This year at St John’s we will have the following services during Holy Week – the week leading up to Easter Sunday – followed by Easter Sunday itself, when we celebrate the resurrection of the living Christ. All are welcome.
Palm Sunday, 2 April
8am Holy Eucharist
10:30am Liturgy of the Palms
6pm Evensong
Monday in Holy Week, 3 April
6pm Holy Eucharist
Tuesday in Holy Week, 4 April
6pm Rosary, followed by the Holy Eucharist, followed by a pub-social
Wednesday in Holy Week, 5 April
11am Holy Eucharist
6pm Holy Eucharist
Maundy Thursday, 6 April
6pm Communal Meal, Foot washing, & Eucharist
This service commemorates the institution of the Lord’s Supper/Eucharist. We will commence with a potluck meal in the hall (bring a dish to share!) and conclude the service in the church. All are welcome!
Good Friday, 7 April
12noon The Three Hours
This service takes us back to the day of Christ’s death as we contemplate the meaning of the cross. Our guest preacher will be the Rt Revd Jonathan Clark, Bishop of the Falkland Islands and a friend of Markus.
This is a solemn and reflective service and includes Holy Communion. Come for the entire three hours or attend only for a wee while. All are welcome.
6pm Choral Service
Our choir will once again provide us with a meaningful and profound ending of this sacred day, as they will sing music for Good Friday, providing space for prayer and reflection. All are welcome.
Holy Saturday, 8 April
9pm, Great Vigil of Easter (the service commences in the Dormitory; entrance from Princes St)
This service is the first celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ – it is the most central and most important liturgical celebration of the year! We will gather around a fire, hear accounts of God’s salvation story with humanity, light the Easter Candle to remind ourselves that God’s light pierces the darkness, hear an ancient sermon of hope, and partake in God’s festal wedding banquet (aka Holy Eucharist). All are welcome.
Easter Sunday, 9 April
7am Ecumenical service
For the first time this will be a six congregation event (Church of Scotland, Baptist, Episcopalian) and we will gather on top of Calton Hill. The service is organised by the Rev’d Suzie Stark, who some of you will remember from her time as Assoicate Minister at St Cuthbert’s. Breakfast afterwards is being offered at Greenside Church. Please let us know if you are interested in attending, so we can pass on a number to Greenside Church to make preparation easier. Thank you! All are welcome.
Here at St John’s:
9:30am Matins
10:30am Festival Eucharist (presider: Bishop Jonathan Clark. Plus: fantastic music sung by our choir and played by our organists celebrating the Resurrection!)
6pm Eucharist with hymns