Holy Week : Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday
Lent ends with a climactic week of active remembering through re-enacted stories. It marks the final week of the life of Jesus which begins with his entrance into the holy capital city of Jerusalem heralded as a paradoxical take on the Roman Triumph reserved for victorious generals returning home. Throughout that week he taught in the public square engaging the elites and common people in dialogue, prophetic actions, and conversational contemplation.
On Thursday of that week, what we call Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday, he celebrated the Passover Meal with his closest friends, giving them the commandment to love one another as he had loved them. The word Maundy comes from the Latin word maundatum, meaning commandment. It's at this meal that he institutes the eucharist (a meal of giving thanks) what we call "communion" today. It's also at this meal that he is betrayed by a close friend into the hands of his enemies, later being arrested while praying in a public garden by the authorities.
Friday of that week, what we ironically call Good Friday, marks the public and private trials of Jesus by both the Roman Authorities (who governed and occupied the land) and the Religious Institution which oversaw the Jewish Nation. Condemned by the common crowds and the religious elites, Jesus is crucified on a cross : the death sentence given by the Romans to treasonous traitors.
The scriptures and continuing testimonies point to the mysterious resurrection of Jesus from the dead three days later at sunrise on Sunday. We've come to celebrate that 8th day of this holy week as Easter Sunday: the dawn of the resurrection and a new way of being.
You can celebrate this story, by entering into it with us, even in this season of COVID-19 via several liturgical celebrations with both in-person and online/virtual options.
Sunday 3/24 Celebrate Palm Sunday with us.
Meet at Rockridge BART at 10:00am to get ready. We’ll walk, sing and ask for justice with signs departing at 10:15am to arrive in time for our Sunday Gathering at 10:30am.
Join us Sunday, March 24th for Palm Sunday and a gathering at 10:30am. Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow, recent author of the book Everything Good about God is True: Choosing Faith will be preaching.
Thursday 3/28 we are doing a Maundy Thursday Table Service - potluck dinner gathering at 6:00pm.
You’re invited to come to this 75 minute long table service rooted in conversation and hospitality. We ask that you bring something to add to our potluck dinner.
RSVP for the dinner HERE and include what you might bring so we can organize
Good Friday 3/29at 7:15pm
Come to our traditional gathering of spoken word, music and ritual in the public square. You can also join the service via our usual ZOOM LINK.
Easter Sunday Worship Sunday, 3/31 we are celebrating resurrection in person at 10:30am.
We also will be doing the service virtually, for those that prefer that via our usual ZOOM LINK.
We’ll have a special children’s time and also an egg hunt!