We are making a radical shift this Holy Week. At least, radical for us. Gonna try to explain it a bit in the hopes that the story might inspire you to try out the experiment with us.
So, for years Lutherans have observed “the three days.” This is a series of services on Thursday and Friday of Holy Week, then Easter Sunday. More recently some churches have also added an Easter Vigil Saturday evening.
But the last decade or so I’ve noticed that, at least here in Fayetteville, people are maxed out. The idea of attending a series of three evening services in a row leading up to Easter… well, ain’t nobody got time for that.
Additionally, as the kind of community we’ve become, with many seeking refuge from past religious traditions that didn’t hold these services, they simply don’t resonate in the same way.
So this year, we’re moving them all to the Sunday evening before Easter, and calling it Passion Sunday. That morning we’ll still have regular Sunday worship at 10 am, the traditional Palm Sunday. But then the evening of March 24th at 5 pm we will consolidate what is best of the Holy Week services into one.
The service will have a lot of movement. We will begin in long silence with prayer around a large cross, a chance for meditation and candlelighting.
Then we will move to the sanctuary for a dramatic reading of the Passion story in the gospel of John. Along the way we’ll host impassioned prayers, the “Solemn Reproaches,” called out on our walk.
After the story we will take time to share a simple communion, then head outside to a bonfire.
Around the fire we will read the readings often read at Easter Vigil, some of the most poignant passages in all of Scripture. Also, there will be s’mores.
We will take volunteers in advance for the Vigil readings. There will be opportunities to participate and volunteer throughout.
Then, we’ll head home, and I as a pastor who has as long as I can remember had to prepare for services Thursday, Friday, Saturday will instead simply pray, and spend time with people, and do some deeper theological work each day on the blog, and return on Easter for breakfast and worship and an egg hunt.
We welcome anyone wishing to prepare for baptism to check in, and will host baptisms at the Easter service.
I don’t know who will come to the Sunday of the Passion. It’s not a routine to return to, it’s something altogether new and we aren’t a church much in the habit of coming back Sunday evening. But it nevertheless feels sane, and right, and will be lovely.
Can you tell I’m a little excited nervous?
Sounds like you’ve put some thought into this service and worth trying. For those of we long time Lutherans, this will be a test of how well it is attended and how meaningful it will be. Tradition is a hard thing to give up, but change is eminent, everyone knows that. See you there.
Clint, the consolidation idea you present is an adaptation that may require something precious in a congregant's life: time. The Maundy Thursday and Good Friday liturgies combined could require three-to-four hours. But I'm sure you will shave off what you consider redundant or otherwise unnecessary. Let's say you whittle these two down to 60-70 minutes. You still have the Vigil liturgy to follow on the same evening. What I wonder is whether you can cancel the Pascal liturgy on the 31st if you have already done the Vigil. I'm guessing that the S'mores bonfire/Pascal fire will be a very abbreviated service that blends into the fellowship hour after a regular Sunday liturgy. I'll be curious how it turns out.