2026 Holy Week at St. David’s for Children and Families
PALM SUNDAY (March 29, 9 & 11:15)
• This Sunday we will celebrate Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. At both services, we will
process into Historic Church from Sumners Hall, waving our palms and green ribbons.
This service is a celebration, but it also strikes a chord of deep sadness as we walk
through the Passion narrative in our scripture readings.
• Be aware that it will strike an odd chord when you come back for the happiness of
Easter if you haven’t experienced any other part of Holy Week, without hearing what
transpires in the middle. That is absolutely OK, but I wanted to make you aware of
that.
• Instead of Sunday School, we will gather all together in Sumners Hall for Palm Crosses
and Palmiers.
THE TRIDUUM
The Triduum is a 3-day service. It begins at the Processional of Maundy Thursday service,
and concludes at the Recessional at the end of the Easter Vigil Saturday night. These three days
have the richest liturgies and are the source of the most important themes of our faith life as
Episcopalians.
MAUNDY THURSDAY (April 2, 7 p.m.)
This service is quiet and solemn. We will tell the story of Jesus at the Last Supper,
washing the feet of his disciples. We will then wash one another’s feet. It is a deeply
loving and humble act. It does require some bravery for us to be that vulnerable, but
kids usually freely embark on this simple kind of love.
At the end of the service we will strip the altar bare and leave the tabernacle open, as
a sign of what Jesus has revealed to his disciples, that the time has come for him to
depart, and that he will be betrayed and put to death before them. We will leave the
sanctuary dark and bare. It is stark and solemn as we leave with no closure.
GOOD FRIDAY (April 3, 1:30 p.m,)
This walk with the cross can be particularly hard for little ones to be present to. For
this reason, we explore the Stations of the Cross in a way that our children can grasp.
I will be honest with them, but keep it simple, so that we can approach his solemn
walk without fear. Knowing that Jesus knew what was coming is central to the story,
and his courage can be an inspiration to us that we are wired, as humans, to do really
hard things.
We offer it alongside our Stations of the City so that you can do your own formation,
if you’d like. You are also welcome to stay with us as we walk a smaller path through
the building.
HOLY SATURDAY EASTER VIGIL (April 4, 7:30 p.m.)
This service allows us to transition from the sadness of the Crucifixion into
knowledge that God can make all things beautiful, even death. At this point in Holy
Week, we have walked through the Crucifixion of Jesus, and waited to see what
would happen next. This waiting is painful and is marked in the stories we have read
throughout the Triduum. This is the moment we go from darkness to light, from
death into the hope of new life. We will baptize many friends, and bask in the
warmth of the news of Christ’s return. And, of course, we will gather at the end for a
Feast of Milk & Honey.
EASTER SUNDAY (April 5, 7:30, 9, 11:15 a.m.)
Surely, this is a Sunday that needs little explanation. Christ is RISEN! Come celebrate
with us as we flower the cross, showing how God turned something so painful into
something incredibly beautiful. You can bring your own flowers, but if you forget, we
will have some on hand.
The youth will be holding a silent auction in Sumners Hall to raise funds for their mission trip to North Carolina this summer. At 10a.m., the auction will open so you can swing by on your way to the cookie buffet before you head down to the labyrinth for ladybugs and tattoos as we all gather.
Your kids will have activity boxes in church this year. They can double as cookie boxes
and then carry away all their treasures at the end of the day.
At 10:30 sharp, we will pass out beautiful swallowtail butterflies. They will be delicately wrapped in individual envelopes to keep their wings safe. Each child will get one to release, but watch your step! They will be slow to wake up, which means we get to really look at them before they go. If being outside doesn’t feel like a good option for you, please know that you can watch from the windows above us. That has its own
special delight.
Upcoming programs I want you to know about:
Family Communion Instruction May 3, 12:30 p.m.
• This is for any family that wants to know more about what the Eucharist means.
• We will eat lunch together at Lunch for All and talk through the reasons why we come
take communion every week, and then we will visit the altar. I will show you the
elements, the tabernacle, and we will have communion at the rail.
• This is particularly good for baptized kids who have opened their hands to
communion, before they really ever knew what it’s about. It’s also great for parents to
sink deeper into the mystical reality of becoming the body of Christ.
Mother’s Day Tea
Last year we tried to do a special craft with the kids, and it left the mom’s standing
around waiting. No thank you. This year, we will gather for fun and fellowship all
together and pour out all the tea.
• We will need tea sets and fascinators, so get those ready. I will make sure our chefs
delight us with scones and quiches. I will make sure we have plenty of opportunities
for fun in the time we are together.
VBS (June 1-5, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.)
• Our theme this year is Snowball Mountain Challenge, so get ready for the cold.
• We will definitely need volunteers to help us decorate, to lead crews through activities,
and to help lead stations. If you have time to spend with us during that week, please let
me know ASAP. Any time that you can give will be treasured.
• If you would like to work on things at home or leading up to VBS, please let Fr. Kristin
know. There is plenty to do.
BRICK BIBLE RETURNS (Sundays, June 7-August 9, 10-11 a.m.)
Even though we don’t have our usual formation offerings for kids during the summer,
we are still worshiping, and it’s important that we don’t let go of our faith stories in
that time. Therefore, this summer, we will continue to build the stories of the Bible,
brick by brick. We will gather in Sumners each week to hear a story,
working to build what we hear. I cannot wait to see what we create as we journey
through the Bible together!
This year, I have a very special Tabernacle Set for us to build. It’s a biblically accurate
representation of the early church and the Holy of Holies. Amazing.
SUMMER PERFORMING ARTS CAMP (June 6-17)
• Amanda and the gang will be back for Summer Performing Arts. We are so excited to
dive into a new adaptation of Alice! This is a super fun show, with an abundance of
delightful and quirky characters.
Welcome Home Sunday and our Last Splash (August 16, one 10:30 a.m. service)
• Our enormous inflatable Slip ’n’ Slide will return and we will set up a family picnic like
we did last year, complete with water canons, splat balls and bubble machines. If you
have any ideas or would like to help out, let me know!
• Of course we will bless the backpacks first, so bring them with you when you come.
Swim clothes are perfectly appropriate for this church occasion, and don’t forget your
sunscreen and towels, loved ones!
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