HOLY INNOCENTS FALLOWFIELD
March/April 2018: Passiontide, Holy Week and Easter
The second Sunday of March, Lent 4, is Refreshment Sunday when we ‘relax’ the Lenten austerity a bit. A few flowers may make an appearance... We also welcome our former rector, Bill Raines, to preach and preside. Fr Bill and Gisela will be heading to their new home in Preston when Gisela retires from St Paul’s on April 15th. So this is a chance to wish them well as they stop being our near neighbours.
At some point in the next couple of weeks the organ will come back into church to be reconstructed. This could be going on into Holy Week and beyond. So on the Monday, all who would normally attend the evening Eucharist are invited - with anyone else who would like to attend - to come along to the school Eucharist for Holy Week at St James’ School at 9am. On the Tuesday and Wednesday mornings - before the banging and building starts - there is a chance to fill the church with quiet prayer which can be joined in with both by being present in church or at a distance for those who cannot travel. On the Tuesday, we pray with Mary, Mother of Jesus, using her prayers and reflecting on what are known as the sorrowful mysteries of our Lord’s passion. On Wednesday morning, we walk the Stations of the Cross. The Revd. Nigel Hawley joins us on Thursday to lead our services for the Triduum, ending with baptisms on Easter Eve, at the Great Vigil of Easter. On Easter Day, Nila Shanivar will be welcomed into the church by baptism.
Noticeboard space will be available for those who would like to share their thoughts about the reading they have done during Lent.
Our APCM will be on Sunday April 15th, after the service, and Richard Young’s induction as Rector has been arranged for Tuesday April 24th at 7.30pm.
The second Sunday of March, Lent 4, is Refreshment Sunday when we ‘relax’ the Lenten austerity a bit. A few flowers may make an appearance... We also welcome our former rector, Bill Raines, to preach and preside. Fr Bill and Gisela will be heading to their new home in Preston when Gisela retires from St Paul’s on April 15th. So this is a chance to wish them well as they stop being our near neighbours.
At some point in the next couple of weeks the organ will come back into church to be reconstructed. This could be going on into Holy Week and beyond. So on the Monday, all who would normally attend the evening Eucharist are invited - with anyone else who would like to attend - to come along to the school Eucharist for Holy Week at St James’ School at 9am. On the Tuesday and Wednesday mornings - before the banging and building starts - there is a chance to fill the church with quiet prayer which can be joined in with both by being present in church or at a distance for those who cannot travel. On the Tuesday, we pray with Mary, Mother of Jesus, using her prayers and reflecting on what are known as the sorrowful mysteries of our Lord’s passion. On Wednesday morning, we walk the Stations of the Cross. The Revd. Nigel Hawley joins us on Thursday to lead our services for the Triduum, ending with baptisms on Easter Eve, at the Great Vigil of Easter. On Easter Day, Nila Shanivar will be welcomed into the church by baptism.
Noticeboard space will be available for those who would like to share their thoughts about the reading they have done during Lent.
Our APCM will be on Sunday April 15th, after the service, and Richard Young’s induction as Rector has been arranged for Tuesday April 24th at 7.30pm.
SUNDAYS AND FESTIVALS IN MARCH
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Sunday March 11th The Fourth Sunday of Lent (Mothering/Refreshment/Laetere Sunday)
President and Preacher: The Revd Bill Raines
Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-9; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21
Hymns: Now thank we all our God; Gospel Acclamation; There’s a wideness in God’s mercy; Who is this, so weak and helpless
Other music: For the beauty of the Earth (Rutter)
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Sunday March 18th The Fifth Sunday of Lent (Passiontide begins)
President and Preacher: The Revd Canon Michael Ainsworth
Readings: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-13; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33
Hymns: Glory be to Jesus; Gospel Acclamation; My song is love unknown; Dear Lord and Father of mankind
Other music: God so loved the world (Stainer)
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Sunday March 25th Palm Sunday (British Summer Time begins - clocks go forward an hour!)
