2026 Holy Week Schedule ~ Saint Francis Episcopal Church

Maundy Thursday, April 2, 6 p.m.*
____________________________________________ 

Good Friday, April 3, Noon & 6 p.m.*
____________________________________________

Holy Saturday Day, April 4, 10a.m. (in the chapel)

Easter Vigil, Saturday, April 4, 7:30 p.m.*
____________________________________________

​Easter Sunday, April 5, 9 a.m.* & 10:30 a.m.
____________________________________________
*Services marked with an asterisk will be livestreamed
 
Note: There will be no announcements or enews published April 9th.
 ____________________________________________________________________________________________
 ​

Those who serve, Easter Sunday, April 5, 9am and 10:30am
                                 
                                 9am                                    10:30am
Musician                   Nancy Meier                       Barb Becker
Media Team              Steve Trickler                    
Ushers                      Richard Gable                    Alena Kennedy
                                 Kathy Shambaugh             Greg Suhr
Acolytes                    Walker Anderson               Allie Cawiezel            
                                 Monica Shambaugh           Erin Cawiezel            
Lector/Intercessor    Clark Wisniewski                Clark Wisniewski
Euch. Minister          Jane Sayre                        Charlie Kennedy
Thurifer                                                               Clark Wisniewski
Altar                        Judi Widmaier, Connie Schingle, Jeane Anderson
Coffee Hosts           Barb Manasek, Mary Bowman (between services)
 
Upcoming Events at St. Francis:
Monday-Tuesday 04/06 & 04/07 Church Offices Closed
Tuesday 04/07 Centering Prayer 11:15a Library
Wednesday 04/08 Midweek Eucharist 12:15p Mary Chapel
      Lectionary Study & Compline 3p Library
Thursday 04/09 Discipleship Group 12p Library
Friday 04/10 Men's Bible Study 8a Library
Sunday 04/12 Sunday Worship 9a St Francis
      Godly Play Sunday School 9a Conference Room
      Game Night! 6-8p Parish Hall
 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Good Friday Offering in Support of the Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East
During our Good Friday services on April 4, donations collected will go towards the Good Friday Offering. For more information on this century-old Episcopal tradition supporting the ministries of the Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, visit their website. In his annual letter to the church in support of this campaign, Presiding Bishop Rowe notes, "While we pray and work for peace, our siblings in the Holy Land will continue to serve God’s people with hospitals, schools, orphanages, and humanitarian aid programs. These ministries serve people of all faiths without distinction, bearing witness to the power of hope and healing across divides." I invite you to join me in supporting these ministries in this important place at this critical moment of turmoil and uncertainty. Thank you in advance for your prayers and generosity. ~Rev. Erin+
 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

​ 


UTO
Throughout this Holy Week please remember to pause and give thanks for all that you are blessed with. 
Remember the joy of giving for the abundance that is received through your relationship with Christ. 
Give generously to your "little blue box" and be a part of the action of grace that UTO grants provide. 
​Afterall, thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day.

Prayer requests need to be received by Tuesday, if you’d like them to be printed in the bulletin. You may call (308) 632-4626 (leave a message) or email.
 
The Forward Day by Day’s for February-April are available in regular and large print.  If you’d like either of these mailed to you, please email us or call the church office.
​

Why Holy Week?
 
Why Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday is a day of stark, jarring contrasts. We begin by reenacting the triumphal celebration of what will become Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem. We journey with Him as He shares a final supper with His beloved disciples and offers prayers over their meal for the last time. We continue to share His journey through the horrifically agonizing moments that follow: His arrest at the Mount of Olives, His prediction of His best friend’s denials fulfilled, and His trial before the religious leaders and then Pilate. As if all of that weren’t heart wrenching enough to witness, we then experience Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. We’re left outside the sealed tomb, as bereft as the disciples on that first Good Friday. Our Holy Week journey has begun – but by no means ended. This year, Saint Francis will offer this moving liturgy at 9 a.m. on March 29. This service will be live streamed. 
 
What is Tenebrae?  
Tenebrae is a Latin word meaning darkness or shadows. In the monastic tradition, Tenebrae was a series of night and early morning services held during Holy Week. Our contemporary Episcopal service draws the materials of these several services into a single liturgy. In addition to incorporating a seasonally appropriate Hebrew acrostic from the Book of Lamentations and passages written by Saint Augustine, a series of candles are extinguished to symbolize the impending darkness of the Passion week events. Saint Francis will host this moving service at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday of Holy Week, April 1. This service will be live streamed. 
 
