a guide to holy week at resurrection
DESCRIPTION
Resurrection theologians, writers, and artists created this stunning comprehensive guide to the Christian pilgrimage of Holy Week. You can learn about the history of every service, pray through the devotions, and meet Jesus along his road to resurrection.TRANSCRIPT
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A GUIDE TO
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SUNDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
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THE HOLY WEEK JOURNEY DAY BY DAY
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FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
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THE HOLY WEEK JOURNEY DAY BY DAY
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INTRODUCTIONLent has prepared us to journey with Jesus through
Holy Week. But we do not walk with Jesus simply
as observers of his passion, death, and resurrection,
seeking to recall what happened. The church invites us
instead to enter into Holy Week as pilgrims.
Pilgrimage in the Old Testament is a journey initiated
by God with a spiritual goal. Abraham was called by
God to make pilgrimage to a land that God promised
to show him. Centuries later God led Moses and
Israel on a forty-year pilgrimage to that same Land of
Promise.
Pilgrimage is different than a “trip.” It is not a
sightseeing tour or a desire to experience a change
of scenery. On pilgrimage, it is the “pilgrim” who is
changed by God forever. Abram became Abraham,
the “father of all who believe” (Rom. 4:11). The
shepherd Moses was transformed into the giver of
the Law and one “whom the Lord knew face to face”
(Deut. 34:10). Israel was refined and changed from
a multitude of slaves into God’s own people, a nation
ready to enter the Promised Land (Deut. 4:20).
Pilgrimage is not just for spiritual “superstars.” The
Law of Moses called for all Jews to make an annual
pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the three great feasts
of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. In fact, our
Palm Sunday procession song, “Who Will Ascend
God’s Holy Mountain?” is a contemporary setting
of Psalm 24—one of the songs of ascent that those
Jewish pilgrims would sing together on their way up
to Jerusalem. In the holy city they gathered not only
to celebrate the feast but also to remember and re-
present to each new generation the history of God’s
saving deeds (Ps. 78:5-8).
This biblical understanding of “remembrance” is very
different from our modern understanding. It was not
a mere memory, a recalling to mind of something
that happened in the past. For the Jews to remember
was to participate in what was being remembered—a
re-living of that event. Thus, every year at the Passover
seder, it was the job of the youngest child to ask the
question, “Why is this night different from all other
nights?” Then began the recitation of mighty works
God enacted to deliver Israel from their bondage in
Egypt under Pharaoh. In eating the Passover seder
they, too, were sharing the meal “eaten in haste” (Exod.
12:11). They were participating in the Exodus from
Egypt just as surely as those Jews who were there with
Moses did.
If you have never gone through Holy Week at Church
of the Resurrection, you may be wondering the
same thing: “Why is this week different from all other
weeks?” During Holy Week, the church celebrates the
Passover of Christ, the “Lamb of God who takes away
the sin of the world” (John 1:29). By his blood God has
delivered us from the slavery of sin and death and has
brought us into the fullness of his promise that we, too,
might share in his resurrection (Phil. 3:10-11).
Holy Week invites each one of us to go on pilgrimage:
to journey with Jesus through the gates of Jerusalem,
to eat with him and hear his commandment to love one
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another, to stay and watch with him in the garden, to
accompany him on the way to Calvary, to be present at
his death, and to dance for joy at his resurrection.
Gregory Nazianzen, a fourth-century bishop,
exhorted his congregation to be as fully present with
Jesus that week in Jerusalem as were his disciples, and
to be changed by Christ’s death and resurrection even
as they were:
We are soon going to share in the Passover [of Christ]...
So let us take our part in the Passover...
If you are a Simon of Cyrene, take up your cross and
follow Christ.
If you are crucified beside him, like one of the thieves,
now like the good thief acknowledge your God. For
your sake, and because of your sin, Christ himself was
regarded as a sinner; for his sake, therefore, you must
cease to sin. Worship him who was hung on the cross
because of you, even if you are hanging there yourself.
Enter paradise with Jesus.
If you are a Joseph of Arimathea, go to the one who
ordered his crucifixion, and ask for Christ’s body. Make
your own the expiation for the sins of the whole world.
If you are a Nicodemus, like the man who worshipped
God by night, bring spices and prepare Christ’s body
for burial.
If you are one of the Marys, or Salome, or Joanna, weep
in the early morning. Be the first to see the stone rolled
back, and even the angels perhaps, and Jesus himself.
