Welcome to Our Holy Week eNewsletter

This eNewsletter provides all the details about the services and events at St. Barnabas during Holy Week and Easter.

We want to give you a deeper understanding of what to expect at each service, along with the theology behind them, in hopes of making this Holy Week both accessible and meaningful for you.

Whether you’re new to these observances or have participated for years, we invite you to join us as we journey through this sacred time together.

Saturday, April 12

11:30am Make Palm Crosses with Youth & Altar Guild

Palm Sunday, April 13

8:00am Holy Eucharist, Rite I*

9:15am Formation: Prepare for Holy Week*

10:30am Holy Eucharist, Rite II*

6:00pm Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Monday in Holy Week, April 14

12:00pm Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Tuesday in Holy Week, April 15

12:00pm Morning Prayer

6:00pm Formation: Pray the Psalms of Holy Week*

Wednesday in Holy Week, April 16

12:00pm Holy Eucharist, Rite II

6:00pm Evening Prayer

Maundy Thursday, April 17

7:00pm Maundy Thursday Liturgy*

9:00pm - 7:00am Gethsemane Watch Prayer Vigil

Good Friday, April 18

9:00am EYC Good Friday Hike

12:00pm Stations of the Cross

7:00pm Good Friday Liturgy*

Holy Saturday, April 19

7:45pm The Great Vigil of Easter

Easter Sunday, April 20

8:00am Holy Eucharist, Rite I*

10:30am Flowering the Cross & Holy Eucharist, Rite II*

Easter Egg Hunt to follow

*indicates childcare is available

Palm Sunday

April 13 at 8:00am, 10:30am, and 6:00pm

Join us for Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, as we gather to remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Weather permitting, we will meet in the back field to receive palms, though you are welcome to simply meet us in the sanctuary. Together we will process into the church, proclaiming “Hosanna in the highest!” as we echo the joyous welcome given to Christ.

The tone shifts as we hear the story of Jesus’ last days from the Gospel according to St. Luke, from the Last Supper to his death on the cross. Following this solemn reading, we will celebrate the Eucharist, and then we will exit the sanctuary in silence, marking the beginning of the sacred journey of Holy Week.

Maundy Thursday

April 17 at 7:00pm

On Maundy Thursday, we come together to remember the Last Supper, when Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples and gave us the gift of the Eucharist.

During this service, we’ll follow Jesus' example by washing each other’s feet, an act of love and humility that reminds us of his new commandment: to love one another as he has loved us.

We’ll share in the Eucharist, and then place the sacrament on the altar of repose, a quiet and sacred space, as we prepare for Good Friday.

The service will end with the powerful stripping of the altar, leaving the sanctuary bare and silent, a symbol of the mourning we enter into on this night.

After the service, we invite you to stay for the Gethsemane Watch Prayer Vigil. Just as Jesus asked his disciples to stay awake and pray with him, we offer this chance to be present in prayer.

The church will remain open throughout the night, and a sign-up sheet is available for those who want to keep watch for an hour. For your safety, a police officer will be present in the parking lot.

Good Friday

April 18 at 12:00pm and 7:00pm

On Good Friday, we invite you to join us for two deeply moving services that help us reflect on the significance of Christ’s death on the cross.

At Noon, we will gather for the Stations of the Cross, a devotional walk around the church, where we meditate on Christ's Passion through scripture, prayer, and sacred imagery.

At 7:00pm, we will begin the Good Friday Liturgy in the quiet, dimmed sanctuary. We will hear the Passion according to St. John, recounting the events of Christ’s Crucifixion. Afterward, we will venerate the cross, honoring Jesus' sacrifice by kneeling before it, touching it, or kissing it.

As we share in the Eucharist, it will be a poignant moment: all consecrated bread and wine will be consumed that night, leaving no sacrament in reserve. This is the only night of the year when we observe this, symbolizing Christ’s death and the silence of the tomb.

The Great Vigil of Easter

April 19 at 7:45pm

As the sun sets on Holy Saturday, we invite you to join us for The Great Vigil of Easter, the most holy service of the year. We will gather outside by the belltower for the lighting of the Paschal Candle, symbolizing the light of Christ entering the world.

From there, we will process into the dim sanctuary, lit only by candles. We’ll listen to readings from scripture that recount the story of salvation, from the creation story in Genesis to the Resurrection. We will baptize new members into the Church and renew our own baptismal vows.

Then, the lights come on, the Gospel is proclaimed, and we will celebrate the Resurrection with Holy Eucharist and music from the St. Barnabas Adult Choir and Echelon Brass Quintet!

Easter Sunday

April 20 at 8:00am and 10:30am

Our Easter Sunday services are family-friendly, with childcare available for our littlest members.

We especially welcome children and young families to take part in flowering the cross before the 10:30am service. Bring fresh flowers to help transform the cross on the altar, once a symbol of death, into a beautiful, living sign of new life and hope.

The newly formed St. Barnabas Youth Choir will lift their voices alongside the Adult Choir as we make a joyful noise together!

Whether you’re a longtime member, a first-time visitor, or returning to church after some time away, we invite you to join us for this celebration.

Prepare for Holy Week

with Father Michael

Sunday, April 6 & 13

9:15am in Ramsay Hall

Childcare available

To help us enter more fully into this sacred time, Fr. Michael will lead a special Holy Week guide, exploring the richness of the Book of Common Prayer.

We’ll walk through the liturgies of Holy Week, setting the stage for the great three days of the Triduum—Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil.

Pray the Psalms of Holy Week

with Arielle Latiolais

Tuesday, April 15

6:00 – 7:30pm in the Sanctuary

Childcare available

In the final installment of our Lenten series on praying with the Psalms, we will turn our focus to the Psalms of Holy Week, especially the Psalms that Jesus prayed during his final hours.

We will use Ignatian contemplation, praying with our imaginations as we enter into scripture and abide with Jesus in his Passion.

While this class has been a journey throughout Lent, this week's session is open to anyone who feels called to enter into Holy Week in a more intimate and contemplative way.

Making Palm Crosses

Saturday, April 12 at 11:30am in the EYC Building

Join us for a hands-on activity as we come together to make palm crosses for Palm Sunday! This event is a special collaboration between our Youth Ministry and Altar Guild, and it’s a wonderful way for families and youth to engage in the tradition of Palm Sunday.

A light lunch will be provided, so come for the craft, the fellowship, and the fun!

EYC Good Friday Day Hike at Lake Valentine

Friday, April 18 at 9:00am – meet at the EYC Building

Join us for a Good Friday Day Hike at Lake Valentine! This is a great opportunity for our youth to spend time in nature, reflecting on the solemnity of Good Friday while enjoying the beauty of God’s creation.

We’ll meet at the EYC Building at 9:00am and head out together for a day of fellowship.

Easter Egg Hunt

Sunday, April 20 following the 10:30am Service

Bring the whole family for our annual Easter Egg Hunt! After the 10:30am service, we’ll have separate hunts for infants-kindergarten and 1st-5th graders, ensuring everyone gets a chance to join in the fun.

Middle and high schoolers who would like to help hide the eggs are invited to meet Jennifer Bolling in Ramsay Hall after communion.

We look forward to celebrating Easter with this fun tradition!

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