President and Preacher: The Revd Canon Michael Ainsworth
Readings: Palm Gospel: Mark 11:1-11; Isaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 31:1-9; Phillippians 2:5-11; Mark 14:1-15:end
Hymns: Ride on, ride on in majesty; Palm Sunday Processional; Ah, holy Jesu; All glory, laud and honour; The royal banners forward go
Other music: tba
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Holy Week Monday March 26th 9am
Eucharist at St James’ School: “Conspiracy and Crowds”
President and Preacher: The Revd Paula Robinson
Readings: Isaiah 42:1-5; Psalm 36:1-10; John 12:1-11
Hymns: I danced in the morning; Now the green blade riseth; Hosanna, loud hosanna
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Holy Week Tuesday March 27th 9am
Meditation on the Mysteries of the Lord’s Passion and Cross
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Holy Week Wednesday March 28th 9am
The Stations of the Cross
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Maundy Thursday March 29th
Eucharist of the Last Supper 7.30am followed by a Watch of Prayer until 10.30pm
President and Preacher: The Revd Nigel Hawley
Readings: Exodus 12:1-5,11-14; Psalm 116:1,10-end; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17,31b-35
Hymns:This is the night, dear friends; According to thy gracious word; Draw nigh and take the body of the Lord; Of the glorious body telling
Other music: Ubi Caritas; The Lamentations of Jeremiah; Tantum ergo (Durufle)
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Good Friday March 30th
Church open for silent prayer from 12 noon, Music and meditation from 1pm, Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion at 2pm
President and Preacher: The Revd Nigel Hawley
Readings: Isaiah 52:15-53:end; Psalm 22:1-11; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:end
Hymns:O come and stand beneath the cross; O dearest Lord, thy sacred head; When I survey the wondrous cross; Lord, in this thy mercy’s day
Other music: The Reproaches; O Saviour of the world
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Holy Saturday March 31st: The Great Vigil of Easter 8.30pm
The Lighting of the Easter Fire and Blessing of the Paschal Candle; The Liturgy of the Word; The Liturgy of Baptism
The First Eucharist of Easter
President: The Revd Nigel Hawley
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Sunday April 1st Easter Day
President and Preacher: The Revd Canon Michael Ainsworth
Readings: Isaiah 25:6-9; Psalm 118; Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18
Hymns:Jesus Christ is risen today; Gospel Acclamation; The day of resurrection; Thine be the glory
Other music: Surrexit Christus; Now the green blade rises
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Sunday March 11th The Fourth Sunday of Lent (Mothering/Refreshment/Laetere Sunday)
President and Preacher: The Revd Bill Raines
Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-9; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21
Hymns: Now thank we all our God; Gospel Acclamation; There’s a wideness in God’s mercy; Who is this, so weak and helpless
Other music: For the beauty of the Earth (Rutter)
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Sunday March 18th The Fifth Sunday of Lent (Passiontide begins)
President and Preacher: The Revd Canon Michael Ainsworth
Readings: Jeremiah 31:31-34; Psalm 51:1-13; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33
Hymns: Glory be to Jesus; Gospel Acclamation; My song is love unknown; Dear Lord and Father of mankind
Other music: God so loved the world (Stainer)
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Sunday March 25th Palm Sunday (British Summer Time begins - clocks go forward an hour!)
President and Preacher: The Revd Canon Michael Ainsworth
Readings: Palm Gospel: Mark 11:1-11; Isaiah 50:4-9; Psalm 31:1-9; Phillippians 2:5-11; Mark 14:1-15:end
Hymns: Ride on, ride on in majesty; Palm Sunday Processional; Ah, holy Jesu; All glory, laud and honour; The royal banners forward go
Other music: tba
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Holy Week Monday March 26th 9am
Eucharist at St James’ School: “Conspiracy and Crowds”
President and Preacher: The Revd Paula Robinson
Readings: Isaiah 42:1-5; Psalm 36:1-10; John 12:1-11
Hymns: I danced in the morning; Now the green blade riseth; Hosanna, loud hosanna
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Holy Week Tuesday March 27th 9am
Meditation on the Mysteries of the Lord’s Passion and Cross
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Holy Week Wednesday March 28th 9am
The Stations of the Cross
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Maundy Thursday March 29th
Eucharist of the Last Supper 7.30am followed by a Watch of Prayer until 10.30pm
President and Preacher: The Revd Nigel Hawley
Readings: Exodus 12:1-5,11-14; Psalm 116:1,10-end; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17,31b-35
Hymns:This is the night, dear friends; According to thy gracious word; Draw nigh and take the body of the Lord; Of the glorious body telling
Other music: Ubi Caritas; The Lamentations of Jeremiah; Tantum ergo (Durufle)
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Good Friday March 30th
Church open for silent prayer from 12 noon, Music and meditation from 1pm, Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion at 2pm
President and Preacher: The Revd Nigel Hawley
Readings: Isaiah 52:15-53:end; Psalm 22:1-11; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:end
Hymns:O come and stand beneath the cross; O dearest Lord, thy sacred head; When I survey the wondrous cross; Lord, in this thy mercy’s day
Other music: The Reproaches; O Saviour of the world
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Holy Saturday March 31st: The Great Vigil of Easter 8.30pm
The Lighting of the Easter Fire and Blessing of the Paschal Candle; The Liturgy of the Word; The Liturgy of Baptism
The First Eucharist of Easter
President: The Revd Nigel Hawley
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Sunday April 1st Easter Day
President and Preacher: The Revd Canon Michael Ainsworth
Readings: Isaiah 25:6-9; Psalm 118; Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18
Hymns:Jesus Christ is risen today; Gospel Acclamation; The day of resurrection; Thine be the glory
Other music: Surrexit Christus; Now the green blade rises
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The Revd Nigel Hawley, who is going to lead us through the Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Eve) has sent us his thoughts and an invitation.