To journey with Jesus, to be present with him here
this Holy Week, is a pilgrimage that will change us.
On Palm Sunday we join the crowds waving palm
branches and singing “hosanna” to Jesus as an earthly
king, perceiving his glory in worldly terms based on
our own human experiences and expectations.
By the time Maundy Thursday arrives we begin, with
the disciples, to see Jesus with different eyes. He is the
Christ revealed to us in humility as the embodiment of
God’s love.
To be present at the cross on Good Friday, even as
Mary and John were, is to finally see Jesus’ glory
in God’s terms. He has won for us the victory over
sin and death. His sacrifice on the cross for the
forgiveness of our sins has made the saving power of
his blood eternally present to us.
On Easter Sunday we participate in the glory of God’s
victory over sin and death as we “hasten to see the
stone rolled back, and even the angels perhaps, and
Jesus himself.” Christ is risen—and we are raised with
him into the newness of eternal life.
Let this Holy Week be your invitation to set your
countenance on Jerusalem and, like Jesus, to
journey to the Passover feast. Let us experience the
remembrance of God’s saving deeds and encounter
firsthand the power of the crucified and risen Christ to
save and heal us.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us;
therefore, let us celebrate the feast (1 Cor. 5:7-8)!
Scripture references in this introduction are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Scripture throughout the rest of this book is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version,® NIV.® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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HISTORICAL CONTEXTOn Palm Sunday, we celebrate the entrance of Jesus
as a King into the city of Jerusalem, the historical
capital of the kingdom of Israel. This kind of entry into
the city was well-known in the ancient world. By the
time of Jesus, this was a celebration reserved for the
Roman Emperor and his family alone. Historically, the
“Roman triumph” was awarded by the Roman Senate
to generals and their armies who were returning from
a decisive military victory. Roman emperors would
stride into the city on horseback with a giant parade,
dragging along the spoils of war—both riches and
prisoners. As the emperor, his soldiers, and those who
were part of his victory party rode into the city, the
crowd would join the procession behind them as they
made their way to a temple for a sacrifice.
Jesus made an important statement to the people
as he rode into the ancient city on a donkey colt (a
symbolic animal of peace). Like a great emperor
returning victoriously from war, he was greeted by
the crowds with shouts of triumph and joy and waving
palm branches, “Blessed is the king who comes in the
name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38). Jesus’ triumphal entry
declares to everyone that he is King and Lord and that
he will be victorious in his mission to defeat sin and
death once and for all.
The church has preserved this celebration and enters
into Jesus’ triumphal arrival to Jerusalem through the
liturgy and celebration of Palm Sunday, which marks
the beginning of Holy Week. Palm Sunday sets the
tone for Holy Week as one of ultimate victory and joy.
The procession on this day holds special significance
because it is the beginning of one liturgical movement
that arcs through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and
the Easter Vigil. Historically, the clergy would begin
the procession outside the church. The palms—an
ancient symbol of triumph and victory—are blessed
outside, prior to the procession, and waved by the
crowd as the crucifix, Gospel book, and clergy pass
by. The whole congregation joins the procession and
enters the sanctuary together. These palm branches
are saved and later burned to be used as ashes on Ash
Wednesday of the following year.
Palm Sunday at Resurrection also has a special
significance for us, as we held our very first service on
Palm Sunday in 1954.
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WAVING PALM BRANCHES: In Matthew 21,
it says that crowds placed branches at Jesus’ feet as
he made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Palm
branches are an ancient symbol of goodness, victory,
and triumph.
A PROCESSIONAL: We march through part of our
neighborhood both to partictipate in Jesus’ own entry
into Jerusalem as a victorious king and to announce the
beginning of Holy Week.
CHUPPAH: This structure symbolically honors the
crucifix, which represents Christ’s presence.
SHOFAR: The blowing of this horn is a local custom
based on the Bible’s description of its use as a herald of
the coming of a king.
THE PASSION READING: This passage from
John’s Gospel is performed as a dramatic monologue
by a member of the congregation in order to orient the
congregation to the ruling narrative of Holy Week. The
congregation participates in this reading by acting as
those who call for Jesus’ crucifixion.
