April 8, 2020

​Dear Friends,

On behalf of my family, please accept our sincere thanks for your love, your prayers, your support, and your encouragement during these past difficult days.  Many of you knew my dad.  I can assure you that he loved knowing all of you too, and he appreciated the way you welcomed him and my mom into the community. Doing so gave him many occasions to introduce himself as “the father’s father.”  Those who knew him will not be surprised by the fact that he never tired of that joke.  

I am fully aware that our grief is just one small slice of pain in a world full of suffering.  I am also aware, especially during this Holy Week, that there is a solidarity in suffering that can be redemptive; there is a God who knows our suffering firsthand; and there is a way through the pain.  This is the way of the cross and it leads to life and peace.

We are making plans to continue walking the way of the cross during the services of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.  The complete schedule is below, but there are some immediate requests for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

For Maundy Thursday, please try to set up an altar in your home.  It can be as simple as a side table or TV tray.  The idea is to have a sacred space to gather around with symbols of our faith.  Some possibilities are:  a candle or candles, a cross, a shell, water, oil, sand, palms, flowers, a Bible, a rock, a heart, flour or wheat or bread.  Also, please be ready to light the candle(s) on your altar at the beginning of the Maundy Thursday service.  The bulletin will be emailed to you tomorrow.

For Good Friday, we are asking people to send a photo of a cross from your home.  If you have several, please send photos of them all to: kaitlinp@gmail.com.  We plan on using them in the FB Live broadcast during the Good Friday liturgy.

Have no fear for tomorrow.  The same God who loves and cares for us today, will love and care for us tomorrow.

Peace,

AJ+

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​Holy Week Schedule

All times below are in CDT. These videos are available on our Facebook page for live participation, and for viewing all day after they are posted. You do not need to have a Facebook account to view them.

 Monday - Wednesday of Holy Week
Morning Prayer at 9:00 am
Noonday Prayer
Evening Prayer at 6:00 pm
Compline at 9:30 pm

Maundy Thursday (April 9)
Morning Prayer at 9:00 am
Noonday Prayer
Maundy Thursday Liturgy at 6:00pm

Good Friday (April 10)
Morning Prayer at 9:00 am
Stations of the Cross at 11:00 am
Good Friday Liturgy at Noon

Holy Saturday (April 11)
Holy Saturday Liturgy at 9:00 am

Easter - Feast of the Resurrection (April 12)
To Be Determined

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Link to Presiding Bishop’s sermon from Wednesday in Holy Week: 
​https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/pressreleases/presiding-bishops-holy-wednesday-sermon-from-online-service-at-church-of-st-luke-in-the-fields/?utm_source=ENS+English&utm_campaign=339444b9f6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_08_07_40&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d473cad2d8-339444b9f6-42107425