HFASS Easter vigil

Easter vigil was incredible.     We had no idea that 70 people would show up!  Here's some of the highlights:

An Ethiopian thurible gifted to us by our brothers and sisters at St Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco.

Dave and JP lit a New Fire outside from which we lit the Paschal candle and chanted "The Light of Christ; Thanks be to God" whil entering the dimly lit sanctuary

The children were charged with the telling of the creation story and they did a wonderful job using art they had made.

Jim and Stuart took on the Noah and the flood story with camp and heart.  The spray bottle was, of course, central.

Notice the waters having come up around the ark. Noah sends out the dove (which I believe was a knotted sweat sock.

Looking out the window Noah sees that the dove has returned with and olive branch in it's mouth.

And of course, the rainbow.

Amy and Sheralee told the story of Ezekiel and the valley of the dry bones.  The image on the screen is of an amazing photo of Amy's of hands holding little bones.  After the reading there was a black and white video clip of a quartet (from the 1950's form the look of it) singing Dem Bones Dem Bones.

Brandi spray painted this image of Daniel and the fiery furnace and Andi read the text.  Very cool.

An amazing slam poetry- techno interpretation of Isaiah 55 played while Sara dramatically set the altar table. "You who have no money come to eat and drink"

And what's a Bible story without a flannel-graph?  Roxane and Rachel tell us all about the deliverance from the Red Sea

We take the thurible and in a procession around the block chant the litany of saints.  The names of the saints were provided by the community. "Uncle Bobby and Aunt Gladys"....."Come celebrate with us".

After inviting the faithful departed to celebrate the resurrection with us, the children dug up the Alleluia banner the community had made and buried on the final Sunday before Lent.  Note to self: muslin molds.

The following is from an email a couple day later from a member of our community who is new to all of this:

... the Alleluia banner.  It was buried beautiful and highly adorned.  It was dug up in a different state(by children of course.  Are the liturgical churches always so damn symbolic?).  While its shell - the outer sheet -was unharmed by its venture into death, the banner was me.  Yes, it still reads, though a little less legibly, "Alleluia".  But it is speckled with mildew.  And there are buttons missing.  And some things that were added to "prettify" it are caricatures and garish in its new state.  It isn't pretty, but it is still, maybe even more, true. 

 

And there I am, dug back up and brought back to church.  Who knew?

We pound on the closed doors of the church and when the doors open the sanctuary is blazing with light and filled with lilies.  We sing Alleluia for the first time since Lent started!

Jessica sings the gospel reading from John 20.

We welcome Bill into the body of Christ.  Yes, I dunked his whole head in - 3 times!  I'd prefer a baptistery for full immersion but this is the next best thing.

After the baptism we celebrated the Eucharist.

The whole experience was amazing.  The community I get to serve is so creative and funny and faithful.  I'm very blessed.

This, by the way, is a little thing we call "pridefulness"

So how do you celebrate the closing of Holy Week???
Answer: DANCE PARTY

Electric slide.  I'm not proud.

Nothing says "He Is Risen" quite like a chocolate fountain in the baptismal font.

Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to pull off the Triduum!

Comments

[pastorsandy]

very cool!

[Jennifer H.]

I always feel like I've worshiped when I read your blog posts. Thanks for giving all of us a chance to participate from afar. What a fantastic time -- and your community are my kindred spirits -- I LOVE the dance party and chocolate fountain in the baptismal font!

[Rachel]

Alleluia sistahs and brothahs. So cool, its electric, boogie woogie woogie. Can't wait to worship with you in a week! Eeek!

[Cecilia]

Wow. WOW!!!

(I feel like that's what I always say here.)

Thank you for showing us what is possible.

Pax, C.

[Jaymes Lackey]

I have been reading for about 2 months and this post made me laugh at all the cool stuff you were doing but also made me (almost) cry (good tears) in that your community seems to be genuine and the way of future while maintaining bits of the past... Bravo.

P.S. You (and some others) have inspired me to start my own blog. You're listed as a reader (http://deartheoph.blogspot.com/)

[Diane]

what a wonderful vigil!