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Fr. Jed Fox: Hi, I’m Father Jed [Fox] , Rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore, Washington. And I have a second furnace update. As of this morning [October 1, 2021], we have a signed contract with our vendor to get our furnace put in.
We’re on our way. I’m really grateful to JP McGlinn, our Junior Warden, for all the effort he’s put in this year and getting us to this point. It’s been a lot of work and he’s done it very well. I’m also grateful to everyone else on the Vestry for helping support JP in getting this done. For… and to all of you who prayed for this outcome, who prayed for us to be able to get this furnace back in so that we can begin worshiping in our space again.
Now the timeline works like this. We have about eight weeks for the furnace unit itself to be built and then install time. So we’re still in a period of waiting, but now it’s expected waiting, knowing that we’re on our way.
I’ll have more updates as the work progresses, and I have more things to share with you.
And until then, may God’s blessing me with you, Christ’s peace be with you, and the Spirit’s outpouring be with you. Amen.
Church of the Redeemer
Welcome to Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6220 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. The campus is a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
Below the video is an automatically generated speech-to-text transcript, with very slight editing.
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The Rev. Jed Fox: Hi, I’m Father Jed. I’m the Rector of the Church of the Redeemer here in Kenmore, Washington. And I’m coming today from the furnace room. This is where the furnace usually makes the hot air that sends it to the rest of the church up above us. But as many of you, this thing hasn’t been working for about 18 months.
And so I wanted to give you an update on where we are, because it’s been a long 18 months.
Where we are is really close to being able to sign a contract with a company who will replace this furnace right here. We’re not there yet, but we’re really close. And I could use all of your prayers, to make sure that we can replace this furnace quickly and smoothly. I truly believe that your prayers will make it much easier than it could ever be without them.
We’re not in a place where we can worship in this building yet because this thing isn’t working. And so we’re trying as hard as we can to get this done as quickly as we can. And I’ll have more updates as we sign a contract, as the unit that we’re going to replace this with is made, and as it’s installed. I’ll be able to hopefully be able to show you some videos of the progress that we’re making, the way things look.
So until then, I hope that you will stay tuned wherever you’re seeing this video and see what the progress is going to be. And you will continue to pray for the church, for the furnace, and particularly for the people that make up the church that we can continue to be God’s heart and hands in Kenmore and the area around it, that we can all be little part of making God’s kingdom here on earth.
Now until I see you again, may God’s blessing be with you. Amen.
Church of the Redeemer
Welcome to Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6220 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. The campus is a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
As many of you know, Phillip Lienau has been interning at Redeemer during his discernment for ordained ministry. This Sunday [August 8, 2021] is his last service at Redeemer as he begins the next phase in his discernment. Phillip will begin seminary in a few weeks at Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California.
I am grateful for Phillip’s time here at Redeemer and I hope you will join me in wishing Phillip good luck and prayers for his continuing discernment God’s call in his life.
I am also grateful for everyone at Redeemer who has made Phillip feel very welcome during a very strange and difficult time. Being a church that can cultivate an environment for people to discern where God is calling in ministry, ordained or lay, is a special communal vocation, and one that Redeemer continues to live into in beautiful ways.
—Fr. Jed Fox, Rector of Church of the Redeemer, in the parish newsletter
Departing gift for Phillip Lienau
During the outdoor service, an icon of Phillip was on the altar through the consecration. Before the close of the service, Fr. Jed Fox blessed the icon and then presented it to Phillip Lienau as a departing gift.
The final sermon
On August 8, 2021, Phillip Lienau had an opportunity to preach his sermon twice. The first time was at the outdoor service at 9:00 am, and then again at the 10:00 am livestreamed service.
Church Divinity School of the Pacific
The only Episcopal seminary on the West Coast, Church Divinity School of the Pacific forms leaders called to find new ways to create Christian communities and share God’s love. Through a recently announced partnership with Trinity Church Wall Street and an ongoing dialog with bishops and grassroots leaders, we have done the following:
Focused our degree programs on Christian mission, discipleship, and evangelism and on core leadership skills of contextual awareness, critical reflection, and public conversation.
Established a popular low-residency degree option for students balancing family obligations or professional responsibilities.
Concentrated online CEU offerings on core courses in ministry, theology, and scripture.
Established partnerships that allow us to create distance learning curricula for individual dioceses.
Instituted a required course in community organizing for all Master of Divinity [the professional degree for those studying for the ministry] students.
A student’s experience at CDSP integrates scholarship, reflection, worship, spirituality, and the practice of ministry. Our pedagogical approach is grounded in the realization that after seminary, clergy and lay leaders will be immersed in the shifting realities of the American religious landscape and will constantly be learning new things—whether they want to or not.
Church of the Redeemer
Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6220 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. We are a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
Please accept YouTube cookies to play this video. By accepting you will be accessing content from YouTube, a service provided by an external third party.
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The following is an automatically generated speech-to-text transcript of the video, with slight editing.
The Rev. Jed Fox: Hi, I’m the Reverend Jed Fox, Rector of the Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore, Washington. As we come into summer, I want to give you a little bit of an update on where we are in terms of reopening. We’re hoping to reopen soon, but we’re waiting on a few different things.
First we’re waiting on the furnace.
Yes, the furnace is still broken and yes, we’re very, very hopeful. We’ve been working very, very diligently on getting it fixed, and we’re very hopeful that that’s going to happen this summer. So that is step one. And being able to meet in this space in-person getting the furnace fixed.
Step two is waiting to see what the governor decides to do.
The governor is changing things. He’s said that he’s hoping to reopen the state June 30th and that’s going to come with some differences in restrictions. So that is another variable that we’re having to take into account.
All that being said, we do have a plan for reopening and it goes like this.
We’re going to start having some outdoor worship services at the end of this month, at the end of June. And those outdoor worship services are going to be away for us to get together physically in a much safer space with some restrictions. And there’ll be more about that. More information about how that’s going to look and what you’ll need to do and bring in order to participate in an outdoor worship service very soon on our website.
In July and August, there might, depending on the furnace and the governor, as I said before, be some indoor worship services in this space, again, on a very limited basis. Here’s how I want you to think about it. When someone opens a restaurant, they have what’s called a soft opening. And this is when the cooks and the waiters and everybody in the restaurant sort of gets a feel for what works and how things need to be tweaked, a little bit here and there, either in the menu or in table placement, or how servers are apportioned to different tables and all those other variables that a restaurant has to take into account.
