TOTH NEWS
Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church in Los Alamos has announced its schedule for services during Holy Week. In-person services by RSVP only and registration is on the website: latoth.org. Online services are live-streamed and available for later viewing at www.facebook.com/TrinityOTH. (You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this website.)
Maundy Thursday: April 1, 2021
5:30pm in-person and 7pm live-stream
The Thursday in Holy Week. It is part of the Triduum, or three holy days before Easter. It comes from the Latin mandatum novum, “new commandment,” from John 13:34. The ceremony of washing feet (an important aspect of this service) was also referred to as “the Maundy.” Maundy Thursday celebrations also commemorate the institution of the eucharist by Jesus “on the night he was betrayed.” There will not be a foot-washing in the in-person service this year.
Good Friday: April 2, 2021
5:30pm in-person and 7pm live-stream
The Friday before Easter Day, on which the church commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. The liturgy of the day includes John’s account of the Passion gospel, a solemn form of intercession known as the solemn collects (dating from ancient Rome), and optional devotions before the cross (commonly known as the veneration of the cross). The Eucharist is not celebrated in the Episcopal Church on Good Friday, but Holy Communion will be administered from the reserved sacrament at the Good Friday service.
Holy Saturday: April 3, 2021
5:30pm live-stream only
The Saturday after Good Friday, which recalls the day when the crucified Christ visited among the dead while his body lay in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. In the Episcopal Church there is no eucharist on Holy Saturday. The service is a simple liturgy of the word with prayers, readings, and a brief sermon. In the ancient church, those preparing for baptism and perhaps others continued the fast they began on Good Friday. Holy Saturday ends at sunset. Fasting and other preparations end with the Easter Vigil, which begins the celebration of Easter.
The Great Vigil of Easter
This service will not be live streamed. However, you can download a devotion to be used Saturday evening by visiting www.latoth.org/digitalworship
The liturgy intended as the first (and arguably, the primary) celebration of Easter in the Episcopal Church. The service begins in darkness, and consists of four parts: The Service of Light (kindling of new fire, lighting the Paschal candle, the Exsultet); The Service of Lessons (readings from the Hebrew Scriptures interspersed with psalms, canticles, and prayers); Christian Initiation (Holy Baptism) or the Renewal of Baptismal Vows; and the first Eucharist of Easter. It is a beautiful reflection on the overcoming of death and sin.
Easter Day: April 4, 2021
8am in-person, 10:30 live-stream, and Noon in-person
The feast of Christ’s resurrection. Easter sets the experience of springtime next to the ancient stories of deliverance and the proclamation of the risen Christ. Full of life and joy, we continue the celebrations that began at the Great Vigil of Easter.