St Pauls Episcopal Church, Fairfield, CT

The Book of Common Prayer notes that God bids us “to cleanse our hearts and prepare with joy for the Easter Feast” (p. 379). St. Paul’s presents many wonderful opportunities, as Lent ends, and during Holy Week, for doing that.

RECONCILIATION
In the Anglican/Episcopal Tradition, the sacramental rite of Reconciliation of a penitent (Confession) is available to all, mandatory for none, and useful to many. Lent is an especially appropriate time for this cleansing and healing rite. Although no special times are set aside, our clergy are always available for hearing confessions. You may call Rev. Brockman or Rev. Kimes for an appointment.

5:00 p.m. An intensely beautiful service of prayers, readings from Scripture, hymns, and anthems for the Fifth Sunday in Lent, led by our wonderful St. Paul’s Choirs.

1:00 – 3:00 p.m., Parish Hall. A fun and inspiring intergenerational re-creation in crafts and a pageant of the events of the last week of Jesus’ earthly life, and of the meaning of those events for our lives now. All ages welcome, best for ages 3 and up. Parent(s) of children are requested to attend with their child(ren).

9:15 and 11:15. Procession of the Palms and Palm Sunday liturgy. Processions form in the Parish Hall (please arrive early!). In our processions we become the crowds who welcome Jesus with hosannas into Jerusalem. Dramatic reading of the Passion at 9:15. Children’s Chapel and Creative Learning children will meet at the front of the church, at the side door, after the 9:15 procession.

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
7:30 p.m. Holy Eucharist, with the Liturgy for Healing, including the laying on of hands and anointing with oil. Those attending will be invited to receive prayer for themselves, or on behalf of others, for healing of mind, body, soul, and spirit. Everyone is invited. Come, bring a friend; experience God’s healing presence and grace anew in this holy season. Monday’s service, conducted by the Rev. Alice Mindrum, Priest Affiliate, will also offer Reiki for those wishing to receive that ministration.

Soup Supper
6:00 p.m. Sponsored by the JYPF, our middle-school youth group, for the entire parish. The supper is their annual fundraiser and helps support JYPF programs. Menu will include soup, salad, and fruit cup. Suggested donations are $5 per adult, $2 per child, and $10 for an entire family. Youth group members are reminded to report to the kitchen at 5:00.

Holy Eucharist & Stripping of the Altars
7:30 p.m. The Eucharist celebrates Jesus’ establishment of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper and we renew our commitment to love one another as he has loved us. The evening Eucharist ends in silence, as the altars are stripped of their adornments, just as Jesus was stripped and beaten prior to his crucifixion.

The Great Prayer Watch
9:00 p.m.- 6:30 a.m. The altar and chancel bare, a prayer vigil then begins and continues through the early morning of Good Friday, as we symbolically watch with Jesus in his agony (continues overleaf)

in the Garden of Gethsemane, remembering his words to his disciples: “Will you not watch with me one hour?” All are invited for an hour (or even a half-hour) to pray, meditate, or simply sit in the Lord’s presence. A sign-up poster is in the main church entrance.

The Great Litany
6:30-7:00 a.m. The Prayer Watch ends with this solemn penitential prayer, recited responsively by leader and congregation, as we begin our observance of the day of the Crucifixion.

Stations of the Cross
7:00-7:45 a.m. The SYPF will lead a procession and offer prayers and meditations on the events that happened to Jesus as he was led from Pilate’s palace to the Cross and finally laid in the tomb.

Good Friday Prayer walk for Children
9:30 a.m., at our sister parish, St. Timothy’s, 4670 Congress Street, using their outdoor Labyrinth.

12:00 noon – 3:00 p.m. St. Paul’s will host our sister parishes, Trinity, Southport; Trinity-St. Michael’s; and St. Timothy’s. This solemn liturgy reflects on the Passion of our Lord and offers prayers for us and for our world. The clergy of the four parishes will offer brief meditations on the words of Our Lord or those who witnessed his Crucifixion. Choirs of the parishes will sing anthems appropriate to this holy day. Stay for all or part of the service. An offering to be shared by Operation Hope of Fairfield and the Anglican Church of Jerusalem will be received.

12:00 noon-3:00 p.m. for children: Nursery care (through age four) will be provided, and activities for older children, in keeping with the solemnity of the day, will be provided in classrooms upstairs. Sign-up sheets for registering your children will be posted. Pre-registration is requested, but not required, to help us plan appropriately.

10:30 a.m. Brief prayers and blessing of the Easter baskets for children and families.

7:30 p.m. At our sister parish Trinity Church, Southport, 651 Pequot Avenue, this year. For this magnificent service portraying the victory of light over darkness, we will gather in darkness outside (weather permitting), light candles from the new fire of Easter, and process into church proclaiming, “The light of Christ.” Readings from the Hebrew Scriptures retell the History of our Salvation, and into that glorious record we may baptize new Christians and renew our own baptismal covenant. Then with a great clamor of ringing bells and pealing organ we proclaim “Alleluia! Christ is risen!” and celebrate the first Eucharist of Easter. Come, bring a bell to ring, experience this most dramatic and exuberant of the services of the Church year, and absorb the meaning of Easter in a deeper way.

7:30 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 11:15 a.m. On this Queen of all the Days we celebrate a Festal Holy Eucharist with glorious music at all three services. This is what everything before has been leading up to. A great time to bring family and friends and neighbors and rejoice together in celebrating the event that gives meaning to the past and hope to the future—our Lord’s Resurrection. Please note that our first service is half an hour earlier than our usual time. So that families may be together on this festival day, there will be no Creative Learning, Children’s Chapel, Church School, or Confirmation classes today. Nursery care will be provided for children up to age 4.