They have the soft opening and they get all the kinks worked out and then they have their big grand opening. We’re going to do basically the same thing.
So, if we can, based on all those other variables I talked about, have people in the building for worship in July and August probably way more towards August, probably towards the end.
We’re going to treat that like a soft opening and these are going to be people who are going to be helping us get ready to reopen the space. And, to work out the kinks of what we need to do to, to be in this space and to do it safely. Because as our number one goal, whether it’s outside worship, whether it’s inside worship, in everything we’re doing, our goal is to make this a safe worshipful experience.
That’s incredibly important. First rule of liturgy is no one gets hurt.
So once we’ve worked out all those kinks, hopefully in July and August, our goal and hope is that on the third Sunday in September, Holy Cross Sunday, the Sunday that we’ve traditionally here at Redeemer opened the program year, we’re going to have a grand reopening of the space. All things being equal, based on a whole bunch of variables, especially those I named at the beginning of this video.
The best we know now we’re going to aim for that third Sunday in September, full reopening of this worship space.
Now hearing this, I know that people might be in one of a few, but three particular places, either one. I’m sure some of you may, maybe even many of you, are very ready to get back to Redeemer. So ready to throw open the doors, get everybody back and be together in worship.
There are probably others of you who are maybe not ready. Not sure you’re ready yet. I don’t know if I’m ready. I don’t know if I’m not ready. I need more information.
And maybe there are others of you who are just very confident in the fact that you’re not really ready to be here yet.
And I have something to say to each of those groups.
First to those who are really ready to get back. I understand I’m really ready to get back, too. Please be patient with us as we make sure that we can do this safely. And, if there’s anything you want to offer, anything that you think you could help add to, to getting us ready to do this in a safe and healthy way and intentional way, please let me know. You know, how to get in touch with me I hope by now.
For those people who were in that middle group, that you’re not sure whether you’re ready or you’re not ready and you need more information, please reach out. I want to make sure that you have all the information that, we can give you, that I can give you about what our plan is and how we intend to do this in an intentional and safe way. And then you can, use that information to figure out where you might want to be, whether hearing everything that we’re doing, you’re ready to come back or you’re still not ready. Even, getting all the information that you were wanting.
And for those who are not ready to come back, that’s okay. We’re not going to stop streaming. So if that is useful to you in that interim time to see, to be a part of worship at distance via these virtual means that we’ve been using for the last almost 16 months, don’t worry. That’s not going away. It probably is never going to go away. The church will be here for you and we’re going to work very hard to make sure that you still feel a part of it. You are no less a part of this church. If you can’t be here physically, either because your body won’t allow you or because you just don’t feel ready yet, you are still a part of this church and we’re going to work very hard to ensure that you feel that way.
And we interact with you that way. And when you get to that point where you might feel ready to come back, we want to make sure that we welcome you back with open arms.
Now you may be feeling a whole bunch of other different ways, and you might feel like you need to talk it out with me. Please. Let me know what questions you have. Come and talk to me: my door, my phone, my email are open for you to chat with me about this.
This is not the last time I’m going to be making a video like this, this summer. You know, things are going to change. That’s the one rule I’ve learned throughout this pandemic is that I make a suggestion, particularly if I put it on video, things change.
And so as things change, I hope that I’ll be able to work with you and you can work with me to be able to go forward intentionally in reopening Redeemer when it’s safe, in a way that is good for all the people, whether they’re ready to come back and need more information or are waiting for just a little bit longer to come back.
So be watching this space, wherever you’re viewing this video for more information about more of the details about what reopening is going to look like as we move forward. And until we see you again, may God’s blessing be with you, Christ’s peace be with you, and the Spirit’s outpouring be with you. Amen.
Church of the Redeemer
Welcome to Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6220 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. The campus is a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
The Gospel lessons on Palm Sunday and Good Friday may be a different length than given here.
Scripture passages, unless otherwise noted, are from The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday (March 28, 2021)
The Liturgy of the Palms
Mark 11:1-11a (NRSV)
When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple.
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 (BCP)
Confitemini Domino
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; *
his mercy endures for ever.
2 Let Israel now proclaim, *
“His mercy endures for ever.”
19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
I will enter them; I will offer thanks to the Lord.
20 “This is the gate of the Lord; *
he who is righteous may enter.”
21 I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
and have become my salvation.
22 The same stone which the builders rejected *
has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing, *
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 On this day the Lord has acted; *
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Hosannah, Lord, hosannah! *
Lord, send us now success.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; *
we bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 God is the Lord; he has shined upon us; *
form a procession with branches up to the horns of the altar.
28 “You are my God, and I will thank you; *
you are my God, and I will exalt you.”
29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; *
his mercy endures for ever.
The Liturgy of the Word
Isaiah 50:4-9a (NRSV)
The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens—wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty?
Psalm 31:9-16 (BCP)
Miserere mei, Domine
9 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; *
my eye is consumed with sorrow, and also my throat and my belly.
10 For my life is wasted with grief, and my years with sighing; *
my strength fails me because of affliction, and my bones are consumed.
11 I have become a reproach to all my enemies and even to my neighbors, a dismay to those of my acquaintance; *
when they see me in the street they avoid me.
12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; *
I am as useless as a broken pot.
13 For I have heard the whispering of the crowd; fear is all around; *
they put their heads together against me; they plot to take my life.
14 But as for me, I have trusted in you, O Lord. *
I have said, “You are my God.
15 My times are in your hand; *
rescue me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
16 Make your face to shine upon your servant, *
and in your loving-kindness save me.”
Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV)
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Mark 14:1—15:47 (NRSV)
Narrator
It was two days before the Passover and the festival of Unleavened Bread. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him; for they said,
C. Priest
Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.
Narrator
While Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. But some were there who said to one another in anger,
Bystander 1
Why was the ointment wasted in this way?
Bystander 2
For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.
Narrator
And they scolded her. But Jesus said,
Jesus
Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for its burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.
Narrator
Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray Jesus to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So Judas began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples said to him,
Disciple
Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?
Narrator
So Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them,
Jesus
Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, “The Teacher asks, ‘Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’” He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.
Narrator
So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as Jesus had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
When it was evening, Jesus came with the twelve. And when they had taken their places and were eating, Jesus said,
Jesus
Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.
Narrator
They began to be distressed and to say to him one after another,
Disciple
Surely, not I?
