Notes from Yukiko’s Desk

Dear AGAC whanau,

We are about to embark on Easter journey. Holy Week is more than Palm Sunday and Easter—it’s a transformative journey.

This Sunday, we will begin our service by processing with palm branches, singing Hosanna. Then, we will read the story of Jesus’ Passion, this year from Matthew’s gospel. It is important to understand that we are not just telling the “story” of what happened to Jesus in history. Rather, we are invited to enter the story and contemplate our own place within this story of love, sacrifice, and redemption.

Our oldest traditions for celebrating Easter involve what we call the Triduum - starting at sunset on Maundy Thursday, moving through Good Friday, and ending with the great Easter Vigil at sunset on Saturday night. This three-day worship was one continuous service - more like a retreat than a sequence of separate worship events. That is why our own observations on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday have no blessing or dismissal.

Finally, I would also like to remind you that Holy Week is not meant to be observed in isolation. It is a communal experience that draws believers together as we walk the path of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection. Coming together for shared reflection, prayer, and fellowship fosters a sense of unity and strengthens the spiritual bonds within a community. If you can, please consider going on the full Easter journey with us from Maundy Thursday through to Easter Day. The three services work together as a unity and complement and complete each other. I look forward to walking Holy week together with you.

Yukiko

    
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