Holy Week at Home: Creative Ways to Worship

A week ago a lot of us thought we would only need to hunker down for a few weeks with the promise of singing our loud, collective “Hosanna!” in our sanctuaries come Palm Sunday. But that reality is gone now. Just this week, our mayor announced a shelter-in-place order through April 13, the day after Easter. How do we imagine the largest church services of the year in a time of social distancing? It’s not easy. It’s certainly disappointing. But we’re here to help. Here are some more ideas about being the church during the COVID-19 pandemic, with particular attention to Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter. We will continue to add to this list as we learn and adapt.

Anna StricklandMarch 29, 2020holy week, creative holy week liturgy, covid-19, church at home, church crisis, online worshipComment

An Unexpected Turn—Art & Liturgy to Tell the Palms to Passion Story

The people we encounter during Holy Week are familiar to me. I’ve spoken their lines and embodied their shame, I’ve shouted their “Crucify him!” and heard it echo through the balcony. But Sarah brought new life and new perspectives into this story I know and love so well. When I read through the Wilderness Journey Palms to Passion worship service for the first time, it felt as though I was reading another book in the same series as an old favorite. Some of the characters I knew well. Some I had never heard until Sarah gave them voice. When Lisle suggested I work on a Holy Week art piece, I began with the people…

Anna StricklandMarch 16, 2020worship art, creative worship art, palm sunday liturgy, palm sunday midrash, passion narrative art, passion story liturgy, creative holy week liturgy, holy week art, palm sunday art, covid-19Comment