Narrator
Jesus said to them,
Jesus
It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the bowl with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.
Narrator
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said,
Jesus
Take; this is my body.
Narrator
Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them,
Jesus
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
Narrator
When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them,
Jesus
You will all become deserters; for it is written, “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered,” But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.
Narrator
Peter said to him,
Peter
Even though all become deserters, I will not.
Narrator
Jesus said to him,
Jesus
Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.
Narrator
But Peter said vehemently,
Peter
Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.
Narrator
And all of the disciples said the same.
They went to a place called Gethsemane; and Jesus said to his disciples,
Jesus
Sit here while I pray.
Narrator
Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to the three disciples,
Jesus
I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.
Narrator
And going a little farther, Jesus threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said,
Jesus
Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.
Narrator
Jesus came and found the disciples sleeping; and he said to Peter,
Jesus
Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Narrator
And again Jesus went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came and found the disciples sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him.
Jesus came a third time and said to them,
Jesus
Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.
Narrator
Immediately, while Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given the crowd a sign, saying,
Judas
The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.
Narrator
So when Judas came, he went up to Jesus at once and said,
Judas
Rabbi!
Narrator
and kissed him. Then the crowd laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to them,
Jesus
Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled.
Narrator
All of Jesus’ followers deserted him and fled. A certain young man was following Jesus, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. The crowd caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked.
They took Jesus to the high priest; and all the chief priests, the elders, and the scribes were assembled. Peter had followed Jesus at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting with the guards, warming himself at the fire.
Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death; but they found none. For many gave false testimony against him, and their testimony did not agree. Some stood up and gave false testimony against Jesus, saying,
Witness
We heard him say, “I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.”
Narrator
But even on this point their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus,
H. Priest
Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?
Narrator
But Jesus was silent and did not answer. Again the high priest asked him,
H. Priest
Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?
Narrator
Jesus said,
Jesus
I am; and “you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power,” and “coming with the clouds of heaven.”
Narrator
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said,
H. Priest
Why do we still need witnesses? You have heard his blasphemy! What is your decision?
Narrator
The whole council condemned Jesus as deserving death. Some began to spit on him, to blindfold him, and to strike him, saying to him,
Council
Prophesy!
Narrator
The guards also took Jesus over and beat him.
While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she stared at him and said,
Servant
You also were with Jesus, the man from Nazareth.
Narrator
But Peter denied it, saying,
Peter
I do not know or understand what you are talking about.
Narrator
And Peter went out into the forecourt. Then the cock crowed. And the servant-girl, on seeing him, began again to say to the bystanders,
Servant
This man is one of them.
Narrator
But again Peter denied it. Then after a little while the bystanders again said to Peter,
Bystander 1
Certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.
Narrator
But Peter began to curse, and he swore an oath,
Peter
I do not know this man you are talking about.
Narrator
At that moment the cock crowed for the second time. Then Peter remembered that Jesus had said to him,
Jesus
Before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.
Narrator
And Peter broke down and wept.
[Mark 15:1-39, (40-47)]
As soon as it was morning, the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate asked him,
Pilate
Are you the King of the Jews?
Narrator
Jesus answered him,
Jesus
You say so.
Narrator
Then the chief priests accused Jesus of many things. Pilate asked him again,
Pilate
Have you no answer? See how many charges they bring against you.
Narrator
But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.
Now at the festival Pilate used to release a prisoner for them, anyone for whom they asked. Now a man called Barabbas was in prison with the rebels who had committed murder during the insurrection. So the crowd came and began to ask Pilate to do for them according to his custom. Then Pilate answered them,
Pilate
Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?
Narrator
For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas for them instead.
Pilate spoke to them again,
Pilate
Then what do you wish me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?
Narrator
The crowd shouted back,
Crowd
Crucify him!
Narrator
Pilate asked them,
Pilate
Why, what evil has he done?
Narrator
But they shouted all the more,
Crowd
Crucify him!
Narrator
So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, Pilate handed him over to be crucified.
Then the soldiers led Jesus into the courtyard of the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters); and they called together the whole cohort. And they clothed Jesus in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him. And they began saluting him saying,
Soldier
Hail, King of the Jews!
Narrator
They struck his head with a reed, spat upon him, and knelt down in homage to him. After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
The soldiers compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry Jesus’ cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. Then the soldiers brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull).
¶ All stand.
And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh; but he did not take it. And the soldiers crucified Jesus, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take.
It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified Jesus. The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews,” And with Jesus they crucified two bandits, one on his right and one on his left.
Those who passed by derided Jesus, shaking their heads and saying,
Passer-by
Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!
Narrator
In the same way the chief priests, along with the scribes, were also mocking Jesus among themselves and saying,
C. Priest
He saved others; he cannot save himself.
Scribe
Let the Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, so that we may see and believe.
Narrator
Those who were crucified with Jesus also taunted him.
When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice,
Jesus
Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?
Narrator
which means,
Jesus
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Narrator
When some of the bystanders heard it, they said,
Bystander 1
Listen, he is calling for Elijah.
Narrator
And someone ran, filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to Jesus to drink, saying,
Bystander 2
Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.
Narrator
Then Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
¶ Silence may be kept.
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.Now when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way Jesus breathed his last, he said,
Centurion
Truly this man was God’s Son!
Narrator
There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These used to follow Jesus and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
Then Pilate wondered if Jesus were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether Jesus had been dead for some time. When Pilate learned from the centurion that Jesus was dead, he granted the body to Joseph.
Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. Joseph then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where the body was laid.
Maundy Thursday (April 1, 2021)
Exodus 12:1-4(5-10)11-14 (NRSV)
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it.
[Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn.]
This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the Lord. For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.
Psalm 116:1, 10-17 (BCP)
Dilexi, quoniam
1 I love the Lord, because he has heard the voice of my supplication, *
because he has inclined his ear to me whenever I called upon him.
10 How shall I repay the Lord *
for all the good things he has done for me?
11 I will lift up the cup of salvation *
and call upon the Name of the Lord.
12 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord *
in the presence of all his people.
13 Precious in the sight of the Lord *
is the death of his servants.
14 O Lord, I am your servant; *
I am your servant and the child of your handmaid; you have freed me from my bonds.
15 I will offer you the sacrifice of thanksgiving *
and call upon the Name of the Lord.
16 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord *
in the presence of all his people,
17 In the courts of the Lord’s house, *
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
[Hallelujah!]
