  March 26, 2026  Note: There will be no announcements or enews published April 9th. 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. Comments are closed.
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Rev. Erin Rath
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