By The Rev. Steve Keplinger
If you are new to a liturgical church, Holy Week is something you may have never experienced previously. Not only is it an ancient tradition marking the events leading up to the death of Jesus, it is also the most important week of the year in our worship experience.
For those of you who have participated in Holy Week since you were knee high to a grasshopper, you know that these services have the potential of being profoundly moving and perhaps life changing. But you also know that they can be downright painful if they stay trapped in the Augustinian Lenten experience and the blood atonement theology of Anselm.
That is why the services of Holy Week at GSP are both old and new. We will not stray from the ancient worship tradition of the church but we have also created liturgies that we believe highlight what Jesus wanted us to remember the most about his last week on earth. Our goal is to create liturgies that will be so profoundly moving that it will change you deep in your heart and bring each of you into a closer relationship with one another and with God.
Here is the breakdown of services:
Palm Sunday
April 17, 8 & 10 a.m.
We will begin the service outside, waving our palms and commemorating the day when Jesus is jubilantly honored as he enters Jerusalem. After processing into the church to continue the celebration, the liturgy will suddenly turn to the narrated Passion Gospel. It is a stunning juxtaposition and an emotional service.
Monday & Tuesday
April 18 & 19, 7 p.m.
Evening Prayer & Eucharist, celebrated in the Memorial Garden.
Wednesday
April 20, 7 a.m.
Holy Eucharist, celebrated in the Julian Chapel.
Maundy Thursday
April 21, 7 p.m.
"Maundy" comes from the Latin word mandatum, where we get the word "mandate." It refers to Jesus's mandate to follow the "new commandment," that we love one another. On this night we commemorate Jesus's last night on earth, where I believe he put into one evening the essence of his entire earthly ministry. Commemorating the last supper as well as Jesus's act of foot washing reminds each of us how we are to be servants to one another. Our service will conclude with the stripping of the altar, symbolizing events of the following day, then include more symbols to capture the essence of our faith. In my mind the most important worship experience of the year, I have seen it totally change people's lives. If you choose only one service to attend in Holy Week, this is the one I would personally pick.
Keeping Watch
After Maundy Thursday service to Good Friday Noon
Another ancient tradition is to "stay awake" in the stripped church in a contemplative fashion as Jesus asked of his disciples the night before he was killed. A sign-up sheet is available in the narthex for those who would like to be one of the watchers for this all night vigil that will end with our first service on Good Friday.
Good Friday, Stations of the Cross
April 22, Noon
A contemporary Stations of the Cross experience on the labyrinth begins at Noon. This practice is another ancient tradition. At GSP, we reflect on the events of Good Friday from a liberation perspective. This service will include walking for those who are able, and will last about thirty minutes.
Good Friday, The Way of the Cross
April 22, 5:30 p.m.
This form of Stations of the Cross designed specifically for children will also be outside, weather permitting, and will be less than thirty minutes.
Good Friday, Tenebrae Service
April 22, 7 p.m.
We are going to try something new this year as our main Good Friday service. A service of Tenebrae is an ancient tradition, but one not utilized often. We will move from light to darkness, both metaphorically and physically as we move through short Gospel readings describing the events of this fateful day, followed with a musical response to each reading. It is in my mind a most emotional service, and one that also changes people.
Holy Saturday, The Great Vigil of Easter
April 23, 7 p.m.
This is the premier service in the Christian tradition. We begin in the darkness of the world, lighting a primordial fire and working our way through salvation history, suddenly bursting into the grandeur and wonder of Easter. The Vigil captures the length and breadth of Christianity and is a service everyone should experience. It is the longest service of the year, running over two hours, but also the most memorable.
Easter Day
April 24, 8 & 10 a.m.
The day arrives. The full wonder, beauty and magnificence of the resurrection experience are captured in one service. Following worship, GSP hosts one of Tucson's most fantastic celebratory parties. You won't want to miss any of it.
