process back to the church for the stripping of the altar which represents the stripping of Christ at the foot of the cross. A cantor sings psalm 22 during this and than we leave in silence. The church is left open for the watch with the sacrament all night long.
-Good Friday we have a service of the word during which the choir sings the passion gospel again like they did on Psalm Sunday. After the sermon we have the solemn collects for the state of the world and the church. We then have the procession and veneration of the cross. We than have the communion brad from the night before because a Eucharist can not be celebrated on Good Friday. We leave in silence.
-Easter Eve we have the Great Vigil of Easter at 8 PM. This service is always a bishop visitation for our parish so we always get a bishop. We start in the dark and light the paschal fire and candle. The deacon sings the exultant with begins with Rejoice now heavenly choirs and angels. We than here 5 old testament readings along with 5 collects and psalms. We than have baptisms, confirmations, receptions, and reaffirmations of baptismal vows. Than the Bishop announces Easter with Alleluia Christ is Risen and the people respond with The Lord is Risen Indeed Alleluia. The lights are turned on and the bells ring out along with the bells people brought with them. We sing the Gloria and than begin The First Eucharist of Easter. A reception of food and wine follows.
-Easter Sunday services follows a regular Sunday format. We have three services and with all 4 Easter services we get between 800-1000 people. The Easter bunny arrives and helps the kids find the 1000-2000 eggs we have hidden in the garden. We have trumpets playing and the choir sings glorious Easter music. Receptions follow all masses.
The Second Sunday of Easter is called Low Sunday because it is more relaxed.

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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What does your church do for Holy Week and Easter celebrations? (Original Post) hrmjustin Mar 2013 OP
Thanks for asking! elleng Mar 2013 #1
Cool are you doing it with your family? hrmjustin Mar 2013 #2
Wish I were, hrm, elleng Mar 2013 #3
Looks like peanut brittle... Bay Boy Mar 2013 #4
No, not at all. elleng Mar 2013 #5
Low church, so a lot more low key ButterflyBlood Mar 2013 #6
At my large Episcopal parish Lydia Leftcoast Mar 2013 #7
Sounds very Episcopalian to me. hrmjustin Mar 2013 #8

elleng

(131,124 posts)
3. Wish I were, hrm,
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 04:49 PM
Mar 2013

but the Industrial Revolution (that's my excuse) has resulted in being separated, geographically etc, so NO, will likely get some matzoh and make matzoh brei:

elleng

(131,124 posts)
5. No, not at all.
Thu Mar 21, 2013, 05:22 PM
Mar 2013

Rather soft, depending on how much egg is absorbed and how long it 'fries.' Some eat it with salt. Me, Maple Syrup!

P.S., Coca-Cola: No 'Kosher for Passover' Coke in Calif.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2013/03/21/business/ap-us-no-kosher-coke.html?hp

ButterflyBlood

(12,644 posts)
6. Low church, so a lot more low key
Fri Mar 22, 2013, 12:07 AM
Mar 2013

There's a Good Friday service which is a lot more mild and contemplative than our normal ones (this is a charismatic church, so you can probably imagine what those are like) and then a pretty standard service on Easter (pretty joyous, celebratory and energetic, but this is a charismatic church, when is it ever not that?)

Lydia Leftcoast

(48,217 posts)
7. At my large Episcopal parish
Thu Mar 28, 2013, 12:34 AM
Mar 2013

Palm Sunday: Starts with the choir singing the Weelkes (early British composer) "Hosanna to the Son of David" as an Introit, followed by a palm processional to "All Glory Laud and Honor" and "Ride On, Ride On in Majesty."

However, this quickly transitions to a more solemn observance as we have a dramatic reading of one of the four Passion narratives in lieu of a sermon.

We have a regular Eucharist service and leave in silence.

Wednesday: Tenebrae, a candlelight service of music and seven prayers. The candles are extinguished one by one after each reading.

Thursday: Maundy Thursday, a fairly normal Eucharist service with the addition of foot washing. At the end, the altar is stripped while the choir sings Psalm 22.

Good Friday: a Stations of the Cross service at noon. This year, for the first time, we're having a performance of Bach's St. John Passion instead of the evening service.

Holy Saturday: an Easter Vigil at 8PM, starting in candlelight, with chanting of the Exultet and psalms and the reading of lessons. Followed by the first Eucharist of Easter.

Easter: An extra service, otherwise a typical service, only more jubilant than usual.

 

hrmjustin

(71,265 posts)
8. Sounds very Episcopalian to me.
Thu Mar 28, 2013, 12:39 AM
Mar 2013

I have to get to church at 2 and I should get out by 12 or 1. I have kitchen stuff with the meal we have and I am MC tomorrow for the Mass. I wish you a happy and healthy Easter Triduum.

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