From Palm Sunday through The Great Vigil of Easter, follow the path of Jesus' crucifiction and pray with us for his resurrection. 

Palm Sunday Service with Outdoor Procession and Incense: April 13 at 10:30 AM with guest preacher Helen Craigen

Please note that the Outdoor Procession will be weather permitting this year. 

On Palm Sunday, we commemorate Jesus’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem as he began his final week on earth. In Holy Week, our worship walks with Jesus as he takes these final steps.

We begin the Palm Procession in the courtyard. After our palms are blessed, we call “Hosanna in the Highest”, as the crowd did so long ago. And just like that crowd, we are quick to turn on Jesus, as we say together the Passion Gospel.  The congregation reads the part of the crowd, in order to remember that it was our sin that crucified Jesus, that we all too often continue to call for the crucifixion of God’s beloved children, and that the past practice of blaming “the Jews” for Jesus’s death is anti-Semitic and wrong. You may feel disoriented by the speed with which we turn from “Hosanna!” to “Crucify!” That is the point.

Our worship continues with the Holy Eucharist. All who have been baptized and receive Communion in their own church are welcome to receive Communion at Good Shepherd. Children are also welcome to receive Communion as their parents direct. The ushers will direct you to the altar rail at the appropriate time. Gluten-free wafers are available. If you would prefer not to receive Holy Communion, please cross your arms over your chest to indicate you would prefer to receive a blessing.

New Holy Week Services!

We are pleased to announce that we will be offering services every day of Holy Week this year and look forward to seeing you at our new morning services:

Holy Monday Service: April 14 at 9:00 AM 

Holy Tuesday Service: April 15 at 9:00 AM with guest preacher Reverend Gary Sinclair

Spy Wednesday Service: April 16 at 9:00 AM with guest preacher Reverend Allan Groen

Maundy Thursday Service: April 17 at 7:00 PM with guest preacher Stefan Knibbe followed by the Overnight Watch

Maundy Thursday begins the “Triduum Sacrum,” the Three Sacred Days in which our salvation was accomplished. The name “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum,” which means commandment. At his final meal with his friends, the meal we remember each week in the Holy Eucharist, Jesus gave them a new commandment: to love one another, as he has loved them.

Jesus demonstrates his love by washing his disciples’ feet, for he did not come to be served, but to serve. In this service, you will be invited to come forward to have your feet washed as the disciples did. It may feel strange to allow someone else to wash your feet, but first receiving Jesus’s gift is an important step before offering to serve others.

Our worship concludes with a procession to the Altar of Repose. This secondary altar is decorated as the Garden of Gethsemane, and worshippers are invited to stay in this garden space with Jesus as he prays before his arrest. The main altar is stripped of its finery to commemorate that arrest, and we leave in silence and darkness. There is no concluding hymn or dismissal, as our worship continues throughout these Three Sacred Days. We Watch with Jesus, present to us in the elements of bread and wine, overnight. A security guard will be present throughout the night as we watch and pray. Our Watch concludes with Morning Prayer and consumption of the elements at 9:00 AM.

Good Friday Service: April 18 at 12:00 PM

Good Friday is the second day in the “Triduum Sacrum,” the Three Sacred Days in which our salvation was accomplished. On this day, we remember Jesus’s trial and Crucifixion.

Our worship begins in silence, as a continuation from the previous night. We read the account of the Passion Gospel, in which the crowd calls for Jesus to be crucified. The congregation reads the part of the crowd, in order to remember that it was our sin that crucified Jesus, that we all too often continue to call for the crucifixion of God’s beloved children, and that when the Gospel of John refers to “the Jews,” he was not talking about a race of people, but his fellow citizens. The historic practice of using this Gospel to support anti-Semitic violence is wrong. It is a sin for which the Church must repent. When we call “Crucify!” we must remember that we all are the guilty, not any one race of people.

The Holy Eucharist is not celebrated on this day. The worship continues with the veneration of the Cross, on which hung the Saviour of the world. You will be invited to come forward to touch or kiss the foot of the Cross, as you prefer. Some may choose to adore the Cross from their seat.

We conclude by praying for the Church and the world. Once again, we leave in silence, with no concluding hymn or dismissal, as we prepare to wait at the Tomb.

Interactive Stations of the Cross: April 18 at 2:00 PM

This interactive service gives the children a chance to walk alongside Jesus in a way that helps them understand what He went through in a developmentally appropriate way. While prayerful on this solemn day, this service is informal and active. We move around the church. Children can ask questions, touch elements, run, wiggle, and connect with God as we wait for Jesus's resurrection together.

Contemporary Stations of the Cross: April 18 at 3:00 PM

Our Children and Family Minisitries Coordinator Natalie has found a new Stations of the Cross program designed with teens in mind, we invite anyone interested in re-connecting with the Stations of the Cross to join us as we walk in the footsteps of Jesus.