Holy Week & Easter Services 2020
This is a very unusual Holy Week. Instead of gathering in our churches, we are under a stay at home order, distancing ourselves from one another in order to protect ourselves and our neighbors. The church doors are closed, but the church is still very active! We are posting videos to help keep us connected and growing spiritually during this most holy time of the year. Join us in observing Holy Week and Easter by watching our playlists and videos below! Together, let us keep the faith!
Palm Sunday
- Watch our Palm Sunday service with music, Liturgy of the Palms and Passion Gospel on YouTube.
- Listen and pray along with a special Litany for Healing during the COVID-19 pandemic
Holy Wednesday - Liturgy of Healing
Holy Weds Litany of Healing video
- Rev. Liz will provide the Liturgy of Healing for Wednesday in Holy Week with a reading from John and a reflection from the New Interpreter's Study Bible. Requests for prayer may be left in the comments for our prayer team and others to lift prayers and send love.
Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday Video Playlist
We have a series of videos for you. Each focuses on a different one of our beloved Maundy Thursday traditions. View them at your convenience. Watch them one after another or one at a time. Share them with your friends and family. God bless you this Maundy Thursday and always!
- Agape Meal - Special prayers and directions for a meal on Maundy Thursday is provided in the Book of Occasional Services..A meatless meal is to be preferred. The setting should be austere and the foods sparse and simple. Appropriate foods include soup, cheese, olives, dried fruit, bread, and wine. In this video, Rev. Liz will share this practice and the beautiful traditional blessings with you so that you can do it at home with your family if you'd like. You can find the blessings on page 84 here: Book of Occasional Services
- Footwashing - Rev. Susan leads us through a visualization of Jesus washing our feet and then sending us out to go and do the same. How would you feel? What difference would it make in your life? Don't let the fact that we're sheltering at home and cannot be together this Maundy Thursday, keep you from experiencing this powerful tradition for yourself. Come, let Jesus wash your feet! This video features Reid Edwards on guitar with one of his original compositions.
- Lessons and Sermon - Join Rev. Liz as she
presents lessons, her sermon and spiritual communion in accordance with the
Gospel of Luke.
- Stripping of the Altar and Keeping the Watch - The final video in the series offers you the opportunity to remember what happened after Jesus sat with his disciples at the Last Supper. It shows the traditions of Stripping the Altar and Keeping the Watch that we have kept for years and years at St. Paul's, Ventura. This year, we are under a Stay at Home order so we cannot keep watch in the church. We can, however, keep watch in our homes and in our hearts. This video features the wonderful talent of soloist, Diego MagaƱa, and organist, Sara Edwards.
- How Beautiful are the Feet - A Maundy Thursday musical offering from St. Paul's Music Ministry in Ventura, CA. Amy Schaeffer - soloist Sara Edwards - organ How Beautiful are the Feet by G. F. Handel
Good Friday
- Rev. Susan will post Reflections for Good Friday - View anytime by clicking on the playlist link. This video will also be presented via Facebook Live at Noon on 4/10
Join Rev. Susan as we remember the day of Jesus' crucifixion. In the reflection, she offers some context for the story of Good Friday, reviews some of the amazing things Jesus accomplished in his lifetime and tries to answer this important question, "How can remembering and experiencing the sorrow of Good Friday do anything good for us today?" This video also includes powerful music, and photos of the palm crosses and other crosses we fashioned from whatever we could find as we shelter in place during this pandemic. Good Friday offerings benefit the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East as they advocate for policies that will help Christians, and all people, in the Holy Land. Donations may be given via our website www.saintpaulsventura.org Click on "Donate".
- At 7pm, Stations of the Cross with Rev. Liz - View anytime by clicking on the playlist link. This video will also be presented via Facebook Live at 7pm on 4/10
Join us for this beautiful presentation! It feature the amazing work of artist Janet McKenzie's Stations of the Cross with inspiring and thought provoking words from Joan Chittester. The presentation is narrated by our own Rev. Liz Williams. Join us at 7pm for the live event if you're available, if not watch it on your own. You won't want to miss this!
HOW TO ACCESS THESE VIDEOS
Click the links above. All videos will be posted to our YouTube page and updated on this post. Some will also be presented via Facebook Live. We hope you'll watch, comment and join with as in whatever ways you can.
Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUxBGEfq4JhEPqjz07hbpVg?view_as=subscriber
Our Website: www.saintpaulsventura.org
Our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/saintpaulsventura
Our Email: [email protected]
Please, share our offerings with your family and friends! All are welcome!