INCENSE: Burned as a tangible reminder of God’s
presence with us, incense is traditionally used on holy
days. The incense is carried by a person called the
thurifer. The incense also represents our prayers rising
to God in heaven. (Psalm 141:2)
LITURGICAL COLOR CHANGE FROM
PURPLE TO RED: A local custom dating back to
the late ‘80s, the shift from purple to red is meant to
visually capture the dramatic arc of the service. Purple,
a royal color, is used for the processional as we usher
in King Jesus. Then, after the Passion reading, purple
is changed to red, which is the official color of Palm
Sunday and a symbol of Jesus’ death and crucifixion.
The changing colors capture the dramatic juxtaposition
that takes place, as the same crowd of people goes
from praising Jesus to calling for his murder.
WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
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WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
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YOUR RESPONSE
Palm Sunday is a service of invitation to the journey of
Holy Week. The service begins on a spiritual high point
as we remember and celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry
into Jerusalem. Like the crowds in the Gospel accounts
(Matt. 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:29-40), during the
processional we are invited to worship Jesus in all his
glory. We see Jesus for who he truly is: our King. As we
wave our palm branches and walk with Jesus towards
Jerusalem, we experience Jesus’ eternal victory.
However, when we arrive with Jesus in Jerusalem
there is a dramatic shift. In the service, we hear the
Passion reading—the account of Jesus’ trial and
crucifixion. The same crowd that was worshiping Jesus
now turns against him, calling for his death. Again,
we see ourselves in the crowd, realizing our own sin
of rejecting Jesus. In the grittiness and length of the
Passion reading, we realize the depth of suffering that
Jesus endured for us.
The prayers of Palm Sunday focus on Jesus’ suffering.
We are called to imitate Jesus in his humility and to
walk with him through his suffering and death. We do
this so that we might also share in his resurrection and
victory—a victory that we have had a glimpse of in this
service. This invitation is not to be taken lightly. If, by
faith, we embrace the call to share in Jesus’ suffering
and allow the Lord to meet us, we will be changed.
Whether this is your first or fiftieth journey through
Holy Week, the Lord Jesus is calling you to walk this
difficult and holy road with him.
How is the Lord inviting you to walk with him this week? What does it mean to walk with Jesus in his suffering?
What stands out to you most about this service?
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HISTORICAL CONTEXTOn Maundy Thursday, we gather for the second
service of Holy Week that marks Jesus’ Last Supper
with his disciples prior to his arrest by the Jewish
leaders. On this night, the apostle John recorded that
Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and gave his disciples
the model for the Eucharist and a “new command”
to love each other as Jesus loved them (John 13:34).
Maundy is a word derived from the Latin which means
“mandate” or “command.”
Jesus takes on the position of a menial slave in the
act of foot washing. This would have been unusual
behavior for a rabbi at that time—a rabbi should have
humility but never give up his station of superior
authority. Jesus adorns himself as a slave and washes
his disciples’ feet in the manner of ancient hospitality.
It was custom to wash the feet of one’s guests before
dinner when they had arrived from a long journey.
Normally, disciples would have been the ones serving
their master, but Jesus’ behavior is different in order to
show his disciples how his Kingdom has turned social
norms upside down. And, he is preparing them for the
greatest dinner of all.
For this is also the night that Jesus institutes the
Eucharist, the meal we share as the family of God in
remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. That
night Jesus and the disciples shared the Passover meal
as the first family of the new Kingdom of God; this
meal remembers the most important event in Jewish
history, the Exodus from Egypt. Many Jews of the first
century were waiting for a Messiah who would lead a
military and political takeover of Israel and reclaim it
from Rome; they envisioned a second Exodus. Bread
and wine play a significant role in the Passover meal,
and during the Passover meal, unleavened bread and
wine is consumed. The unleavened bread is called
“the bread of affliction” to remind the Israelites of their
suffering in Egypt and to remember how they left in
such a hurry that there was no time to let the yeast rise
before baking. There are five cups of wine integral to
the Passover meal. There is varied interpretation, but
generally, the first four cups correspond to the four
terms God used to describe how he would deliver
Israel from Egypt (Exod. 6:6-8)—literally, they are
cups of salvation. The fifth cup of wine is left at the
place set for Elijah, who it was hoped would return to
announce the coming of the Messiah. Jesus connected
for his disciples the hope for a second Exodus to the
deliverance they would yet experience in his body’s
death and resurrection.
