Holy Week is the time when we prepare ourselves in heart and mind for Easter. You are most welcome to visit St. Peter's at any time, and to join in the prayers, worship and music at these services.

The Rector writes: The Holy Week services are all dramatic: the procession on Palm Sunday; the extinguishing of the candles at Tenebrae; stripping the church bare on Maundy Thursday; and the dramatic reading of the passion story, both on Palm Sunday and on Good Friday. But the most dramatic and powerful of all is the Easter Vigil at 11.30 pm on Easter Eve. The service begins in total darkness. Then the paschal candle is lit and as we hear the first readings of the Easter Vigil the candles are gradually lit around the church until the light spreads to everyone and the darkness is banished and we celebrate the resurrection in our first communion of Easter (like the midnight mass at Christmas). If you have never been to this service before why not join us this year?

Services in Holy Week and at Easter:

Sun. 4^th April – Palm Sunday : we recall Christ's entry into Jerusalem as the Servant King

8 a.m. Holy Communion

10 a.m. Holy Communion, Young Church for children

Includes reading of the Passiontide Gospel

6 p.m. United Service for Palm Sunday at St. Peter's

Tuesday 6^th April

8 p.m. Tenebrae

A service from the ancient tradition, in which we reflect upon the dark corners in our lives, and the depths of darkness in which Jesus died for us, symbolised by the extinguishing of lights.

Wednesday 7^th April

9.15 a.m. Holy Communion

Thursday 8^th April – Maundy Thursday

8 p.m. Holy Communion, Stripping of the Church, and Vigil

This is the night on which we remember the first Holy Communion, in Jerusalem, when Jesus said that his body and blood would be given for our salvation. After that supper, Jesus went out into the Garden of Gethsemane to pray; he was betrayed and arrested there, and taken away for trial. In our Vigil, the church is emptied of all decoration and is open through the watches of the night, so that we can pray and watch there in silence, thinking of what Jesus has done for us.

Friday 9th April – Good Friday

The Vigil continues in silence as we remember that Jesus was whipped, mocked and crucified. The silent prayers are interspersed with the following services:

10 a.m. All age service

A service for children, parents and grandparents, in which we ask why this day is called Good Friday and thank God for his love for us.

2 p.m. Holy Communion

The silent Vigil ends in a service at the hour at which Jesus died.

Saturday 10th April – Easter Eve

11.30 p.m. Easter Vigil & Holy Communion

A service which starts in darkness, but ends in great thanksgiving and light as we celebrate that Jesus has overcome death, so that we also are set free from this fear for ever.

Sunday 11th April – Easter Sunday

8 a.m. Holy Communion

10 a.m. Holy Communion, Young Church for children

A service of thanksgiving for Easter.

2 p.m. to 5 p.m.  The Easter Festival

Prayers and music for this great day, and Easter flowers, celebrating what it means for us now.