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (NRSV)
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
John 13:1-17, 31b-35 (NRSV)
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Good Friday (April 2, 2021)
Isaiah 52:13—53:12 (NRSV)
See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. Just as there were many who were astonished at him—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals—so he shall startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate. Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by others; a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces he was despised, and we held him of no account. Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. They made his grave with the wicked and his tomb with the rich, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the Lord shall prosper. Out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Psalm 22 (BCP)
Deus, Deus meu
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? *
and are so far from my cry and from the words of my distress?
2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but you do not answer; *
by night as well, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are the Holy One, *
enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
4 Our forefathers put their trust in you; *
they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 They cried out to you and were delivered; *
they trusted in you and were not put to shame.
6 But as for me, I am a worm and no man, *
scorned by all and despised by the people.
7 All who see me laugh me to scorn; *
they curl their lips and wag their heads, saying,
8 “He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him; *
let him rescue him, if he delights in him.”
9 Yet you are he who took me out of the womb, *
and kept me safe upon my mother’s breast.
10 I have been entrusted to you ever since I was born; *
you were my God when I was still in my mother’s womb.
11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, *
and there is none to help.
12 Many young bulls encircle me; *
strong bulls of Bashan surround me.
13 They open wide their jaws at me, *
like a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water; all my bones are out of joint; *
my heart within my breast is melting wax.
15 My mouth is dried out like a pot-sherd; my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; *
and you have laid me in the dust of the grave.
16 Packs of dogs close me in, and gangs of evildoers circle around me; *
they pierce my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones.
17 They stare and gloat over me; *
they divide my garments among them; they cast lots for my clothing.
18 Be not far away, O Lord; *
you are my strength; hasten to help me.
19 Save me from the sword, *
my life from the power of the dog.
20 Save me from the lion’s mouth, *
my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls.
21 I will declare your Name to my brethren; *
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.
22 Praise the Lord, you that fear him; *
stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel; all you of Jacob’s line, give glory.
23 For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty; neither does he hide his face from them; *
but when they cry to him he hears them.
24 My praise is of him in the great assembly; *
I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him.
25 The poor shall eat and be satisfied, and those who seek the Lord shall praise him: *
“May your heart live for ever!”
26 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, *
and all the families of the nations shall bow before him.
27 For kingship belongs to the Lord; *
he rules over the nations.
28 To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship; *
all who go down to the dust fall before him.
29 My soul shall live for him; my descendants shall serve him; *
they shall be known as the Lord’s for ever.
30 They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn *
the saving deeds that he has done.
Hebrews 10:16-25 (NRSV)
“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds,” he also adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
John 18:1—19:42 (NRSV)
Narrator
Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them,
Jesus
Whom are you looking for?
Narrator
They answered,
Soldier
Jesus of Nazareth.
Narrator
Jesus replied,
Jesus
I am he.
Narrator
Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. Again Jesus asked them,
Jesus
Whom are you looking for?
Narrator
And they said,
Soldier
Jesus of Nazareth.
Narrator
Jesus answered,
Jesus
I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.
Narrator
This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken,
Jesus
I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.
Narrator
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter,
Jesus
Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?
Narrator
So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people.
Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in.
The woman said to Peter,
Guard
You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?
Narrator
Peter said,
Peter
I am not.
Narrator
Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself.
Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. Jesus answered,
Jesus
I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.
Narrator
When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying,
Police
Is that how you answer the high priest?
Narrator
Jesus answered,
Jesus
If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?
Narrator
Then Annas sent Jesus bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. Those who were standing near the fire asked him,
Guard
You are not also one of Jesus’ disciples, are you?
Narrator
Peter denied it and said,
Peter
I am not.
Narrator
One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked,
Slave
Did I not see you in the garden with Jesus?
Narrator
Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.
Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. So Pilate went out to them and said,
Pilate
What accusation do you bring against this man?
Narrator
They answered,
Elder 1
If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.
Narrator
Pilate said to them,
Pilate
Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.
Narrator
The Jews replied,
Elder 2
We are not permitted to put anyone to death.
Narrator
(This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him,
Pilate
Are you the King of the Jews?
Narrator
Jesus answered,
Jesus
Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?
Narrator
Pilate replied,
Pilate
I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?
Narrator
Jesus answered,
Jesus
My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.
Narrator
Pilate asked him,
Pilate
So you are a king?
Narrator
Jesus answered,
Jesus
You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.
Narrator
Pilate asked him,
Pilate
What is truth?
Narrator
After Pilate had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them,
Pilate
I find no case against him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?
Narrator
They shouted in reply,
Priest
Not this man, but Barabbas!
Narrator
Now Barabbas was a bandit.
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying,
Soldier
Hail, King of the Jews!
Narrator
and striking him on the face.
Pilate went out again and said to the Jews,
Pilate
Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him.
Narrator
So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them,
Pilate
Here is the man!
Narrator
When the chief priests and the police saw Jesus, they shouted,
Priest
Crucify him!
Police
Crucify him!
Narrator
Pilate said to them,
Pilate
Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him.
Narrator
The Jews answered him,
Police
We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die
Priest
because he has claimed to be the Son of God.
Narrator
Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus,
Pilate
Where are you from?
Narrator
But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him,
Pilate
Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?
Narrator
Jesus answered him,
Jesus
You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.
Narrator
From then on Pilate tried to release Jesus, but the Jews cried out,
Priest
If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor.
Police
Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor.
Narrator
When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha.
Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. Pilate said to the Jews,
Pilate
Here is your King!
Narrator
They cried out,
Priest
Away with him!
Police
Away with him!
Priest
Crucify him!
Narrator
Pilate asked them,
Pilate
Shall I crucify your King?
Narrator
The chief priests answered,
Priest
We have no king but the emperor.
Narrator
Then Pilate handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.
¶ All stand.
So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them.
Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.
Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate,
Priest
Do not write, “The King of the Jews,” but, “This man said, I am King of the Jews.”
Narrator
Pilate answered,
Pilate
What I have written I have written.
Narrator
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another,
Soldier
Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.
Narrator
This was to fulfill what the scripture says, “They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” And that is what the soldiers did.
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother,
Jesus
Woman, here is your son.
Narrator
Then he said to the disciple,
Jesus
Here is your mother.
Narrator
And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.
After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture),
Jesus
I am thirsty.
Narrator
A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said,
Jesus
It is finished.
