themessenger Monthly Newsletter of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church MARCH 2015
VOLUME 104
ISSUE 3
FROM THE RECTOR
Celebrating Resurrection: The Easter Vigil
T
here are many of our liturgical services that I think are profound in the Anglican tradition. The service that I think most helped me to understand why I was an Episcopalian, has been the Easter Vigil. It is beautiful and powerful, steeped in history from as early as the second century, and reminds us at a profound level of the mystery of the resurrection and our identity in Christ. In the early church, the vigil would have taken place through the night hours until sunrise. Now the Book of Common Prayer acknowledges that most congregations will no longer keep the full night ritual. So, the Vigil is described as the first Easter service to be held sometime between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Day. Through the years at St. Mark’s, it has been celebrated at both times, though in recent years it has been in the evening on Saturday. This year, we are going to celebrate the Easter Vigil at 6 am. It is one of the few liturgical changes I have opted to make in my first year and it is so we can have that ancient experience of moving from the dark to the light. There is something incredibly powerful about gathering around the new fire in the dark and exiting the church into the full light of resurrection. We will still kindle the new fire outside, light the Paschal candle, and process into the darkened church. Our individual candles, lit from the Paschal Candle will gradually illuminate the church as we gather. We will hear lessons of scripture that recount the fullness of our salvation history. We will celebrate baptisms and renew our own baptismal promises. The fourth and final portion of the service will be our celebration of the first Eucharist of this Easter. Throughout the movements of the service, light will gradually increase. Vigil candlelight will give way to more and more light until we will ring bells and once again proclaim, Alleluia, Christ is Risen. The Lord is Risen Indeed. Alleluia. Whether you have enjoyed the evening Vigil in the past, or never had a chance to attend this service, I hope you will come this year. It is a deep and meaningful way to celebrate Easter and will be a beautiful culmination of our Holy Week services. Peace,
Beth+
HOLY WEEK & EASTER SCHEDULE
March 29 ········· Palm Sunday; Choral Evensong March 30 ········· Holy Monday Liturgy, 12:00 pm March 31 ········· Holy Tuesday Liturgy, 12:00 pm April 1 ············· Holy Wednesday Liturgy, 12:00 pm April 2 ············· Maundy Thursday Eucharist, 7:00 pm Good Friday Vigil (Overnight, Bethlehem Chapel) April 3 ············· Mass of the Presanctified Gifts at 7:30 am Good Friday service 12:00 pm, followed by The Stations of the Cross April 4 ············· Easter Egg Hunt & Picnic 10:00 am Holy Saturday Liturgy, 1:00 pm April 5 ············· Easter Vigil (with incense), 6:00 am; No 7:45 a.m. service Easter Services at 9:00 (no incense) & 11:15 (with incense)