Dear Friends,

The Three Great Days are upon us! Find time each day to come to church in person or online to be richly moved, deeply consoled, and your hearts "taken up into heaven”. The churchyard is lovely; a gospel or a letter of Paul can be read anywhere. Just make time for some of the devotional beauty, the tears, the shadows and the depths which make up the “bright sadness” of these days. Through our worship, prayer, silence and music, we experience the pain and the joy of each of the days that mark and make our salvation.

In this time of continuing conflict, and now a new war in the Middle East, let us be those who pray seriously for the peace of Jerusalem. Let us make our prayers all the more sincere by learning the importance and vitality of our Anglican ministries there, and by contributing through the traditional Good Friday collection here at Saint James, to the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East. Gifts can also be made directly to the American Friends of the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East. Click here to learn more about their ministry and make your gift.

We are praying for you and know you are praying for us,

David+, Stacey+ and Glenn+

The Pascal Triduum Begins

The Triduum (TRID-yoo-uhm) starts at sunset on Maundy Thursday (April 2) and continues through Good Friday and Holy Saturday, culminating with the Easter Vigil and the kindling of the new fire at sunset Saturday night.

Maundy Thursday, April 2 | 5:30 - 7:00 PM

Bible Foods & Table Graces Dinner With Prayers for Peace

A family meal for all who

seek peace in Jerusalem

Come join us (with or without a Mediterranean dish) to share a meal with special readings and prayers for peace in the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East.

Seasoned chefs Paul Hoffer and Tim Mackey will be preparing a delicious feast featuring succulent lamb and fresh fish. To complement this culinary delight, we invite you to bring a side dish or dessert inspired by biblical themes to share in a potluck-style gathering. Consider dishes that capture the essence of Middle Eastern cuisine, such as creamy hummus, warm pita bread, savory olives, refreshing salads, or crispy falafel.

Click here to let us know you’ll be attending. Surprise us with the dish you’ll be bringing!

Maundy Thursday, April 2 | 7:30 PM

Holy Eucharist with Foot Washing

This service commemorates the institution of Holy Communion by Jesus and his commandment to love one another as He loved us. We recount Jesus' last supper with the disciples, being betrayed and waiting in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Click here to view the service from our streaming services page.

Maundy Thursday, April 2 | 9:00 PM through Good Friday, April 3 | 7:00 AM

The Chapel Vigil with the Blessed Sacrament

The Chapel Vigil, facilitated by the Daughters of the King, will be held in-person in the Saint James Chapel, beginning at 9:00 PM on Maundy Thursday, April 2, and concluding at 7:00 AM on Good Friday, April 3, with morning meditation and the sharing of the Blessed Sacrament. Participants are encouraged to bring their own meditations, prayers and/or prayer beads.

Please pre-register for the hour(s) you wish to “keep watch in the garden” by clicking here. Participants will receive a special code to enter the Chapel doors.

For more information about the Gethsemane Chapel Vigil or help signing up, please email Kristle Evans here.

Good Friday, April 3 | 6:45 AM

Silent Meditation

In the Chapel

Join clergy in the chapel at the end of the Maundy Thursday overnight vigil for silent meditation and reverent consumption of the Blessed Sacrament. Available in person only.

Good Friday, April 3 | 9:30 AM

Intergenerational Walk of Witness

with Stations of the Cross

All ages are invited to gather with clergy and StephJo at the cloister fountain to begin a contemplative prayer walk around the neighborhood. We will reflect on the world’s need for Christ and his resurrection while pausing to offer prayers for the city of Lancaster, its service organizations and the people they serve.

Good Friday, April 3 | 12:00 PM

Iconographer, Dorothy Thayne and Fr. David lead reflections and prayers

In the Chapel

In person only

Artist-in-Residence and iconographer, Dorothy Thayne, along with Fr. David, lead reflections and prayers with the icons of Christ the King, Man of Sorrows, and The Lamentation of Christ. Click here to learn more about parishioner Dorry Thayne and her art.

Good Friday, April 3 | 7:30 PM

Veneration of the Cross

The tradition of venerating the cross began in the 4th century with a Spanish nun who, on Holy Friday, would display parts of the holy wood of the cross on which Christ died, for veneration by pilgrims. This custom made its way into several liturgies as part of the Triduum, the three-day period that begins at sunset on Maundy Thursday (April 2) and continues through Good Friday and Holy Saturday, culminating with the Easter Vigil and the kindling of the new fire at sunset Saturday night.

We venerate the cross not because Christ died on it but because by the cross, salvation has entered the whole world.

Click here to view the service from our streaming services page.

Saturday, April 4 | 7:30 PM

Easter Vigil & Lighting of the Easter Fire

This is the first and central liturgy of Easter. Beginning Saturday evening in holy darkness out of which the Easter fire is kindled and candles are lit, we recount from our scriptures the saving works of God. Click here to visit our streaming services page

Sunday, April 5

Easter Sunday Masses

Our Easter celebration begins in the stillness of the morning with a 6:30 AM sunrise service with music by parishioners in the churchyard. In the event of rain, the service will be held in the church.