What is Maundy Thursday?
The word maundy comes from the Latin phrase mandatum novum, which means "new commandment." The phrase refers to the example of service Jesus sets by washing the disciples' feet at the last meal he shared with them before his arrest. This meal became the first Eucharist. Descriptions of elaborate ceremonies commemorating these events date to the fourth century. Following Jesus' example of service, worshippers at Saint Francis will also have an opportunity to wash each other's feet. At the close of the service, we will strip the altar in preparation for Good Friday. Maundy Thursday is a part of the Triduum, the three days leading up to the celebration of Jesus' resurrection on Easter. Saint Francis will celebrate Maundy Thursday on April 2 at 6 p.m. This service will be live streamed. 
 
What Happens on Good Friday?
Good Friday is the solemn liturgy in remembrance of Jesus' passion and death. On this day we hear eighty-two verses from the gospel of John* which recount the events of Jesus' passion. As Good Friday is a continuation of the Maundy Thursday liturgy, it begins as the prior service ended: in silence. The altar, which was stripped following Thursday evening's service, remains bare. This is the only service in the liturgical year at which we have the opportunity to venerate the cross. The Eucharistic prayer is not said on this day. Instead, communion is distributed from consecrated sacrament reserved the night before. At Saint Francis, this year's Good Friday liturgy will be offered at noon and 6 p.m. on April 3. Our evening Good Friday service will be livestreamed.
*Why a different Gospel translation?
We use the Common English Bible translation of the Passion story rather than the New Revised Standard Version. Though the NRSV is the most commonly used translation in Episcopal worship, our canons allow for a variety of translations. The CEB was chosen for Good Friday because it uses the terms "Jewish leaders" and "Jewish leadership" rather than the more general label "the Jews." Articulating this difference is important not only because it more accurately describes the realities of the Passion story, but also because of the generations of antisemitism inspired by the more general label -- a label which blames an entire faith tradition for the actions of a very small group of its members at a specific point in history.
 
What is the Altar of Repose? 
Because of the solemnity of Good Friday services, no new Eucharist is consecrated that day. Instead, extra elements are consecrated on Maundy Thursday for distribution on Good Friday. In conjunction with the stripping of the altar on Maundy Thursday, the tabernacle is emptied. The stripping of the altar and removal of all reserve sacrament from not only the tabernacle but the sanctuary symbolizes Jesus' descent to the dead following his death on the cross on Good Friday. Throughout the rest of the year, the sanctuary candle is always lit to signify Jesus' continuous presence in the sanctuary. Following the Maundy Thursday service, both the sanctuary candle and the sacrament reserved for Good Friday are moved to an altar of repose outside the sanctuary, paralleling Jesus' departure from this world in the Passion story. A tradition sometimes encountered in other parishes is praying in the presence of the sacred elements on the altar of repose. Such traditions provide space to reflect on the Passion story and the opportunity to give thanks for Jesus' willing sacrifice. Saint Francis' altar of repose will again be in the narthex. You are welcome to sit and pray in its presence either before or after one of our Good Friday services. 
 
Why Hold a Morning Service on Holy Saturday?
The Holy Saturday day service is held on the Saturday morning between Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening. It's a time to honor the space between Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection on Easter, and the experience of the disciples in those first moments and hours after Jesus' death: the grieving, the not-knowing, the waiting, the feeling of being abandoned by God. In honoring the disciples' experience on that first grief-stricken Holy Saturday, we honor our own experiences of and struggles with grief, with not-knowing, with waiting, and with feeling abandoned by God. (Because this service will be held in the Mary chapel, it will not be live streamed.)
 
What is Easter Vigil?
The Great Vigil of Easter is the culmination of Holy Week. Though it takes place on Saturday evening, the church considers it the first service of Easter Sunday. There are four parts to this liturgy: a service of light, a service of lessons (or readings), renewal of our baptismal vows, and Holy Eucharist. Through these components, the story of redemption is retold and re-lived by all participants. We re-experience the movement from darkness to light, celebrate our belonging in the new creation by remembering our baptism, and look forward to the glory we will share with the Risen Christ. This year, Saint Francis will celebrate this richly symbolic service on Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.
 
Easter Sunday: The Culmination of Holy Week, and the Highest Holy Day of the Church Year!
Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher)...Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her. ~ John 20:11-16, 18
All are welcome to join the Saint Francis community for a celebration of our Lord's resurrection! Services are at 9 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday, April 20.  The 9 a.m. service will be livestreamed. Incense will be used at the 10:30 a.m. service. 
 
