It would be an understatement to say that in all of my years of ministry, and even in all my years of life, that this is the “strangest” Holy Week that I and any of us have ever celebrated. That being said, however, there is a comforting thought in all of this. This Holy Week will be “strange” because of the situation we find ourselves in owing to the Coronavirus pandemic. What will not be “strange” though, but rather comfortably familiar, is that this Holy Week will be the same as it always has been before—the time we as God’s People have to reflect on God’s great love and His gift of salvation given to us through the life, sufferings, death, and resurrection of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Perhaps then it would be better to say that this Holy Week will be “different” rather than “strange”. This moment calls on us to do things a little differently than we are used to or would prefer. Worshiping together online is certainly not the same as gathering in the house of the church. Our songs of praise won’t ring out as joyously as they would when they are sung together. Our fellowship is distant, but fortunately not broken. And perhaps most of all, the act through which we remember the Lord’s death and proclaim His resurrection and His coming again in glory—His Holy Supper—is something which we are not able to share in with each other fully at this time.
This message then is an encouragement for all of us to keep this “different” Holy Week together, both through our opportunities for worship together, and also through opportunities that we can have in our own “domestic churches” at home through devotions and other activities.
Keeping Holy Week in Worship:
Worship in these Holy Days is scheduled to go on as planned, even with the changes that were made necessary because of the pandemic. We are thankful that technology has given us the opportunity to have time “together” in worship, hearing God’s Word, and in prayer. Our thanks to all those who have been viewing our services, and extra special thanks to those who have helped to bring these services to us, especially Skip Hall, our Parish Musician, and Paul Ritter, who has assisted in being “behind the camera”.
The following will be our schedule for services that will be livestreamed from Trinity during Holy Week (available on our Facebook Page): www.facebook.com/trinityelcmountrainier
Palm Sunday:
Sunday Morning Worship – 9:30 AM
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in Holy Week:
Holy Week Vespers – 3:00 PM
Holy (Maundy) Thursday:
Vespers of Holy Thursday – 3:00 PM
Good Friday:
Vespers of Good Friday – 3:00 PM
Holy Saturday:
Noonday Prayer of Holy Saturday – 12:00 Noon
Easter Sunday:
Sunday Morning Worship – 9:30 AM
As you can see, we will provide worship each day of Holy Week this year, rather than just on The Sunday of the Passion/Palm Sunday and the days of the Triduum (Three Days): Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Each day’s worship will allow us the opportunity to walk together with our Lord through the events of His final week in Jerusalem. And we pray that it may be spiritually enriching for us all to be able to do so.
The timing of the weekday services was chosen for two reasons. The first was practical. For those who may be home, 3:00 PM seemed a good time for the livestream to happen. The service would then also be available for those who would need to view it at a later time that day. The second reason was one of symbolism: 3:00 being the hour of Jesus’ death, which seems a very suitable time for us to gather and remember our Lord’s Passion.
Orders of Service will be available on the church website—www.tlcmr.org—to aid you in participating in these worship moments. Pastor will also be preaching at each of these services.
Keeping Holy Week at Home:
There are many ways that families and individuals can keep Holy Week at home. We would like to share with you some ideas and materials that can assist you during these days in having a prayerful time to remember and give thanks for Christ’s Passion and Resurrection.
A “Different” Palm Sunday:
Traditionally, Holy Week would have begun with the Commemoration of the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem and the distribution of palm branches. Since we will not be together for worship, we will also not be able to receive palms or palm crosses this year. Thanks to some friends on Facebook, I ran across a fine idea that they shared for a home Palm Sunday activity, thanks to a Roman Catholic Deacon’s blog:
https://thedeaconsbench.com/a-beautiful-idea-for-palm-sunday/
It sounds like a wonderful idea, and one that has biblical and historic precedent. Looking at the Gospels, only John says that there were palm branches carried by the people as Jesus entered Jerusalem. Matthew says that the people had taken branches from the trees. In Mark, the people cut leafy branches from the fields. And Luke surprisingly doesn’t mention any branches at all. There are also places where palms are not easily or readily accessible, and so there are some churches where the tradition is to use branches from other native trees, either green or flowering. In some places, that would be olive branches; in others, yew or boxwood; and in northeastern European areas, pussy willow branches.
If you would like to do this as a family “Branch Sunday” project, and you take pictures of the end result, please send them on to me at trinity-elc-pastor@verizon.net and I will be sure to share those photos with our Trinity family in an email early in Holy Week.
Reading and Meditating on Christ’s Passion:
To hear the account of Jesus’ suffering, death, burial, and resurrection is the center of these Holy Days. You will find below a PDF file which contains some suggestions for reading through the Gospel accounts during these Holy Days. The file also contains a copy of what is known as “The Passion History”, which is a compilation and harmonization of the four Gospel accounts into one reading, that has been a traditional part of Lutheran devotion during Lent.
Passion Readings for Holy Week
Devotional Reading:
In addition to the Lenten Devotional booklet, “Eyes on Jesus”, which our Trinity Family received before Lent began, we are able to provide a devotion specially prepared for the days of Holy Week. “From Palms to Passion”. The devotional booklet is available as a PDF file, linked below. This provides you with a reading for each morning and evening from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday.
From Palms to Passion Devotional
Other Resources:
In earlier messages, we made suggestions on where you can find resources for your use which will aid your prayer and devotion in these days. We are happy to share them again for you here:
Concordia Publishing House : www.cph.org
Plenty of resources for worship, study, and devotion, including special music playlists.
Illustrated Ministry: https://www.illustratedministry.com/flattenthecurve
Coloring sheets for creative devotions.
The Cyber Hymnal: http://www.hymntime.com/tch/index.htm
A resource with thousands of hymn texts and music files to help you sing along.
Lutheran Public Radio: https://lutheranpublicradio.org/
A 24 hour internet Sacred Music station.
Add Your Own Ideas:
Feel free to search the internet for other ideas that you may find. And feel free to share them with us. You can especially share the links in our Facebook group.
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I pray that these materials and suggestions, along with your own ideas, will be of help for all of us to keep a prayerful “different” Holy Week together this year. God bless us all!
In Christ Jesus,
+Pastor