The church continues these practices today on
Maundy Thursday. The foot washing after the reading
of the Gospel and the sermon was a common practice
by the fourth century. Traditionally, the leader of the
church washes the feet of twelve poor people on this
day. During the day, there is a ceremony to bless the
holy oils used throughout the year. Finally, this is the
last Eucharist meal consecrated until Easter Sunday.
The priest consecrates elements for this service and
enough bread for reserve Eucharist on Good Friday.
Customarily, Maundy Thursday extends into an all
night prayer vigil, commemorating Jesus’ request that
his disciples stay up praying with him in the Garden of
Gethsemane before his arrest.
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WASHING EACH OTHER’S FEET: We wash
each other’s feet to reenact the same servanthood
that Jesus took on for his disciples, as told in John 13.
Even as King and God, Jesus stooped down to do the
dirtiest and lowliest of duties for his disciples. As Jesus’
followers, we do the same for one another because this
is how Jesus modeled servant love.
STRIPPING OF THE ALTAR: We strip the altar
of all worship elements and wash it with water. The
symbols of Christ’s presence in Communion are
removed as a reminder of how Christ was stripped and
exposed by the soldiers before his crucifixion and also
how his body was washed and prepared for burial by
the women.
SHROUDING OF CROSS AND LOWERING
BANNERS: We fast with our eyes through these
visual cues of the somber pilgrimage into the last hours
of Jesus’ life and his crucifixion.
RESERVED ELEMENTS: The priest blesses extra
Communion bread on Maundy Thursday, which is
meant to be consumed during Communion on Good
Friday. It is processed to All Saints Chapel and stored in
the Tabernacle, a small locked box. Maundy Thursday
through Easter Sunday is technically one long service,
known as the “Triduum,” (The Three Days) with no
formal processionals or recessionals.
WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
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WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
YOUR RESPONSE
The Maundy Thursday service invites us to allow Jesus
into our whole lives. Jesus shows his tender love for
us through the vulnerability of washing our feet. Jesus
washes us of our sin through his broken body and his
blood spilled out on the cross through the sacrament
of Communion. This service is intensely embodied—we
are invited to see, hear, and feel Jesus with us.
In the midst of a worship service it feels both bizarre
and startlingly vulnerable to strip off our shoes and
socks and place our feet in a basin of water. The foot
washing portion of the service forces us to be exposed
and vulnerable. It is in that place that we can receive
healing and the fullness of the Lord Jesus’ love for us.
In the Gospel reading for this service, the disciple Peter
is indignant when Jesus asks to wash his feet. Either
Peter does not want his Lord to stoop to such a lowly
place, or he does not want to show Jesus his dirty feet
(or both!). How easy it is to sympathize with Peter in this
moment. But instead of appreciating Peter’s concern
for him, Jesus says, “If I do not wash you, you have no
share with me” (John 13:8).
Jesus displays his incredible humility and the fullness of
his humanity—he is not above us or our bodies. Jesus
became one of us, and a servant to us, in order that
he might bring us into full relationship with God the
Father—that we might share eternal life with him. Jesus’
servanthood, seen in the washing of feet, is then fully
realized in his death on the cross.
Is it more difficult for you to allow someone to wash your feet, or for you to wash the feet of someone else? Why?
How might the Lord want to minister to you during that moment?
What stands out to you most about this service?
DEVOTIONAL
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HISTORICAL CONTEXTTraditionally, the Stations of the Cross refer to
images depicting the journey Jesus walked from his
condemnation and sentencing at trial to the laying
of his body in the tomb. The images are customarily
displayed around the sanctuary of a church, and
people are encouraged to visit the stations during
Lent. At each station there are prayers, reflections, and
scripture read. This journey is thought to have been
adapted from the practice of very early pilgrims to
Jerusalem at Easter who would follow Jesus’ path on
the Via Dolorosa, which was thought to be the actual
path Jesus took on his way to being crucified. The
Stations of the Cross developed in order to provide
this experience to pilgrims around the world, no matter
where they might be. The fourteen stations begin with
Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and end
with his followers laying his body in the tomb.
At Church of the Resurrection, we take a journey
around our building together at three different times
on Good Friday. An officiant and a musician lead the
service. Each station is marked by a plain wooden
cross. At each station we read the passage of scripture
associated with that moment on Jesus’ journey and take
a moment to reflect with song and prayer. Our Stations
of the Cross service was designed by Pope John Paul II.