~Rev. Erin+
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Those who serve, Sunday, March 29, 9am
Musician                      Barb Becker
Media Team                Jack Schaaf
Ushers                        Diane Morrison, Sarah Schaaf
Acolyte Master            Clark Wisniewski
Acolytes                      Madi Collins, Emma Schaaf, Walker Anderson
Lector/Intercessor       Lisa Betz-Marquez, Mary Bowman, Jake Collins,
                                    Charlie Kennedy, Bill Mann, Beth McKibbin,
                                    Monica Shambaugh
Eucharistic Minister     Beth McKibbin
Altar Guild             Collette Suhr, Ann Peterson, Jane Sayre
Coffee Hosts         Karen Mecklem, Patty Clown Horse
 
Upcoming Events at St. Francis:
​Friday 03/27 Palm Cross Workshop 7p Parish Hall
Saturday 03/28 Holy Week Service Rehearsal 10a
Sunday, 3/29 Palm Sunday, 9a (livestreamed)
Tuesday 03/31 Centering Prayer, 11a Library
Wednesday 04/01 Lectionary Study & Compline 3p Library
     Tenebrae 7:30p (livestreamed)
Thursday 04/02 Discipleship Group 12p Library
     Maundy Thursday 6p (livestreamed)
Friday 04/03 Men's Bible Study 8a Library
Saturday 04/04 Holy Saturday Day Service 10a (will not be livestreamed)
     Easter Service Rehearsal 11a
     Easter Vigil 7:30p (livestreamed)
Sunday 04/05 Easter Sunday 9a & 10:30a St Francis (9a livestreamed)
     Godly Play Sunday School 9a Conference Room

​Note: There will be no announcements or enews published April 9th.

Good Friday Offering in Support of the Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East
During our Good Friday services on April 4, donations collected will go towards the Good Friday Offering. For more information on this century-old Episcopal tradition supporting the ministries of the Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, visit their website. In his annual letter to the church in support of this campaign, Presiding Bishop Rowe notes, "While we pray and work for peace, our siblings in the Holy Land will continue to serve God’s people with hospitals, schools, orphanages, and humanitarian aid programs. These ministries serve people of all faiths without distinction, bearing witness to the power of hope and healing across divides." I invite you to join me in supporting these ministries in this important place at this critical moment of turmoil and uncertainty. Thank you in advance for your prayers and generosity. ~Rev. Erin+

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
From the Office—Ann’s Announcements
 
Birthdays
Erin Rath                                March 31
Dan Dickinson                        April 1
Jamie Feather Earring           April 2

​

Palm Cross Workshop will be held on Friday, March 27 at 7:00 PM in the parish hall.  Please bring a cutting board and small knife.  

​The Easter lily sign up sheet is in the Narthex.  Please sign up today or leave a message with the office with your name and the honoree information by Tuesday, March 31st.  The purchase price is $30.00.

 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Prayer requests need to be received by Tuesday, if you’d like them to be printed in the bulletin. You may call (308) 632-4626 (leave a message) or email.

​The Forward Day by Day’s for February-April are available in regular and large print.  If you’d like either of these mailed to you, please email us or call the church office.
​

What Happens on Good Friday?
Good Friday is the solemn liturgy in remembrance of Jesus' passion and death. On this day we hear eighty-two verses from the gospel of John* which recount the events of Jesus' passion. As Good Friday is a continuation of the Maundy Thursday liturgy, it begins as the prior service ended: in silence. The altar, which was stripped following Thursday evening's service, remains bare. This is the only service in the liturgical year at which we have the opportunity to venerate the cross. The Eucharistic prayer is not said on this day. Instead, communion is distributed from consecrated sacrament reserved the night before. At Saint Francis, this year's Good Friday liturgy will be offered at noon and 6 p.m. on April 3. Our evening Good Friday service will be livestreamed.

*Why a different Gospel translation?
We use the Common English Bible translation of the Passion story rather than the New Revised Standard Version. Though the NRSV is the most commonly used translation in Episcopal worship, our canons allow for a variety of translations. The CEB was chosen for Good Friday because it uses the terms "Jewish leaders" and "Jewish leadership" rather than the more general label "the Jews." Articulating this difference is important not only because it more accurately describes the realities of the Passion story, but also because of the generations of antisemitism inspired by the more general label -- a label which blames an entire faith tradition for the actions of a very small group of its members at a specific point in history.
 
