COVID did a number on many people’s connections with community: With that in mind, a trinity of Central Bucks Episcopal churches has decided to celebrate Holy Week together.
St. Philip’s New Hope (stphilipsnewhope.org), Trinity Buckingham (trinitybuckingham.org) and Trinity Solebury (trinitysolebury.org) will take turns hosting services in the three days leading up to Easter.
Each of the churches also will hold their own Easter services as usual.
The Rev. Dr. Nancy Burton Dilliplane, rector of Trinity Buckingham, said of the churches’ collaboration, “At this moment in history, it’s good to think and act outside the box of a particular church building … When we join together in prayer and song across parish lines, we realize we’re part of one another,” she added.
“We can do more in community. It’s that simple,” said The Very Rev. Michael Ruk, rector of St. Philip’s, which will host the first of the combined services.
The three-church schedule for Holy Week 2023 will be as follows:
• Maundy Thursday, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 10 Chapel Road, New Hope (Solebury |Township).
The doors of this former one-room schoolhouse will open at 7 p.m. for the service, which will be celebrated with foot-washing and the opportunity to sit in vigil until midnight, when the service will conclude with night prayer (Compline).
• Good Friday, Trinity Episcopal Church Buckingham, 2631 Durham Road, Buckingham.
Beginning at noon, Trinity’s Good Friday service will be celebrated with a reading of The Gospel According to John, music and contemplative prayer in front of the Cross.
• The Great Easter Vigil, Trinity Episcopal Church Solebury, 6587 Upper York Road, Solebury.
Beginning at 7:30 p.m., the service will be celebrated with Old Testament readings and a bonfire, with a reception to follow.
Three years after the start of the pandemic, many people have less engagement with “community” of all kinds, including the community of the faithful. Ruk of St. Philip’s believes Eastertide is a perfect time to refresh those ties.
“‘Lent’ means ‘spring,’” he noted. “What better way to celebrate the season of renewal than by coming together after the long winter of COVID separation?”
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