Sts. Peter & Paul Episcopal Church

04/10/2026

The Second Sunday of Easter is commonly known as Thomas Sunday. When Thomas saw the risen Christ, he cried out, "My Lord and my God." This made Thomas the first person in scripture to acknowledge the divinity of Christ, but that is not how most of us remember him.

04/04/2026

What happened on Holy Saturday?

The day after the crucifixion is sometimes referred to as "Holy Saturday" or "Silent Saturday." Jesus has been placed inside the tomb and everything is quiet. The disciples have gone into hiding, and since it is a Sabbath, all work has ceased. And of all the days of Passion week, there is almost nothing written about Saturday. Its as if the Earth is standing still, waiting for what it going to happen next.

The chief priests and Pharisees were happy that Jesus was dead, but they did remember Him saying something about being resurrected. So they ordered a guard to be placed at the tomb, as well as a seal on the stone. They wanted to ensure that no one was going to be breaking in.

The women witnesses Jesus' body being placed into the tomb, so they hurried home and prepared spices and perfumes to anoint His body. However, the Bible says that they did this Friday night and before the Sabbath began. So on Saturday the women were still and waiting patiently for opportunity to go back to the tomb.

And the disciples were all in hiding. The Bible tells us that they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, and did not want themselves to be arrested and tortured. The Bible also tells us that even though Jesus told them He'd rise again on the third day, the disciples never understood this prophecy or took it to heart. They believed Jesus was gone for good, and they were without hope. Afraid, alone, and hopeless.....this could also be called "Sad Saturday" for the disciples.

But Sunday is coming!

04/04/2026

The Collect for Holy Saturday:
O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

04/03/2026

04/02/2026

What happened on Maundy Thursday?

The word "Maundy" comes from the Latin word, mandatum, which means "commandment". It is referring to both Jesus' command to "love one another as I have loved you" and also with regards to the communion: "This is My body, which is for you, do this in remembrance of me". Many churches observe Maundy Thursday and have special worship services that include observing the Lord's supper and washing each other's feet.

On Thursday of Passion Week, Jesus calls Peter and John to make preparations for the Passover meal. During the meal, Jesus breaks the bread and pours out the cup to represent His broken body and His shed blood. This ordinance is followed by Christians today every time we have communion.

During the meal, the disciples had arguments about who was the greatest. To resolve this argument, Jesus does something unexpected: He kneels down and takes on the role of a servant and washes the disciple's feet. This was to model for the disciples to have a heart of submission and service, rather than focus on being greater than others.

After the meal, Jesus goes to the garden to pray. The weight of the cross bears down so heavily, that Jesus' sweat turns into blood. The disciples have fallen asleep while He prays, and suddenly Judas the betrayer shows up. He betrays Jesus with a kiss, and then the soldiers and officers of the chief priests arrest Him and take Him away. The disciples all run away, in fear of their own lives. Jesus is now alone, and on the path to the cross in just a few hours.

Disclaimer: The Bible is not always written in chronological order, so it may be difficult to know exactly which specific days these events happened.

03/31/2026

What happened on Holy Tuesday?

This week is sometimes called "Holy Week" or "Passion Week", and we remember the days and events that lead up to Jesus' death and resurrection. Today we are looking at Tuesday, which is the third day of this week, and there was a lot going on! Jesus spent much of the day teaching about a variety of topics, and also offering condemnation to the Pharisees for being hypocrites in their faith. Later that day and evening, Jesus teaches the disciples from the Mount of Olives about the events in the future. My little chart only offers brief summaries, so I recommend reading Matthew 22 thru 24 to get more of the details. Hope this is an encouragement to you as we study the life of Jesus this week!

Disclaimer: The Bible is not always written in chronological order, so it may be difficult to know exactly which specific days these events happened.

03/26/2026

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE:

March 29 (Palm Sunday) 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.

April 2 (Holy Thursday) Holy Eucharist, Washing of the Feet, and Stripping of the Altar
5 pm. (bilingual) Beginning of the Vigil 7 p.m.-1 a.m.

April 3 (Good Friday) Service of Prayer and Veneration of the Cross 12 p.m.
Way of the Cross 5 p.m.(bilingual)

April 4 (Holy Saturday) The Great Easter Vigil 6 p.m. (bilingual)

April 5 (Easter Sunday) Easter Sunday Service 10 a.m. 12 p.m.

All are welcome!