What is the Altar of Repose? 
Because of the solemnity of Good Friday services, no new Eucharist is consecrated that day. Instead, extra elements are consecrated on Maundy Thursday for distribution on Good Friday. In conjunction with the stripping of the altar on Maundy Thursday, the tabernacle is emptied. The stripping of the altar and removal of all reserve sacrament from not only the tabernacle but the sanctuary symbolizes Jesus' descent to the dead following his death on the cross on Good Friday. Throughout the rest of the year, the sanctuary candle is always lit to signify Jesus' continuous presence in the sanctuary. Following the Maundy Thursday service, both the sanctuary candle and the sacrament reserved for Good Friday are moved to an altar of repose outside the sanctuary, paralleling Jesus' departure from this world in the Passion story. A tradition sometimes encountered in other parishes is praying in the presence of the sacred elements on the altar of repose. Such traditions provide space to reflect on the Passion story and the opportunity to give thanks for Jesus' willing sacrifice. Saint Francis' altar of repose will again be in the narthex. You are welcome to sit and pray in its presence either before or after one of our Good Friday services. 
 
Why Hold a Morning Service on Holy Saturday?
The Holy Saturday day service is held on the Saturday morning between Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Saturday evening. It's a time to honor the space between Jesus' death on the cross and his resurrection on Easter, and the experience of the disciples in those first moments and hours after Jesus' death: the grieving, the not-knowing, the waiting, the feeling of being abandoned by God. In honoring the disciples' experience on that first grief-stricken Holy Saturday, we honor our own experiences of and struggles with grief, with not-knowing, with waiting, and with feeling abandoned by God. (Because this service will be held in the Mary chapel, it will not be live streamed.)
 
What is Easter Vigil?
The Great Vigil of Easter is the culmination of Holy Week. Though it takes place on Saturday evening, the church considers it the first service of Easter Sunday. There are four parts to this liturgy: a service of light, a service of lessons (or readings), renewal of our baptismal vows, and Holy Eucharist. Through these components, the story of redemption is retold and re-lived by all participants. We re-experience the movement from darkness to light, celebrate our belonging in the new creation by remembering our baptism, and look forward to the glory we will share with the Risen Christ. This year, Saint Francis will celebrate this richly symbolic service on Saturday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m.
 
Easter Sunday: The Culmination of Holy Week, and the Highest Holy Day of the Church Year!
Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher)...Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her. ~ John 20:11-16, 18
All are welcome to join the Saint Francis community for a celebration of our Lord's resurrection! Services are at 9 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday, April 20.  The 9 a.m. service will be livestreamed. Incense will be used at the 10:30 a.m. service. 
 
~Rev. Erin+
_____________________________________________________________

​This is Tayens senior year, and his last year playing for the
All West Native American Basketball Tournament.
The tournament is March 25th through the 27th.
Donations to help Tay with lodging, gas and food would be appreciated by the family. 
Donations can be left in the front office. 
Checks should be issued directly to the family. 
We wish Tay and the team success!

Those who serve, Sunday, March 22, 9am
Musician                     Nancy Meier
Media Team               Stephanie Schingle
Ushers                        Diane Morrison, Kathy Shambaugh
Acolyte Master           Clark Wisniewski
Acolytes                     Emma Schaaf, Monica Shambaugh
Lector/Intercessor      Beth McKibbin
Eucharistic Minister   Jane Sayre
Altar Guild             Collette Suhr, Ann Peterson, Jane Sayre
Coffee Hosts         Christie Shaver, Karen Larson
 
Upcoming Events at St. Francis:
Tuesday 03/24 Centering Prayer 11:15a Library
     Lenten Lunch 12p First Presbyterian *Final Gathering
Wednesday 03/25 Midweek Eucharist 12:15p Mary Chapel
     Lectionary Study & Compline 3p Library
     Soup, Stations & Eucharist; Dinner 5:30p Parish Hall, Stations 6:15p Sanctuary *Final Gathering
Thursday 03/26 Discipleship Group 12p Library
Friday 03/27 Men's Bible Study 8a Library
Saturday 03/28 Holy Week Service Rehearsal 10a
Sunday 03/29 Palm Sunday Eucharists 9a St Francis,
     11:30a Good Shepherd, Harrisburg
     Godly Play Sunday School 9a Conference Room
 
Note: There will be no announcements or enews published April 9th.

Birthdays
Patty Clown Horse    March 25
Eain Peterson           March 26
Melissa Moreno        March 28

​Palm Cross Workshop will be held on Friday, March 27 at 7:00 PM in the parish hall.
lease bring a cutting board and small knife.  

In this and next week's enews, we'll share information about the services of Holy Week. A majority of these services can be attended both in-person and via live stream. We hope the information we provide will inspire you to participate as much as you can. 
 