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WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
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CRUCIFER AND ACOLYTES: The crucifer
bears the shrouded Crucifix and the acolytes bear
the torches, as is standard for a procession in official
church liturgies. The acolytes are youth in the
church who have been invited into a role of liturgical
leadership.
FOURTEEN WOODEN CROSSES: We journey
to fourteen wooden crosses that mark the traditional
fourteen stations. At each station, we sing, pray, and
reflect on scripture.
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WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
DEVOTIONAL
YOUR RESPONSE
Amidst the intensely corporate pilgrimage of Holy
Week, the Stations of the Cross stand out as an
opportunity for a uniquely individual encounter with
the Lord. With a liturgy of only two voices, no homily,
and a multitude of scripture readings, this service is
crafted to be a private devotional experience. We are
invited into a one-on-one encounter with Jesus as we
walk alongside him on the road to his crucifixion. As
we contemplate each action that took place on Jesus’
journey to his death, we are invited to ponder the
intentionality with which Jesus embraced his rescue
mission. Each station takes Jesus deeper into betrayal,
suffering, and death, thereby bringing us closer to the
moment of our redemption. This paradox evokes an
overwhelming love for our Savior as he suffers and
stumbles, and it brings us hope amidst the darkness of
human sin.
What difficult burden are you being asked to bear in this season of your life? How does the way in which Christ carried his cross apply to your journey?
What stands out to you the most about this service?
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HISTORICAL CONTEXTGood Friday is a solemn remembrance of Jesus’
sacrifice of his own life so that we might find forgiveness
and reconciliation with God. This is not a somber
recapitulation of Jesus’ death, but rather a thankful and
reverently joyful recollection of his death that gave
us life. This day and the next—Holy Saturday—are the
only two days of the church calendar when there is
no Eucharistic celebration. Traditionally, this service
can be held at three o’clock in the afternoon or later
to mark the hour of Jesus’ death according to the
Gospels.
It is believed that the liturgy for this service is derived
from the earliest days of Christianity. The service
begins in silence and with prayer. The clergy process
into the room silently, dressed in black. In some
traditions, they prostrate themselves before the
cross at this point. Our readings for the day are from
Isaiah’s Suffering Servant poem (Isa. 52:13 –53:12)
and from the sermon to the Hebrews in which the
author explains Jesus’ role as our great High Priest and
Mediator (Heb. 10:1-25). At this time, we return to the
same Gospel reading that we read on Palm Sunday—
the Passion (John 18:1–19:37). This service also
includes the praying of the Solemn Collects in which
we intercede for the church, our nation, and the world.
Our Communion for this service consists of wafers
that have already been blessed during the previous
night’s Maundy Thursday Eucharist. Good Friday is not
a Eucharist service because we are remembering that
Christ’s body was in the grave, and we are waiting for
his resurrected body to bring us new life.
Finally, we take time to venerate the cross. At Church
of the Resurrection, we lay the cross down on the
chancel stage, and all who are led take time to touch
the cross and pray. It is a powerful time of connection
with our sacrificial Savior.
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SILENT PROCESSION: The clergy enters the
room in silence to highlight Good Friday as the
continuation of the long service that begins on Maundy
Thursday and ends with the Great Vigil of Easter.
PROCESSION OF THE CROSS: The
congregation is invited into the immediacy of the wood
of the cross as it is carried through the sanctuary.
VENERATION OF THE CROSS: This tradition
dates back to the fourth century, when Christians
venerated the wood of Jesus’ actual cross. At
Resurrection, we believe that this practice takes us out
of time and, by the Holy Spirit, into the event of Christ’s
crucifixion. It is not a reenactment, but instead a sacred
moment when we are given the gift of repentance as
we physically touch the cross and are moved by Jesus’
healing presence on the cross.
PRAYER MINISTERS: Because this service is
marked by the immediacy of the saving power of the
cross, we fill the room with prayer ministers who are
trained and ready to enter into that moment with you in
prayer.
WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
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WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
DEVOTIONAL
YOUR RESPONSE
In the pilgrimage of Holy Week, Good Friday brings
us to a somber and contemplative halt. From the
moment the silent procession enters the sanctuary until
we all leave in silence, we are invited into a focused
contemplation of Jesus’ death on the cross. Each
scripture reading, prayer, and song points us to one
man’s experience on an ancient instrument of torture.
Why? Because we believe that the moment Jesus died
on the cross was the moment the entire world was
rescued from sin and death. That is why we spend so
much time savoring the reality of the cross.