Narrator
Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. ¶ Silence may be kept.Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed.
Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out.
(He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth.)
These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, “None of his bones shall be broken.” And again another passage of scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.”
After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Church of the Redeemer
Welcome to Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6220 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. The campus is a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
This is the Holy Week and Easter Day schedule for 2021 at Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore, Washington. All services are presented online. Link for each day has livestreaming information. You may watch the services live or when they are convenient for you.
Because the building is closed at this time due to coronavirus restrictions, you are invited to sign-up for Communion of the Presanctified. One household at a time may come to an outdoor part of the church to receive communion from bread that has been blessed earlier (pre-sanctified). Your time slot is for your household alone. The Rev. Jed Fox will be happy to speak with you all briefly during your visit.
Select one of the available times from the calendar for March 30 or April 1. Each slot is 20 minutes long. This allows Fr. Jed to clean and prepare for the next household.
You will receive communion of the presanctified on the portico of the Education Building. Please arrive promptly as a courtesy to the sacrament and your fellow parishioners.
From early times Christians have observed the week before Easter as a time of special devotion. As the pilgrim Egeria recorded in the late fourth century, Jerusalem contained many sacred places that were sites for devotion and liturgy.
Numerous pilgrims to the holy city followed the path of Jesus in his last days. They formed processions, worshipped where Christ suffered and died, and venerated relics. From this beginning evolved the rites we observe today on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. These services provide a liturgical experience of the last days of Jesus’ earthly life, as well as the time and events leading up to his resurrection.
The Book of Common Prayer provides special liturgies for each of these days. The Eucharistic lectionary also provides proper readings for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in Holy Week.
Some parishes observe the service of Tenebrae on one of these days in Holy Week.
In many dioceses, the diocesan clergy will make a reaffirmation of ordination vows in the context of a Eucharist during Holy Week, usually before Maundy Thursday.
The three holy days, or Triduum, of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are at the heart of the Holy Week observance.
In many Episcopal parishes, the liturgical color for Holy Week from Palm Sunday through Maundy Thursday is red. Holy Week ends at sundown on the Saturday before Easter, or with the celebration of the Easter Vigil.
Welcome to Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6220 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. The campus is a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
The devotion known as the Way of the Cross is an adaptation to local usage of a custom widely observed by pilgrims to Jerusalem: the offering of prayer at a series of places in that city traditionally associated with our Lord’s passion and death.
This version is taken primarily from the Book of Occasional Services 2018 of the Episcopal Church. Verses from the hymn “At the cross her station keeping” are added for optional use each station.
This presentation is meant for a simple, quiet devotion. Others may prefer other versions, including the multimedia version of the stations offered by Building Faith at Virginia Theological Seminary, based on the same Book of Occasional Services service used here. There are other versions, such as the Everyone’s Way of the Cross.
This may be used for personal devotions or by a group of people.
If used by a group, the presider at the service, whether clerical or lay, customarily leads the opening versicle at each station and reads the concluding collect (prayer). The readings (and the versicles and responses which follow) are appropriately assigned to other persons. Others in a group also say the text in italics, unless otherwise noted.
The pictures for each station used is from the set of Stations of the Cross used at Church of the Redeemer. The header image is of the Cross icon at Church of the Redeemer. The Christus Rex (Jesus wearing priestly garb on the Cross) is in the chapel at Redeemer. The outdoor cross is in the Memorial Garden.
Opening Devotions
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.
¶ Presider and People:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
V. We will glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ:
R. In whom is our salvation, our life and resurrection.
Let us pray. (Silence)
Assist us mercifully with your help, O Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy upon the contemplation of those mighty acts, whereby you have given us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
First Station: Jesus is condemned to death
At the cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
As soon as it was morning, the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate. And they all condemned him and said, “He deserves to die.” When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha. Then he handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.
V. God did not spare his own Son:
R. But delivered him up for us all.
Let us pray. (Silence)
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Second Station: Jesus takes up his Cross
Through her heart, his sorrow sharing, All his bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword has passed.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Jesus went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. Like a lamb he was led to the slaughter; and like a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he opened not his mouth. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.
V. The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all:
R. For the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Let us pray. (Silence)
Almighty God, whose beloved Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption: Give us courage to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Third Station: Jesus falls the first time
Oh, how sad and sore distressed Was that Mother highly blest Of the sole begotten One!
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped; but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and was born in human likeness. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him, and bestowed on him the name which is above every name. Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, and kneel before the Lord our Maker, for he is the Lord our God.
V. Surely he has borne our griefs:
R. And carried our sorrows.
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, you know us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: Grant us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Fourth Station: Jesus meets his afflicted mother
Christ above in torment hangs; She beneath beholds the pangs Of her dying, glorious Son.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
To what can I liken you, to what can I compare you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What likeness can I use to comfort you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For vast as the sea is your ruin. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.
V. A sword will pierce your own soul also:
R. And fill your heart with bitter pain.
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, who willed that in the passion of your Son a sword of grief should pierce the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary his mother: Mercifully grant that your Church, having shared with her in his passion, may be made worthy to share in the joys of his resurrection; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.
Fifth Station: The Cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene
Is there one who would not weep, ‘Whelmed in miseries so deep, Christ’s dear Mother to behold?
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
As they led Jesus away, they came upon a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross to carry it behind Jesus. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
V. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me:
R. Cannot be my disciple.
Let us pray. (Silence)
Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served but to serve: Bless all who, following in his steps, give themselves to the service of others; that with wisdom, patience, and courage, they may minister in his Name to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy; for the love of him who laid down his life for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Sixth Station: A woman wipes the face of Jesus
Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, In that Mother’s pain untold?
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
We have seen him without beauty or majesty, with no looks to attract our eyes. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not. His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of men. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.
V. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts:
R. Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Seventh Station: Jesus falls a second time
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, She beheld her tender Child, All with bloody scourges rent.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. For the transgression of my people was he stricken.
V. But as for me, I am a worm and no man:
R. Scorned by all and despised by the people.
Let us pray. (Silence)
Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Eighth Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
For the sins of his own nation, Saw him hang in desolation Till his spirit forth he sent.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
There followed after Jesus a great multitude of the people, and among them were women who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”
V. Those who sowed with tears:
R. Will reap with songs of joy.
Let us pray. (Silence)
Teach your Church, O Lord, to mourn the sins of which it is guilty, and to repent and forsake them; that, by your pardoning grace, the results of our iniquities may not be visited upon our children and our children’s children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Ninth Station: Jesus falls a third time
O sweet Mother! fount of love, Touch my spirit from above, Make my heart with yours accord.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light. He has besieged me and enveloped me with bitterness and tribulation; he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead of long ago. Though I call and cry for help, he shuts out my prayer. He has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes. “Remember, O Lord, my affliction and bitterness, the wormwood and the gall!”
V. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter:
R. And like a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he opened not his mouth.
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of his garments
Make me feel as you have felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ, my Lord.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
When they came to a place called Golgotha (which means the place of a skull), they offered him wine to drink, mingled with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And they divided his garments among them by casting lots. This was to fulfill the scripture which says, “They divided my garments among them; they cast lots for my clothing.”
V. They gave me gall to eat:
R. And when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink.
Let us pray. (Silence)
Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the Cross
Holy Mother, pierce me through, In my heart each wound renew Of my Savior crucified.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
When they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him; and with him they crucified two criminals, one on the right, the other on the left, and Jesus between them. And the scripture was fulfilled which says, “He was numbered with the transgressors.”
V. They pierce my hands and my feet:
R. They stare and gloat over me.
Let us pray. (Silence)
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the Cross
Let me share with you his pain, Who for all our sins was slain, Who for me in torments died.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And when Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished!” And then, crying with a loud voice, he said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” And he bowed his head, and handed over his spirit.
V. Christ for us became obedient unto death:
R. Even death on a cross.
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; who lives and reigns now and for ever. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Thirteenth Station: The body of Jesus is placed in the arms of his mother
Let me mingle tears with thee, Mourning him who mourned for me, All the days that I may live:
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
All you who pass by, behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow. My eyes are spent with weeping; my soul is in tumult; my heart is poured out in grief because of the downfall of my people. “Do not call me Naomi (which means Pleasant), call me Mara (which means Bitter); for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.”
V. Her tears run down her cheeks:
R. And she has none to comfort her.
Let us pray. (Silence)
Lord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death: Grant to us your servants so to follow in faith where you have led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness; for your tender mercies’ sake. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb
By the cross with you to stay, There with you to weep and pray, This I ask of you to give.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. And Joseph took the body, and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb.
V. You will not abandon me to the grave:
R. Nor let your holy One see corruption.
Let us pray. (Silence)
O God, your blessed Son was laid in a tomb in a garden, and rested on the Sabbath day: Grant that we who have been buried with him in the waters of baptism may find our perfect rest in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.
Holy God,
Holy and Mighty,
Holy Immortal One,
Have mercy upon us.
Concluding Prayers
Savior of the world, by your cross and precious blood you have redeemed us: Save us, and help us, we humbly beseech you, O Lord.
Let us pray. (Silence)
We thank you, heavenly Father, that you have delivered us from the dominion of sin and death and brought us into the kingdom of your Son; and we pray that, as by his death he has recalled us to life, so by his love he may raise us to eternal joys; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
To Christ our Lord who loves us, and washed us in his own blood, and made us a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Church of the Redeemer
Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world around us. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6220 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. We are a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
The 2021 Annual Meeting of Church of the Redeemer will be online this year using Zoom. This page contains all of the important documents for Redeemer’s Annual Meeting.
Welcome to Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6220 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. We are a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
This is a transcription of the sermon on the First Sunday after the Epiphany: the Baptism of Jesus, January 10, 2021, at Church of the Redeemer in Kenmore, Washington by the Reverend Jed Fox.
The Rev. Jed Fox: In the name of the Father and the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Watching events unfold on Wednesday on Twitter–because I’m a millennial–as well as on the radio and other news sources, I was struck by the fact that it was, in fact, the Feast of the Epiphany on Wednesday: the proclamation to the world that Jesus is King and God and Sacrifice made by the Wise Ones who were directed to him by Herod. Because it didn’t seem like Epiphany. Seemed more like the subsequent events that happen in Matthew’s Gospel after the Epiphany, the events that we remember on the 28th of December, which we euphemistically call the “Feast of the Holy Innocents,” when a mad tyrant, desperate to keep his throne, puts to death an entire town’s worth of toddlers. For fear.
For many of us, it was the first time. The first time that we had ever experienced something like this. Now, I am of a generation that in my lifetime remembers the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, two subsequent wars, and now this. But this was different. This seemed different. And for many of us, it was seemed different because it was the first time.
There’s the first time that we felt like we should be scared of our fellow Americans. The first time that everything, even all those neoclassical, marble buildings over there and the other Washington, everything felt unstable, felt chaotic. It felt, in fact, like the description that the Book of Genesis starts with, the deep. It felt, feels like we have been dumped into the deep end of some dark murky water that we cannot surface from.
That’s what it felt like on Wednesday. And we’re desperately trying to cling on to anything that will let us come up to the surface and just breathe.
It’s not a surprise generally that Hebrew scripture would describe chaos with the metaphor of deep water. The people who comprised the writers of the Hebrew scripture, who we know as the people of Israel, were desperately afraid of the ocean. They were not boat people. They didn’t like the ocean. They preferred the hill country.
Now they’re mountain folk, hill folk, and to them, water was terrifying, but also transformational. Water changed things. You go to first century ruins in what is now considered the Holy land. You’ll see these big six foot deep stone pools. And you think, oh, that must’ve been, this must be a rich part of town. They had an in-ground pool.
No, they were called mikvahs and they were filled with water for the use of the community for the ritual purification, by dunking yourself in water. So in the morning, if you needed to ritually purify yourself, which most observant Jews usually did, you, you went and dunked yourself in the mikvah. There were stairs down. You dunked your whole body in. You came back out and you went on with your day ritually pure, although probably very cold. You were transformed from uncleanness to cleanness through water.
And Jesus at his baptism does something that is not terribly remarkable in going to John in the Jordan to be baptized. It is a more fundamental transformation, a more marked transformation than that what happens in a mikvah, but still within that realm of possibility. Still the same, still the acknowledgement that in this one, sacred act, this infinitesimal, sacred moment of time, all time has changed. All life is changed. All water has changed. Because that’s the thing. It is the holiness of that simple act that sanctifies everything.
The holiness of a little sanctifying the whole.
That’s especially true of water because water has been, yes, chaotic, yes, transformational, but always, always, always life giving. We cannot live without water. As became so famous a few years ago during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, “Water is life.”