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Holy Week should be a metropolitan experience: on Palm Sunday, the church building becomes for us Jerusalem, the City of the Living - and dying - God. On that day, with the crowds we walk to Jerusalem to welcome Jesus as Messiah and king.
Then, on Holy Thursday the Lord gives us his New Commandment to love another: as a token of this, we let him wash our feet. So he gives us himself in bread and wine. The service that night is the last rehearsal for a new way of worship, a way of sacrifice, a way of feasting and celebration which on Good Friday becomes real. On that solemn day, a pilgrimage is made to a hill outside the city. And there we watch him die. His mother knees at his feet and the sword of sorrow, foretold by Simeon, pierces her heart. The sacrifice is completed. And with the disciples, dejected, let-down, we return to Jerusalem, for us now a city of desolation.
But for him, the work is not yet completed.
Hell must be harrowed and its powers shaken. So on Saturday we wait with the disciples. As darkness falls, we stay in the city. Its memories distress us. Back in the day, when he was with us we had hope. Back in the day.
But then lights are lit, bells sounded and tombs are emptied. Haec dies quam fecit Dominus et laetemur in ea. Not “back in the day”, but rather, “This is the day”, the day that sees Christ rising and the city reborn. We rejoice and are glad in it.
Holy Week is not about drama or re-enactment. It is a celebration of a new kind of reality which is now forever focused for us in the Eucharist where bread and wine become what bread and wine seem not to be. It is not like anything else. In its celebration we become a new people, a Eucharistic community which both receives life from the city it is called to serve and gives life by acts of loving service to all around. This Eucharistic community, like the Mass which is its heart, is not like anything else.
In an age of conformity, Christians are called to be transgressive - to cross boundaries.
In a city of wealth we are called to preach the good news to the poor, liberty to those held captive by the culture of materialism and the recovery of vision to all who have lost it.
We are called, in fact, to build a new kingdom of love and justice.
So Holy Week can never be an optional extra. In its celebration we become what we are called to be: people of new life. Please be there!
*******************************************************************
Holy Week should be a metropolitan experience: on Palm Sunday, the church building becomes for us Jerusalem, the City of the Living - and dying - God. On that day, with the crowds we walk to Jerusalem to welcome Jesus as Messiah and king.
Then, on Holy Thursday the Lord gives us his New Commandment to love another: as a token of this, we let him wash our feet. So he gives us himself in bread and wine. The service that night is the last rehearsal for a new way of worship, a way of sacrifice, a way of feasting and celebration which on Good Friday becomes real. On that solemn day, a pilgrimage is made to a hill outside the city. And there we watch him die. His mother knees at his feet and the sword of sorrow, foretold by Simeon, pierces her heart. The sacrifice is completed. And with the disciples, dejected, let-down, we return to Jerusalem, for us now a city of desolation.
But for him, the work is not yet completed.
Hell must be harrowed and its powers shaken. So on Saturday we wait with the disciples. As darkness falls, we stay in the city. Its memories distress us. Back in the day, when he was with us we had hope. Back in the day.
But then lights are lit, bells sounded and tombs are emptied. Haec dies quam fecit Dominus et laetemur in ea. Not “back in the day”, but rather, “This is the day”, the day that sees Christ rising and the city reborn. We rejoice and are glad in it.
Holy Week is not about drama or re-enactment. It is a celebration of a new kind of reality which is now forever focused for us in the Eucharist where bread and wine become what bread and wine seem not to be. It is not like anything else. In its celebration we become a new people, a Eucharistic community which both receives life from the city it is called to serve and gives life by acts of loving service to all around. This Eucharistic community, like the Mass which is its heart, is not like anything else.
In an age of conformity, Christians are called to be transgressive - to cross boundaries.
In a city of wealth we are called to preach the good news to the poor, liberty to those held captive by the culture of materialism and the recovery of vision to all who have lost it.
We are called, in fact, to build a new kingdom of love and justice.
So Holy Week can never be an optional extra. In its celebration we become what we are called to be: people of new life. Please be there!