Holy Week and Easter opportunities at Church of the Apostles

Shirin McArthur
Holy Week and Easter are traditionally the high point of the Christian church year. Episcopal Church of the Apostles (located at 12111 N La Cholla Blvd, just north of Tangerine) will offer different worship services during Holy Week. Each service sheds light on aspects of the mystery of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. Everyone is welcome to attend these services, which run from April 18–21.
Maundy Thursday at Church of the Apostles will begin with a worship service at 6:00 p.m. on April 18. This service remembers Jesus’ last supper with his disciples, Jesus washing his disciples’ feet to teach them about service to others and stripping of the altar. The Apostles Choir will sing Edward Bairstow’s haunting setting of The Lamentations of Jeremiah and Dr. Elliot Jones will play Samuel Barber’s famous Adagio for Strings, which the composer also arranged for choir as Agnus Dei.
Following this service, there will be an overnight vigil with volunteers taking turns to keep watch at the Altar of Repose as Jesus’ disciples kept watch when he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Good Friday, April 19, commemorates the day of Jesus’ death. Church of the Apostles will have two services on this holy day. The first will take place at noon with the Way of the Cross, an outdoor walk that includes readings, prayers and time for silent reflection. The second service, at 6:00 p.m., includes another reading of the events leading to Jesus’ death and prayers for the church and its people all around the world. At this service, a voluntary donation is taken to support the work of the church in Jerusalem.
Saturday evening, April 20, Church of the Apostles will hold its Great Vigil of Easter at 7:00 p.m. This ancient service has four parts. The first is the Service of Light, when a new fire is kindled to recognize Christ as the Light of the World. The second recounts the history and tradition of the church. The third is the service of Holy Baptism and the fourth is the announcement of resurrection and celebration of Easter Eucharist. Music will be by Mozart: a “Missa brevis” and a church sonata with organ solo accompanied by a string trio from the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. A festive reception follows on the patio.
Church of the Apostles will conclude the week with two Easter Sunday services on April 21. The first is the Sunrise Passion of St. Mary Magdalene at 6:00 a.m. in the Memorial Garden. The second will be a festive Resurrection Sunday service at 9:30 a.m., in which the choir will sing famous hymns and R.S. Thatcher’s magnificent anthem Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain.
All services are free and everyone is welcome. If you have questions, please contact the Apostles church office at [email protected] or
520-544-9660.