I remember being at a workshop several years ago when an indigenous person stood up and said, “You all need to remember. Holy water is an oxymoron. All water is holy. Water is life.”
And when we sanctified water, either in Jesus being baptized in the River Jordan and that cold wet kind-of murky river that now separates the kingdoms of Israel and Jordan, Jesus in that holy act sanctifies all water for all time, and all people for all time. You hear it in Paul saying, yes, John changed a little, but Jesus changes everything.
The holiness of a little sanctifies the whole.
It is tempting after the events of this week, after the events of Wednesday, to seek easy solutions, simple solutions to this one-time event. This has only happened one time. It was a one-time event. We’re right to be scared, but don’t worry. It was an isolated incident perpetrated by a few bad apples and et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
We’ve heard that all before. Doubtless, we will hear it again. And it is no more true now than it was before or will be afterwards. We must resist that temptation to pass it off, to try to paper over what’s really going on. We must resist the urge to numb ourselves to the simple fact that most of us are lucky enough to say that this is the first time that we have ever experienced this.
It’s sure not true for most people.
This is not the first United States insurrection in the United States. There’ve been plenty of them. We just don’t pay attention to them. There are several insurrections in the South at the end of Reconstruction, where mobs of angry white people change the government at their whim. Often with less people than there were at the US Capitol on Wednesday.
The entire colonization of the, of what we know as, the United States is a slow motion insurrection by Western European people on land that was already lived on when we got here.
The lake that we are two blocks from [at Redeemer] had a name before Lake Washington. It was just in the language we didn’t care to learn.
This is it’s certainly not the first time that people have been afraid of their fellow citizens in this country. There are people, there are people in this country, many of them who have never felt safe with fellow citizens in this country with good reason.
And you see that most clearly illustrated in the events of Wednesday because, when a whole mob of white insurrectionists mobbed the US Capitol, there were five deaths, five terrible deaths.
In the protests this past summer, there were at least 10 times that many.
You know what the difference was? The color of the people’s skin, plain and simple. We cannot let allow ourselves to become numb to this reality.
You cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the fact that all of this is true for people all the time, that we are incredibly lucky to, to be experiencing this maybe for the first time, this level of fear, this level of uncertainty. There are brothers and sisters in faith, even in this moment, in this world, in places like Palestine who have no state to even rely on, much less one that is, that feels, unstable.
Imagine trying to grow up country-less, without the benefits that we enjoy of driver’s license and passports and centralized government.
We have brothers and sisters in Palestine who have none of those things. And we cannot simply try to slink back into numbness now that our eyes have been once again opened, because if we do, then we have forgotten our vows in baptism.
Because when we sanctify a little, when we make holy a little of a thing, we make holy all of it.
If we sanctify one person, we sanctify all of humanity. If one person is baptized, then all are worthy of it. And, if that is true, we have work to do to fulfill our baptismal covenant. And the very first thing we have to do, if we decide we are not going to go back into our numbness, slink back into our know-nothing muffled comfort, is to repent.
Will you persevere in resisting evil? And when you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? Because many of us have some repenting to do, not necessarily for personal actions, although there are some that certainly do, certainly need to repent for our personal actions, but all of us have some duty to do some work in repentance for the systemic white supremacy that we allow to exist and we allow ourselves to benefit from. It cannot continue, if we are to remain honest to our baptismal covenant.
And once we have done that, once we have repented and returned, begun to figure out how to do that work of dismantling systemic white supremacy, then we turn to seeking and serving all persons, in Christ, loving our neighbor as our self, seeking the least and the little. Those that this white supremacy system would rather see as not people, as less than, who have historically in our government been seen as property, been seen as roadblocks, been seen as inconveniences.
And when we have figured out how to do that, we can also seek and serve the lost. Not just those lost by society, but those lost in a sea of misinformation possessed in their hearts by hate. The way to seek and serve them to love them as our neighbor is to tell them the truth, to exorcise their hearts, to assist them in exorcising their own hearts, if we can.
Because we have been made holy in baptism, we can do no less than to remember that in our holiness all are made sacred. If we can be made sacred, then all are seen as sacred by God and must be treated so by us.
On the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, it is time to do the actual work that we will recommit ourselves to in a moment, the renewal of our vows in baptism.
Now, if you all were here, you’d all be getting wet. I want to make sure you felt, not only the joy of that baptism as you were sprinkled with holy water, but the responsibility of those vows that comes along with getting wet.
They have not come up with baptismo-vision. Or aspurge-a-vision.
And, so in the meantime, what you must do, please not go back to sleep, do not allow yourselves to slip into that sweet slumber of denial of numbness, pretending that everything is fine and that the problem is too big for you or me or us to do anything about.
We can no longer abrogate our Covenant of Baptism. Instead, we must fulfill it. So that we too may hear the words that Jesus hears as he comes up out of the water this morning, “You are my child, the beloved, with you I am well pleased.”
Amen.
For more information
For other commentary on January 6, 2021, the Epiphany, and the Baptism of Jesus, see the following:
Welcome to Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6220 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. The campus is a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
A Word to the Church from Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Most Rev. Michael Curry on January 8, 2021: Who shall we be?
And now in the name of our loving, liberating, and life-giving God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
In another time of national crisis, another time of danger for our nation, in 1865 on March the fourth, Abraham Lincoln concluded his second inaugural address with these words:
With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations.
Lincoln knew in that moment, in the moment of a national crisis, a moment of great danger, that such a moment was a moment of decision, when a nation, when a people must decide who shall we be? What kind of nation, what kind of people shall we be? A hundred years later, Martin Luther King faced the same reality. Who shall we be? The civil rights movement was waning. The great victories that had been won had been won. And yet now questions of poverty and economic despair and disparities raised an awesome specter on the nation. We were at war.
We were at war in another country, but there was war on our streets. The nation was deeply divided. Cities burned. There were riots. Riots at national conventions of political parties. The future of the nation was in question, and it was at that time that Dr. King realized that in moments of danger, a decision must be made. And he titled his last book, Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community. I believe as he believed, as Abraham Lincoln believed, as I believe you believe, that we must choose community. Chaos is not an option. Community is our only hope.
The truth is Dr. King spoke often of all that he did and labored for was for the purpose of realizing as much of the Beloved Community of God as it is possible on this earth. He spoke of Beloved Community, the Bible, the New Testament, Jesus spoke of the kingdom or the reign of God. Jesus taught us to pray, and to work, and to labor for that Beloved Community, that reign of God’s love in our time and in our world, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth just as it is in heaven. Those are our marching orders from Jesus himself.