On Good Friday, we celebrate both the specific instant
in history when Jesus redeemed us and the reality
that it can meet us in our sinfulness today. We invite
the Holy Spirit to give us the grace to acknowledge
our personal sinfulness and and then to immediately
find forgiveness available at the cross. It is a stunningly
personal opportunity to ask the Lord to highlight the
sins keeping us from drawing close to him and then to
set those sins down on the wood of the cross.
Is there a sinful habit or pattern that the Lord may be asking you to give to him this Good Friday?
What stands out to you the most about this service?
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REZ CONTEXTThe day before Easter is called Holy Saturday and marks the day that Jesus’ body rested in the tomb. On this day, we do not celebrate Communion. Essentially this is a day of waiting for the resurrection. During the early days of the church, this was a day of fasting for remembrance and peaceful contemplation. At a later point in church history, those who were newly converted to Christianity used this as a day to publically declare their faith in Jesus. After sunset on Saturday, the Great Vigil of Easter (p. 27) would begin, marking the first part of the celebration of Easter.
At Church of the Resurrection, the Great Vigil of Easter developed over the years into a service that highlights our deep desire to meet the Lord through Word and Sacrament by the power of the Holy Spirit. Starting in the 1980s when Resurrection was led by Canon William Beasley, there was a desire to make Holy Week not a series of rituals but a profound time of meeting the Lord. Thanks to his background in theater, Fr. William understood the ability of the arts to make abstract concepts concrete and accessible, and he drew artists to Resurrection. When he brought actors, visual artists, and musicians into the same room and gave them freedom to interpret the Salvation History readings, an explosion of creativity flowed forth. This continues to be true at Resurrection to this day, as artists are asked to be preachers by using their gifts to proclaim the heart of the Gospel.
Because Resurrection was a mobile church from 1991-2012, each move into a new worship space pushed us to a new level of creativity. The move into Glenbard West High School gave us the space for our theatrical and artistic vision to come to full fruition. As the Vigil service grew, we moved into Edman Chapel at Wheaton College, and our artists were challenged to fill a larger space than ever before. Now that we are finally celebrating in our own home, a new level of joy has been unleashed as we adapt to our own space. Through each of these moves, however, Easter has continued to be marked by a bold, creative spirit that is inspired by scripture, liturgy, and the Holy Spirit.
In the past, we combined the theatrical celebration of the Salvation History readings with the Great Vigil of Easter—but in order to give more people an opportunity to hear the Gospel, we have taken these dramatic readings and created a separate afternoon service with a missional focus. We chose the name “Easter Festival” to be more accessible to those outside the church, but we preserve its identity as a service in which we dramatically reinterpret the readings of the Great Vigil through visual art, theater, dance, and song. The artists of Resurrection prepare for months in advance, writing original songs, crafting new art, and theatrically interpreting these scripture stories to tell the story of salvation to the church and those who may never have heard of God’s saving deeds for all people.
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SERVICE OF LESSONS: Old Testament readings are presented dramatically at our Easter Festival in order to
bring a sensory immediacy to the sacramental reality of the texts.
WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
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WHAT YOU SEE & HEARYOUR RESPONSE
The Easter Festival presents a unique opportunity
to witness the full arc of God’s rescue mission for
his people. These incredible stories also provide a
special chance to invite people who are in need of
God’s saving power. In the service, we are led through
the Old Testament to see how each passage points
us to the saving work of the Resurrected Christ.
These readings tell the epic story of God coming
to the rescue of a creation and a people whom he
loves, and gathering them around himself to live in
his love forever. They are our family history and our
inheritance as children of God. It is through the lens
of this story that Easter holds such power, as it is
the climax of the narrative: God’s rescue mission is
fulfilled when he takes on a physical body, bears our
sins upon himself on the cross, and then defeats death
through his resurrection. It makes our family’s story
our story—and so every year we listen to the narrative
of how God has been rescuing us from the moment
sin entered the world, and we rejoice in the reality that
we have a part in the tale.
Reflect on your personal history. Where do you see God’s rescue plan breaking into your story?
This service is uniquely invitational. Who could you invite to the Easter Festival?
What stands out to you most about this service?