At the 8:30 and 10:30 AM Masses, the clergy of Saint James will share in the joyful celebration of the Easter Mass. Our worship music will include an extended prelude and postlude with Epiphany Brass, organ and timpani.

Click here to view the 10:30 AM Mass from our streaming services page.

Sunday, April 5 | 9:30 AM

Eggstravaganza Family Easter Egg Hunt

Held Rain or Shine!

Our time together will begin with a few words of reflection and song, followed by the joyful search for Easter eggs! A color-coding system is used to ensure that children of all ages have fun hunting for eggs hidden just for them. Children are asked to bring their own basket. All children must be accompanied by an adult. We will have coffee, juice and treats. Click here to email StephJo if you are interested in bringing a treat to share.

Coming in Eastertide

Saturday, April 11 | 10:00 - 11:30 AM

Women's Gathering

Via Zoom Only

Women's Gathering continues to explore during Eastertide, focusing on how stories help us grow as Christians and better follow Jesus' example of love and service.

If you'd like to attend, click here to email Lorraine Rollo for the Zoom link.

Monday, April 13

Race Against Racism Early Bird Registration

Mark Your Calendars for

Saturday, April 25th!

Be part of the nation’s longest-running Race Against Racism on Saturday, April 25, and help us eliminate racism, empower women and build a future where equity knows no bounds. JOIN THE SAINT JAMES team! It's easy. Just click here, type in Saint James Harriers in the team/group box, click the "join" button, fill in your info and pay $40.

The deadline for joining the team is April 13th.

Wednesday, April 15 - Friday, April 17

Saturday, April 25; 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Habitat For Humanity

There are two opportunities to join the Saint James Habitat for Humanity team in April. This year's location for both is on Linden Street in Columbia, where five new townhomes are being built.

Meet Stephanie, who, almost 4 years ago, was living out of her car with three of her daughters, ages 9, 10 and 14. She had recently gotten out of a toxic relationship, which led to prolonged mental and physical struggles, including paralyzing anxiety at the thought of returning to her nursing job, where she'd worked for the previous 13 years. Read more about Stephanie's amazing journey.

April 25th

Intergenerational Day

Youth ages 16 and above are invited to participate in an intergenerational build on Saturday, April 25th, from 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM, at the Linden Street build in Columbia.

Tasks for both opportunities include framing, interior trim and insulation installation. No experience necessary.

To learn more about how you can help, click here.

Saturday, April 18 | 8:30 - 10:30 AM

Upper Room Men's Group

Baseball Opening Season: Faith, Hope and New Beginnings

As spring flowers begin to bloom and the smell of freshly cut grass fills the air, it signals a new baseball season filled with hope and possibility. Every team starts with a clean slate—just like us in our spiritual lives. Opening day reminds us that we can recommit to our relationship with God, embracing each day as a fresh start.

Gather with us on April 18th as we explore our faith journeys from opening day through the long season, team over individual, discipline and preparation, hope and anticipation, the crowd and community, and God in the ordinary.

Menu: Breakfast casseroles (including a vegetarian option), biscuits, stewed apples, coffee and juice. For more info, click here to email Chuck Smith.

Sunday, April 19 | 5 - 6:30 PM

Youth Group

Create Your Own Labyrinth

Join us for a creative and reflective evening as we make our own labyrinths out of clay to take home. Dinner will be provided, and all are welcome.

As we get ready for the Urban Well Retreat on World Labyrinth Day (May 2), we’ll explore the labyrinth as a way to connect with God in a calm and personal way. This ancient practice invites us to slow down, clear our minds, and become more aware of God’s presence within us and around us.

Together, we’ll discover how this simple practice can open space for prayer, reflection, and deeper connection in everyday life.

Bring a friend, come hungry, and join us for a night to create, relax, and connect. We’d love to see you there! Please RSVP by April 16^th. Click here to let us know you'll be attending.

Thursdays, April 23 - May 28 | 7:00 PM

Mercy Seminar Begins

Entirely on Zoom

Peace at the Last:

The meaning of life in the light of death

With Prof. Randall Zachman & Fr. David Peck

The 2026 Mercy Seminar has been exploring what different faith traditions can teach us about living our best life and dying our best death. How can the certainty of death help create focus and deepen gratitude rather than increase depression and anxiety? Is death really “nothing at all,” a simple “turning out of the lights, or “the gate to eternal life”?

Term 2 will explore how death has been understood in different traditions of Judaism and Islam as we read and reflect on texts from Hebrew scriptures and the Koran. No prior knowledge is required. Click here to register. Scholarships available.

Tuesday, April 28 - June 6 | 7:00 PM

Contemplative Tuesdays

with Mission and Justice

A contemplative reading of The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, a short book by Walter Isaacson, about the central importance of the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence. Copies of the book, purchased from a local Lancaster bookstore, will be available for purchase ($16) in the parish house beginning April 13^th. Click here to register and for the Zoom link.