I am a follower of Jesus of Nazareth because I believe that his way of love and his way of life is the way of life for us all. I believe that unselfish, sacrificial love, love that seeks the good and the welfare and the well-being of others, as well as the self, that this is the way that can lead us and guide us to do what is just, to do what is right, to do what is merciful. It is the way that can lead us beyond the chaos to community.
Now, I know full well that this may to some sound naïve, to others, idealistic, and I understand that. And yet, I want to submit that the way of love that leads to beloved community is the only way of hope for humanity. Consider the alternative. The alternative is chaos, not community. The alternative is the abyss of anarchy, of chaos, of hatred, of bigotry, of violence, and that alternative is unthinkable. We have seen nightmarish visions of that alternative. We saw it in Charlottesville just a few years ago when neo-Nazis marched through the streets of an American city, chanting, “Jews will not replace us.” That alternative is unthinkable. We saw it in Minneapolis-St. Paul, where a public safety officer knelt with his knee on the neck of another human being. A child of God, just like he was, and snuffed out the breath of life that God gave him. The alternative is unthinkable.
And we have seen it this past Wednesday, when a monument to democracy, the Capitol of the United States of America was desecrated and violated with violence by vandals. Lives were lost. A nation was wounded. Democracy itself was threatened. My brothers and sisters, this way of love that Jesus taught us when he said, “Love the Lord your God, and your neighbor as yourself.” This way of love that Moses taught even before Jesus. This way of unselfish, sacrificial love, it is the way to redeem a nation, to save a world. It is the way of hope for us all. But do not make the mistake of thinking that I speak of a sentimental and emotional love.
Jesus spoke of love most consistently the closer he got to the cross. This way of love is the way of sacrifice, the way of unselfishness, the way of selflessness, that seeks the good of the other as well as the self. And that is the way of the cross, which is the way of life. And if you don’t believe me, ask another apostle of love. Not Dr. King, not Abraham Lincoln, ask Archbishop Tutu. Ask one who has given his life for the cause of God’s love in the way of Jesus. Ask him; ask Nelson Mandela in your mind. Ask them what love looks like. They knew that the way of love was the only way that could guide South Africa from what could have become a bloody nightmare and civil war to the way that could build a nation.
And it was not sentimental. Remember truth and reconciliation. They had to face painful truths. They had to do what was just and what was merciful. They had to do what the prophet Micah said, that the motivation and the guide was love. Archbishop Tutu said this:
Love, forgiving, and being reconciled to our enemies or our loved ones is not about pretending that things are other than they are. It is not about patting one another on the back or turning a blind eye to the wrong. True reconciliation exposes the awfulness of the abuse, the hurt, the truth. It could even sometimes make things worse for a while. It is a risky undertaking but in the end it is worthwhile, because in the end only an honest confrontation with reality can bring forth real healing. Superficial reconciliation only brings superficial healing.
This is the way of love that can heal our hurts, that can heal our land, that can help us to become one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. So, I would ask you to do two things. I’m asking you to make a commitment, a renewed commitment, to live the way of love as Jesus has taught us and to do it by making a commitment to go out and bless somebody. Bless somebody you disagree with. Bless somebody you agree with. But to go out and bless somebody by helping somebody along the way. Go out and bless somebody by listening to their story and their life. To go out and be an instrument of God’s peace, an agent of God’s love.
And then I would ask you to pray. Pray for this nation but pray with some specificity. Pray that we may have the wisdom and the courage to love.
God of grace and God of glory,
on thy people pour thy pow’r.
Crown thine ancient church’s story,
bring her bud to glorious flow’r.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour
(Harry Emerson Fosdick, “God of Grace and God of Glory”)
With malice toward none, with charity toward all. With firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right. Let us strive to finish the work, the work that we are in. To bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan. To do all which may achieve and cherish, a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
—The Most Reverend Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference
Conversation with others across difference is not just a nice thing to do. It is a spiritual practice of love in action.
—Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
“From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference” is a campaign inviting Episcopalians and our neighbors to engage in one-to-one listening and sharing across the many differences that separate us. The conversations center on four questions:
What do you love?
What have you lost?
Where does it hurt?
What do you dream?
Echoing the Latin phrase on the U.S. seal – E Pluribus (“from many”) Unum (“one”) – and following in the footsteps of Jesus, we trust that the spiritual practice of conversation across difference can help to knit us all into a diverse, more perfect union.
Explore the pages on the website of the Episcopal Church to find information on how to engage with From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference. You can find explanations for each of the questions, suggestions on going deeper, and additional resources to keep your conversations going.
Don’t forget to sign up for updates on From Many, One on the website of the Episcopal Church. Watch the videos. Invite a partner. Have the conversation. Pray. Join in deeper conversation, learning and action. Help to form God’s beloved community.
“Being a Christian is not essentially about joining a church or being a nice person, but about following in the footsteps of Jesus, taking his teachings seriously, letting his Spirit take the lead in our lives, and in so doing helping to change the world from our nightmare into God’s dream.” ―Michael Curry, Crazy Christians: A Call to Follow Jesus
The Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry is Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church. He is the Chief Pastor and serves as President and Chief Executive Officer, and as Chair of the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church.
Presiding Bishop Curry was installed as the 27th Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church on November 1, 2015. He was elected to a nine-year term and confirmed at the 78th General Convention of The Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 27, 2015.
Welcome to Church of the Redeemer: Worshiping God, living in community, and reaching out to the world. We are an Episcopal Church serving north King County and south Snohomish County, Washington. As you travel your road, go with friends walking the way of Jesus at Redeemer.
Church of the Redeemer is at 6220 Northeast 181st Street in Kenmore, Washington. The campus is a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. The entrance looks like a gravel driveway. The campus is larger on the inside than it is on the outside. And we managed to hide a large building on the side of a hill that is not easily seen from the street.
Funeral for the Rev. Canon John Fergueson, Saturday, March 2, 2026, at 10:00 am in Church of the Redeemer. Additional parking available at The Vine Church across 181st Street from Redeemer.
The 6th Sunday of Easter (Year A), May 10, 2026. Services at 8:00 am (no music) and 10:30 (music). Xristos Kuxwoo-digoot! Xegaa-kux Kuxwoo-digoot!