DEVOTIONAL
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HISTORICAL CONTEXTThe Great Vigil of Easter is the crowning jewel of Holy Week; it begins after sunset on Holy Saturday and extends through the night, culminating in a sunrise Easter Acclamation service. Of all the services celebrated during Holy Week, the Easter Vigil is the oldest known service of the week. The earliest references to the Vigil are found in the second century. In the third and fourth centuries, Christians believed this was the most significant holy day for new Christians to declare their faith and become full members of the family of God. The Easter Vigil celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and looks forward to his coming again in glory to fully reconcile the world to himself. The Easter Vigil has four important parts: the Service of Light, the readings, baptism, and the Eucharist. The Service of Light is often referred to as the Exsultet. The light represents our passage from the darkness of death on Good Friday into the light of life on Easter Sunday. It is at this time that the Paschal Candle is lit from a new fire outside of the church. Clergy members then process into the sanctuary with the light. As they reach the doors of the sanctuary, they stop and knock prior to entering. As the Paschal Candle enters the room, it is the only light. The Paschal Candle will burn during every service through Easter until Pentecost.
For the rest of the night, we celebrate the Liturgy of the Word, or the Vigil readings. At Resurrection, we spend one hour exploring each reading through worship, an original song, preaching, and Holy Spirit ministry
time. It is a time for us to slow down and dig deeply into the story of salvation presented to us through the Vigil readings. It is also an opportunity for the many lay preachers and worship leaders at Resurrection to have an opportunity to lead. Throughout history, the number of readings has varied. There are nine readings currently found in the Book of Common Prayer, and at Resurrection we add a tenth passage for the second reading—the Fall.
At 6am the Easter Acclamation service begins, and candidates for baptism are presented even as the congregation renews their own baptismal vows. Finally, we reach the moment that we wait for patiently during Lent and all of Holy Week: the Easter Acclamation and the Holy Noise. The celebrant exclaims to the people: “Alleluia, Christ is risen!” And the people respond: “The Lord is risen, indeed! Alleluia!” At this time, we shout and sing and dance as we celebrate the hope given to us all those many years ago on that first Easter Sunday morning, and we rejoice in the expectation of the return of Christ in the future. This is truly the greatest moment of the entire year.
We then conclude the service by celebrating the Eucharist, enjoying together the meal that makes us one with Jesus’ body and blood and unites us with the church throughout the ages. The Eucharist reminds us throughout the year of the death and resurrection of Jesus which we celebrate during Holy Week, and the first Eucharist of Easter is an especially poignant moment as it concludes our Holy Week pilgrimage.
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SERVICE BEGINS IN DARKNESS: The Great
Vigil of Easter begins in darkness because this service
moves us from the darkness of Jesus’ death on Good
Friday to the light of life found in Jesus’ resurrection at
sunrise on Easter morning.
POUNDING ON DOOR: Bishop Stewart pounds
on the doors of the sanctuary as a reminder that Christ
broke down the doors of Hell when he defeated death.
BISHOP CARVING ON NEW PASCHAL
CANDLE: Every year, Bishop Stewart carves the
Greek symbols “Alpha” and “Omega” (“beginning”
and “end”) to highlight Christ’s eternal presence
with us.
“THE LIGHT OF CHRIST”: The early church would
strike a light on Jesus’ tomb and carry the flame with
them throughout their celebration of his resurrection.
Today, we light a Paschal candle every year as a
reminder of the pillar of fire that led the Israelites to
safety in Exodus 13.
THE EXSULTET: Also known as the “Easter
Proclamation,” this poetic hymn is sung by a cantor and
brings the salvation narrative of Holy Week into focus
around the Light of Christ.
CONGREGATIONAL CANDLES: The light from
the Paschal candle is spread to the whole congregation
as a symbol of the intensely personal nature of Christ’s
presence with each of us.
THE HOLY NOISE: The conclusion of the Great
Vigil of Easter takes place at 6am when the celebrant
declares that Christ is risen. Resurrection has taken
the ancient custom of ringing bells in celebration to
new heights through the “Holy Noise,” when the entire
congregation makes a “joyful noise unto the Lord.”
WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
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DEVOTIONALThe Great Vigil of Easter is the crowning jewel in our
Holy Week pilgrimage. While you may be tempted
to think that of Easter Sunday, in reality it is this quiet
service that begins in darkness on Holy Saturday and
erupts into joyous celebration at sunrise on Easter
morning that encapsulates our pilgrimage. Hour by
hour, we walk with the Lord from death to life, until the
glorious moment when a Spirit-filled impartation of joy
is released and we celebrate that the resurrection is,
indeed, real.
