Lent, Holy Week, and Easter Services
Lent is the period of forty days leading up to Easter. Christians around the world observe the season as a period of self-examination and repentance; prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word, following the example of Jesus’ own forty days in the wilderness. The season begins on Ash Wednesday, as ashes are imposed on the foreheads of the faithful, a mark and reminder of our own mortality and the need which all Christians have to renew their repentance and faith in Christ.
The season culminates in the observances of Holy Week, as we remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, and finally his crucifixion, death, and burial. St. John’s Church will share these most holy observances with St. Francis Episcopal Church and St. John’s Lutheran Church, both in Stamford.
Finally, on Easter Day, we celebrate our Lord’s resurrection from the dead, and the triumph over sin and death in which all Christians share.
Ash Wednesday: February 14
7:00 am: Imposition of Ashes & Holy Communion, with sermon and no music
12:00 pm: Imposition of Ashes & Holy Communion, with sermon and music
7:00 pm: Joint Ash Wednesday service with St. Francis Episcopal and St. John’s Lutheran churches, at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 2810 Long Ridge Rd, Stamford.
Wednesdays in Lent
On Wednesday evenings in Lent at 6:15 pm, members of St. John’s, St. Francis Episcopal Church, and St. John’s Lutheran Church will gather for a simple supper followed by Compline and a reflection on the sacraments.
February 21, February 28, and March 6: at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Stamford
March 13, and March 20: at St. John’s Episcopal Church
Maundy Thursday: March 28
7:00 pm: Holy Communion, Footwashing, and Stripping of the Altar (at St. Francis Episcopal Church, Stamford)
Good Friday: March 29
12:00 pm: Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday, with sermon and music
7:00 pm: Solemn Service for Good Friday (at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Stamford)
Easter Eve: Saturday, March 30
7:30 pm: The Great Vigil of Easter, by candlelight, with Holy Communion, hymns, and choral music. The Rev. Mark Lingle, rector of St. Francis Episcopal Church in Stamford, will preach.
Easter Day: Sunday, March 31
8:00 am: Holy Communion, with sermon, in the chapel
10:15 am: Holy Communion, with sermon, hymns, and choral music, in the church, followed by an Easter Egg Hunt on the lawn!