Why Palm Sunday?
Palm Sunday is a day of stark, jarring contrasts. We begin by reenacting the triumphal celebration of what will become Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem. We journey with Him as He shares a final supper with His beloved disciples and offers prayers over their meal for the last time. We continue to share His journey through the horrifically agonizing moments that follow: His arrest at the Mount of Olives, His prediction of His best friend’s denials fulfilled, and His trial before the religious leaders and then Pilate. As if all of that weren’t heart wrenching enough to witness, we then experience Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. We’re left outside the sealed tomb, as bereft as the disciples on that first Good Friday. Our Holy Week journey has begun – but by no means ended. This year, Saint Francis will offer this moving liturgy at 9 a.m. on March 29. This service will be live streamed. 
 
What is Tenebrae?  
Tenebrae is a Latin word meaning darkness or shadows. In the monastic tradition, Tenebrae was a series of night and early morning services held during Holy Week. Our contemporary Episcopal service draws the materials of these several services into a single liturgy. In addition to incorporating a seasonally appropriate Hebrew acrostic from the Book of Lamentations and passages written by Saint Augustine, a series of candles are extinguished to symbolize the impending darkness of the Passion week events. Saint Francis will host this moving service at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday of Holy Week, April 1. This service will be live streamed. 
 
What is Maundy Thursday?
The word maundy comes from the Latin phrase mandatum novum, which means "new commandment." The phrase refers to the example of service Jesus sets by washing the disciples' feet at the last meal he shared with them before his arrest. This meal became the first Eucharist. Descriptions of elaborate ceremonies commemorating these events date to the fourth century. Following Jesus' example of service, worshippers at Saint Francis will also have an opportunity to wash each other's feet. At the close of the service, we will strip the altar in preparation for Good Friday. Maundy Thursday is a part of the Triduum, the three days leading up to the celebration of Jesus' resurrection on Easter. Saint Francis will celebrate Maundy Thursday on April 2 at 6 p.m. This service will be live streamed. 
_____________________________________________________________
~Rev. Erin+
​

 

​
This is Tayens senior year, and his last year playing for the All West Native American Basketball Tournament.
The tournament is March 25th through the 27th.  Donations to help Tay with lodging, gas and food would be appreciated by the family. 
Donations can be left in the front office. Checks should be issued directly to the family. 
We wish Tay and the team success!
 

Those who serve, Sunday, March 15, 9am
Officiant                      Clark Wisniewski
Musician                     Barb Becker
Media Team                Charlie Kennedy
Ushers                        Greg & Collette Suhr
Lector/Intercessor      Beth McKibbin
Altar Guild             Collette Suhr, Ann Peterson, Jane Sayre
Coffee Hosts         Judi Widmaier, Nancy Kepler
 
Upcoming Events at St. Francis:
 Tuesday 03/17 Centering Prayer 11:15a Library
     Lenten Lunch 12p The Vine United Methodist
     Vestry 6p Parish Hall
Wednesday 03/18 Lectionary Study & Compline 3p Library
     Soup, Stations & Eucharist; Dinner 5:30p Parish Hall,
     Stations 6:15p Sanctuary
     Evening Prayer on Zoom 7:30p MT
Thursday 03/19 Discipleship Group 12p Library
Friday 03/20 Men's Bible Study 8a Library
Sunday 03/22 Sunday Eucharist St. Francis 9a
     Godly Play Sunday School 9a Conference Room
​

To Brighten Your Day:
 
Whenever I’m disappointed with my spot in life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott.
 
Jamie was trying out for a part in the school play.  His mother told me that he’d set his heart on in it, though she feared he would not be chosen.
 
On the  day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school.  Jamie rushed up to us with eyes shining with pride and excitement.  ‘Guess what Mom’ he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me…’I’ve been chosen to clap and cheer!’ 
_________________________________________________________________

UTO offerings
 
As we go about our daily lives--busy as they are-- it is easy to forget that there is something to be thankful for each and every day. 
Let your little blue box stand as your reminder to find something to be thankful for at the end of the day.  
-Give thanks for the good things that happen daily.
 
For little things like a good parking spot on a busy day, sunshine for your family picnic, or a birthday card from a friend.
 
For big things like recovery from a serious illness, a new job, or forgiveness and reconciliation after a long dispute.
 
One act of prayerful, tangible thanksgiving at a time has a wider impact than you can possibly imagine.
_________________________________________________________________
 
Prayer Requests
Prayer requests need to be received by Tuesday, if you’d like them to be printed in the bulletin. You may call (308) 632-4626 (leave a message) or email.
 
The Forward Day by Day’s for February-April are available in regular and large print.  If you’d like either of these mailed to you, please email us or call the church office.