As we continue to seek wellsprings in the wilderness, walk with us through Holy Week to hear the gospel stories of what Jesus encounters and endures in his final days. During Holy Week, we come face to face with the human realities of injustice, persecution, suffering, and death. Together, we seek God’s presence there and in the dawning promise and unending love of Easter.
palm sunday, april 13
Palm Sunday Breakfast
10:00 – 10:50 a.m.
Margaret Jewett Hall
Join us as we participate in one of the most ancient, common, and sustaining of Christian practices—sharing a meal together, in an atmosphere where strangers are guests, guests are friends, and friends are family. This meal will be a partial potluck: Fellowship will provide hot cross buns, granola, yogurt, and coffee, and the congregation is invited to contribute fruit, juice, or a breakfast side such as quiche or sausage. Breakfast at 10:00 a.m. in Margaret Jewett Hall will nourish us in body and spirit for our 10:55 a.m. Palm Sunday procession into the Sanctuary.
The Discovery Team will also host a conversation via Zoom with our livestream community at 10:00 a.m. on Palm Sunday morning. Learn more and join the Zoom here.
Palm Sunday Service
Palm Procession at 10:55 a.m., church lawn
Morning Worship at 11:00 a.m., Sanctuary and via livestream
We remember Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem. We greet him with a “parade” of young and old, waving palms and singing traditional songs. Come join us as we make our way on the road with Jesus! You are also welcome to go directly to the Sanctuary in person or via livestream.
Maundy thursday, april 17
Maundy Thursday Service with Communion and Tenebrae
7:00 – 8:00 p.m., Sanctuary and via livestream
We recall the new commandment Jesus gave his disciples “to love one another as I have loved you.” We remember this truth revealed to us during his last meal with his friends by celebrating Holy Communion. And in a candle-lit, then darkened, sanctuary, we call to mind Jesus’ anguish and arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. We depart in silence. Parents are encouraged to use their judgment; this service is likely most suitable for children older than 10.
Good Friday, April 18
Sanctuary is Sacred: Public Worship & Action for Immigration Justice
Friday, April 18 at 4:00 p.m.
Downtown Boston (RSVP for location)
On Good Friday, Christians and people of faith will gather in prayer and protest, demanding protection for our immigrant neighbors and our communities.
Jesus’ birth was a story of migration and border-crossing. Jesus’ death was a confrontation with – and triumph over – the powers of empire and a radical, loving act of solidarity with the oppressed. In remembering Jesus’ story during Holy Week, we are called to be in solidarity with the crucified peoples of our present. This public worship and action calls on our state legislators to protect our communities by passing the Dignity not Deportations Act and by getting ICE off of our streets and out of our churches. While this action will be rooted in the Christian tradition and practice of Stations of the Cross, people of all or no faith backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Good Friday Service of Lamentation
7:00 – 8:00 p.m., Lindsay Chapel and via livestream
We gather to grieve together, to lament injustice, and to remember Jesus’ death on the cross. Join us for this solemn service of ritual, readings, and song that will help us hold the grief of our lives and world. Parents are encouraged to use their judgment; this service is likely most suitable for children older than 10.
Easter, April 20
Easter Sunday Hybrid Morning Worship
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., Sanctuary and via livestream
Christ is Risen! We celebrate God’s gift of new life and love stronger than death as we recall and sing out the story of the Risen One, who meets us on the way!
About the Hallelujah Chorus
This Easter, as on Easters past, we joyfully sing out a beloved masterpiece that for many is synonymous with Easter celebration: the famous “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel’s oratorio Messiah. We do so, however, with an awareness that this piece has a complex history. Some scholars believe Messiah contains elements of anti-Jewish hostility. The “Hallelujah Chorus” has come under particular scrutiny, leading to symposia and media coverage on the possible undertones of the piece, given where it falls in the oratorio. You may read more here.
Even as we sing out with joy today, we are committed to learning more and considering how we can hold a painful and complex legacy alongside our appreciation of iconic artworks from the past.