As we keep vigil through the night with Jesus, we join
with believers who, for millennia, have understood
the incredible significance of this evening and have
given up sleep, despite being near the end of a long
pilgrimage, in order to worship and pray. This is how
we find ourselves dancing and singing at sunrise on
Easter Sunday, sleepless as we may be. The joy of the
Gospel overtakes us and we celebrate with childlike
freedom the hope that we have as children of the
living God.
YOUR RESPONSEWhen was the last time that you were moved by the joy of the resurrection?
What stands out to you most about this service?
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HISTORICAL CONTEXTEaster Sunday marks the first Sunday of the Easter
season, which continues through Pentecost. Originally,
in the ancient church, Easter Sunday did not have a
proper liturgy because the Easter Vigil continued
into Easter Sunday and concluded with the Eucharist.
Different parts of the church throughout history used
this time to dramatize the women returning to the
empty tomb or to consecrate a new church.
At Resurrection, we continue our celebration from
the Easter Vigil into Sunday morning. For each of our
Easter services, we repeat the Easter Acclamation,
we baptize people, and we share the Eucharist. These
services minister the joy that was released through the
Great Vigil of Easter.
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BAPTISMS: Baptism as the passage from death to
life is powerfully reinforced by the celebration of Jesus’
resurrection.
ASPERGES: We rejoice in our own baptisms as
the clergy sprinkle the waters of baptism on the
congregation.
EASTER ACCLAMATION: To mark the end of the
Lent and as the climax of our Holy Week pilgrimage,
Bishop Stewart proclaims, “Alleluia! Christ is Risen!”
FLOWERS AND BANNERS: After a season of
visual fasting, the beauty of the Lord’s resurrection is
reflected in the sanctuary being filled with fresh flowers
and bright banners.
DANCING: This Resurrection tradition began in the
early ‘90s as a spontaneous response to the healing
and joy of the Lord’s presence. It has since grown
to be an integral part of our Easter experience, as
children and adults alike overflow with the joy of the
Resurrection.
WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
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YOUR RESPONSE
We have arrived at our culminating Holy Week service:
Easter morning. One word perfectly sums up this
service: joy!
Having walked with Jesus through the suffering, pain,
and anguish of this week, the celebration of the Easter
service is all the sweeter. Experiencing the weight of
our sin and the cost of Jesus’ sacrifice on Good Friday
gives us all the more reason to rejoice at Jesus’ ultimate
victory. We recognize the depth of the darkness from
which Jesus has saved us. We also rejoice in what we
are saved for: eternal life with the Lord. Through Jesus’
final victory, the victory over death itself, we are able to
be with God forever. We will not be with God simply in
a metaphorical or ethereal way—no, we are promised
that we will share in Jesus’ resurrection. We will be able
to physically walk with Jesus in our heavenly home.
The palpable joy in this service comes from being in
the presence of the Lord and is a taste of the heavenly
joy we will one day experience in fullness. This service
invites us to enter into this glimpse of heaven with
childlike faith and to revel in the joy of being with God
and in his power. Dance and proclaim that the Lord
is good and that the Lord has done it: he has won the
victory!
When was the last time you experienced or witnessed true joy? How was it different from feeling simply happy?
Easter Sunday is a wonderful day to bring guests. Is there someone you could invite? What stands out to you most about this service?
DEVOTIONAL
WHAT YOU SEE & HEAR
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A PRAYER FOR HOLY WEEK: Assist us mercifully with your help, O Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy upon the contemplation of those mighty acts, whereby you have given us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
© 2016 Church of the Resurrection. All rights reserved.935 W. Union Ave. Wheaton, IL 60187
churchrez.org
Editor: Meghan Robins • Assistant Editor: Ellen Richard Design: Alan Miller • Illustrations: Brittney Dunn
Introduction: Canon Dr. Stephen Gauthier and Dr. Barbara Gauthier Writers: Meghan Robins, Ellen Richard, Sarah Graham • Copyediting: Anna Robbins, Ellen Richard
Production: Bethany McLellan • Photos: Michael Johnson, Ryn Manby Resurrection History: Bp. Stewart Ruch III
Resurrected Christ: Laura Tabbut, Janice Wood, and Ray Wu, 2011
CHURCHREZ.ORG/HOLYWEEK