Holy Week 2023
If we have been united with Christ in a death like his, we will surely be united with him in a resurrection like his.
(Romans 6:5)
Holy Week: The Heart of the Christian Year
Life and death, suffering and joy: this week is at the heart of everything. In the sacred liturgies of Holy Week we participate with Jesus in his victory over evil and death. We pray for the sorrow and pain of the world, and we look with hope for God's new creation that is dawning. Join us for Holy Week at Incarnation.
The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday (April 2)
We gather and wave palms in celebration of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Yet quickly we run into the reality of betrayal and sorrow, as the liturgy takes us into a reading of the story of the crucifixion from St. Matthew's Gospel.
8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist
A simple spoken service beginning with the Liturgy of the Palms inside the church.
10:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist
A sung service with musical leadership from the organ and choir. We'll begin in the central courtyard with the Liturgy of the Palms and a procession around the church grounds.
- The service will be livestreamed.
- Incense will be used.
- The nursery will be available for young children.
- Children's Chapel will be available for preschool/elementary-age children.
11:45 a.m. Holy Week Gathering for Children, Youth, and Families
Children, youth, and their families are invited to participate in a journey through the mystery of Holy Week with a potluck lunch, crafts, and activities for all ages.
Monday in Holy Week (April 3)
12:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross
This devotional service traces Jesus’ journey from his trial through his death and burial.
Tuesday in Holy Week (April 4)
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
12:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross
Wednesday in Holy Week (April 5)
12:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross
Maundy Thursday (April 6)
This is the first day of the Holy Triduum, or Great Three Days, the heart of sacred time. The liturgies of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Great Vigil of Easter form a continuous whole in which we are joined with Jesus Christ in his death and resurrection.
12:00 p.m. The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday
A simple spoken service of the Holy Eucharist.
6:00 p.m. Agapé Supper
A fellowship meal in Farlander Hall, recalling Jesus’ table gatherings with his disciples, and preparing for the celebration of the evening liturgy.
At this principal liturgy of the day, after listening to the scriptures, we are invited to participate in washing one another's feet as Jesus did for his disciples. We sing of love and service, and of the gift of Jesus' Body and Blood in the Eucharist. After Communion, the sacred Bread and Wine of the Eucharist are taken to a place of honor in the chapel to be reserved for tomorrow's service. Then the altar and worship space are stripped of all adornments. Tonight's liturgy has no dismissal, for it continues tomorrow on Good Friday. Those who wish may remain for a period of silent prayer in the chapel with the reserved Sacrament. After a time we will pray the service of Compline and depart in silence.
- The service will be livestreamed.
- Incense will be used.
- The nursery will be available for young children.
Good Friday (April 7)
There is no celebration of the Eucharist on this chief fast day of the year. Instead we gather for a solemn liturgy centered on the story of Christ’s Passion, this time from St. John’s Gospel. We join in Christ’s prayer from the cross, praying at length for all the world's needs using an ancient form of the Prayers of the People. We pray before a wooden cross, an instrument of suffering turned into the sign of our salvation. Finally, we share Communion from the holy Bread and Wine consecrated the previous day. All the while we sing, not only of sorrow but also of the glory of the cross. Once again, there is no dismissal; our liturgy continues at the Great Vigil of Easter.
12:00 p.m. Stations of the Cross
Between 12:00 and 3:00, our labyrinth will be set up in Farlander Hall for walking meditation.
1:30 p.m. The Liturgy of Good Friday
A simple spoken service with the Passion Gospel, prayer before the cross, and distribution of Communion.
7:00 p.m. Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday
A sung service with musical leadership from the organ and choir, this principal liturgy of the day includes the reading of the Passion from St. John's Gospel, prayer before the cross, and distribution of Communion.
- The service will be livestreamed.
- The nursery will be available for young children.
Holy Saturday and Easter Eve (April 8)
9:00 a.m. The Office of Holy Saturday
This brief service commemorates Jesus' burial and his descent among the dead for our salvation.
8:00 p.m. The Great Vigil of Easter
The Easter Vigil is the center of the church year, the hinge on which all our worship turns. On this most holy night we light a new fire and a great candle that will make this night bright. In the words of the great song of praise sung tonight by the deacon, "This is the night when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, and rose victorious from the grave!" We listen to some of the most powerful scriptures in our Bible: stories of creation, Abraham and Isaac, Moses and Miriam and the crossing of the sea, poems of promise and rejoicing. Then, we renew our Baptismal promises, renouncing evil and professing our faith in Christ. On this night we share with Christ in his passage through death into risen life, proclaiming the arrival of Easter with lights, bells, and shouts of "Alleluia: Christ is risen!"
- The service will be livestreamed.
- Incense will be used.
- The nursery will be available for young children.
The Sunday of the Resurrection: Easter Day (April 9)
Our Easter joy carries over from last night’s Vigil into the light of morning. Christ is risen indeed: Alleluia!
8:00 a.m. The Holy Eucharist
A simple spoken service.
10:15 a.m. The Holy Eucharist
A sung service with musical leadership from the organ and choir.
- The service will be livestreamed.
- Incense will be used.
- The nursery will be available for young children.
- Children's Chapel will be available for preschool/elementary-age children.
The Fifty Days of Easter
Easter is not just a day: it's a full fifty-day season. For seven weeks our Easter celebration continues as the ongoing mystery of Christ's resurrection unfolds in our lives, culminating at the Feast of Pentecost on Sunday, June 5.
Christ, who has been raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once and for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So too, consider yourselves dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:9-11)
Portions of the above text were adapted from The Three Days to Save ©1991, 2009 Archdiocese of Chicago, www.LTP.org. Original text written by Gabe Huck. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
