The Episcopal Church of the Atonement
In this season of Lent
The following online resources are available to us as we prepare for Holy Week.
Consider the offerings of :
The Society of St. John the Evangelist for an Interactive Lord's Prayer.
Washington National Cathedral A Take on Lent: A Call to Action
For a Daily Meditation visit the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Easter Egg Hunt Saturday April 8
For registration come between 10:30 - 10:45 am.
Hunt begins at 11 am.
Easter Dates
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Easter Sunday changes dates year-to-year. This year, Easter is on Sunday, April 9, 2023.
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How is the Easter date determined? The holiday occurs on the Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox, which welcomes spring in the northern hemisphere.
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All of the celebrations leading up to Easter also change dates.
Palm Sunday April 2
This Sunday before Easter is the last Sunday in Lent. The day commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem with a blessing of palms and a procession in which the whole congregation carries palms. The day is also marked by reading the story of Jesus' passion (the word used to describe Jesus' death comes from "suffering," which is one older meaning of passion). Some of the Palm Sunday palms are kept and used to make the Ash Wednesday ashes for the next year.
Maundy Thursday April 6
“Love one another, as I have loved you.” This is the new mandate (commandment) Jesus gave to his disciples this night. He washed their feet as a servant, and gave to them, and to us, the Holy Meal of The Eucharist (Communion). Jesus was shaping his disciples in servanthood to one another, the least and the outcast. And this servanthood is grounded on holy fellowship, with God and all humanity at the table he set for us. Maundy Thursday was only the beginning! We are called to be servants, Maundy Christians, every day.
Good Friday April 7
What's good about a Friday when Christ dies? The goodness is found in the Passion story in the Gospel according to John we always read on Good Friday, where the cross is not a defeat, but a victory over the powers of death, sin, and darkness. We leave the church this day in silence. It is an opportunity for each of us to meditate on Jesus' Passion and his great love and sacrifice for each of us.
"Love is at the heart of the meaning of the cross. Love is at the heart of the life Christ calls us to live. Love is at the heart of the movement Jesus began and which we live in our own time." Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Right Rev. Michael Curry.
Easter Vigil Saturday April 8
The Great Vigil of Easter is one of the oldest known rites of the Christian church, dating back to the second century. It brings worshippers, literally and symbolically, from darkness into light. Beginning in darkness after sunset on Holy Saturday, the vigil starts with the lighting of a fire, illuminating the darkness. The service is comprised of four parts: The Service of Light; The Service of Lessons; Christian Initiation (Holy Baptism) or the Renewal of Baptismal Vows; and the Eucharist (Holy Communion).
It has been observed that the four sections of the service can be compared with fire, air, water, and earth, the four primal elements of the cosmos. The vigil’s history evokes that sense of the primal, of foundational beginning. The drama and ancient beauty of the Great Vigil of Easter opens for us the mystery and wonder of God in the Risen Christ. Alleluia!
Easter Sunday April 9, 2023
Easter Day is the annual feast of the resurrection. Faith in Jesus’ resurrection on the Sunday or third day following his crucifixion is at the heart of Christian belief. This is the day when we mark that Christ is alive, and through his resurrection, we, too, are given the gift of life. Jesus breaks the bonds of death, breaking them on our behalf. Let our joyous Alleluias ring!!