Padre’s Ponderings - April 2025
I am ecstatic to spend my first Holy Week and Eastertide with St. John’s! Our Worship Team meets monthly to assist in planning worship with me, and I am grateful for their spirit of collaboration. There are many moving parts in facilitating meaningful worship experiences, including music, choir members, readers of Scripture, prayer leaders, Eucharistic Ministers and Visitors, altar guild to prepare our space, greeters to welcome, and ushers to be certain we have what we need and know where to go, acolytes to lift high the cross and assist the priest, and St. John’s even has a verger to help worship go smoothly and orderly. I thank all of you for your leadership and participation in St. John’s worship. We couldn’t do it without your involvement and engagement.
This year, Holy Week begins on Sunday, April 13, with Palm Sunday. We will bless palm fronds and process into the worship space together, symbolizing and recalling Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. I have a different practice with Palm Sunday. Rather than the Passion Narrative being read in the usual liturgical location, I have this challenging reading occur after we’ve received Holy Eucharist, the last thing we hear as we journey into the remainder of Holy Week together. This liturgical adjustment has had a profound impact on me and countless others over the last several years. I’m curious how this adjustment will land for all of you.
On Holy Wednesday, we’ll offer the Holy Eucharist in the chapel with the readings for the day, and we will continue praying the Stations of the Cross after receiving the Eucharist. Holy Thursday brings us the commandment to love one another as Christ loves us. For those who want, we will practice the washing of feet; we’ll receive the Eucharist, and the altar will be stripped. On Good Friday, we will have a noon Stations of the Cross with chanting from station to station. Additionally, we will have the Good Friday Solemn Liturgy at 7:00 pm with Communion from the Reserve Sacrament. Holy Saturday, Jesus rested, but our altar guild, musicians, and various other ministry teams will prepare to celebrate the Great Vigil of Easter at 6:00 am on Easter morning. The Great Vigil of Easter begins in our beautiful memorial garden.
I invite you to bring small bells for the Easter Vigil and our 10:30 Paschal Feast. The sound of bells ringing marks the transition from a Solemn Lent and Holy Week to the overwhelming joy and celebration of Christ’s resurrection for all creation. Traditionally, bells are rung during the singing of the Gloria in Excelsis, Glory to God in the Highest, the Great Vigil, and the Easter Sunday liturgy. We will have some extra bells on hand for folks to ring, but I encourage you to bring your own bells to help in making a joyful noise unto the Lord as we celebrate the gift of Jesus’ resurrection.
On Easter Sunday, we’ll have light refreshments for folks between the 6:00 am service and the 10:30 am service. We’ll have a larger feast following our 10:30 am Easter liturgy. Please invite your family and friends to our Holy Week and Easter liturgies. I love getting to be present with the saints of John for all of these holy moments, and I yearn for more and more to know Christ’s unconditional love through our faith community! I’ll see you in the pews and on the streets!
In God’s Grace,
Eric L. Miller+
Rector
