Easter Vigil This is the night of salvation! At the Vigil of Easter, we gather around fire, word, water, bread, and wine, proclaiming through story and song that ours is a God who continuously brings life out of death. On this night we experience again the heart of God’s baptismal promise and the center of our faith: we are claimed and cleansed, renewed in the death and resurrection of Christ. We gather with all the saints of every time and place to celebrate the good news: Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
The Resurrection of Our Lord: Easter Day The Day, the Day! What is Easter anyway? Christians consider Easter to be the “first day.” From Easter comes the practice of worshiping on Sunday morning, which is the first day of the week. It is also the first day of new creation, sometimes called the “eighth day” of the week, for on it Christ restored the image of God in the human, and in so doing, also brought restoration and renewal to all of creation. Come hear the music and see the pageantry. You are part of the story!
Maundy Thursday This Thursday is called “Maundy,” which means “command,” from the verse in John’s gospel in which Jesus commands us to love another as he loved us. The evening service brings our Lenten observance to an end, as we gather with Christians around the world to celebrate the Three Days of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We remember Christ’s last meal with his disciples, but the central focus is his commandment that we live out the promise embodied in this meal. As Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, so we are called to give and receive love in humble service to one another.
Sunday of the Passion ~ Palm Sunday We meet outside in Wright Square for the Procession with Palms. The movement of this day—from shouts of praise to words of denial and cries for crucifixion—mirrors the path of discipleship. Oftentimes, to grasp the fullness of something significant, we have to look at both sides. So it is that to approach the meaning of Christ, we have to say two things: Jesus and Christ; human and divine; death and resurrection; bread and body. This Sunday we celebrate these two sides: we begin by praising Christ with the song of the angels, and we go on to shout “Crucify him!”
Tours on Sunday The Lutheran Church of the Ascension will be opening its doors for tours of the sanctuary. Come join us as our docents share the story of our rich history and stained-glass windows.