St. Stephen’s West Vancouver - Holy Week 2023

Easter week has a reassuring similarity for Anglicans who attend worship all over the world. They know what to expect and look forward to the feelings of warmth, joy and satisfaction that come from repeating the rituals. As they age, there is a feeling of coming home at Easter, to a group of parishioners who are like family. The losses over the past year are counted and grieved, and the younger newcomers are happily welcomed to fill those spaces. The unity in the belief in Jesus Christ brings everyone together. Easter is a time to give thanks, to reflect on life’s blessings and to go forward to continue to do God’s work.  

 At St. Stephen’s, West Vancouver, Holy Week began with Palm Sunday Eucharist. Minister of Music, Dr. Annabelle Paetsch set the scene for the entire week with her organ performance of Brahms’s “O Welt ich muss dich lassen” (O World, I must leave you). The choir processed into the sanctuary holding palms and leading in the singing of “All Glory, Laud and Honour”. Responsive readings were led by the Rector of St. Stephen’s, the Reverend Kenneth Vinal who at the conclusion of the service announced the events for the coming week and invited everyone for refreshments in the lounge.

Maundy Thursday’s celebration of the Last Supper is always one of mixed feelings: joy in the fellowship that the disciples had with Jesus that resulted in the first Eucharist, and anxiety in the knowledge that the outcome for Jesus in only one day was to be his crucifixion. The solemnity of the stripping of the altar laid bare to the congregation the future dishonouring of Christ before his execution on the cross. From the festive garments of Palm Sunday to the loin cloth, crown of thorns, and nails in hands and feet, the humiliation of the King of the Jews was complete. The worshippers left the sanctuary in mourning silence.

Good Friday has always begun with a sense that the title of the day does not depict the reality of what had taken place. The scene at the base of the cross with Jesus’s mother, disciples and friends huddled, grieving, aghast at what has happened, in despair for the future, has always conflicted with the word “good”. The behavior of the guards in their disrespect for the execution of an innocent man after Pontius Pilate’s washing his hands of his guilt has always seemed crass and inhumane, and we as onlookers are moved to share that guilt. The final prayer asks for pardon, comfort, and “may their faith grow stronger, and their eternal salvation be assured.”

In West Vancouver, the joy of Easter Sunday has always been celebrated at the sunrise service on the rocks at Caulfeild Cove sponsored by the Parish of St. Francis-in-the-Wood. This beautiful outcropping of granite jutting into English Bay has been the location of this service for many years. In good weather, when the Sun moves its way directly east of this small peninsula and initiates the beginning of the service, it is truly a transcendent moment. 

At St. Stephen’s, the congregation had been asked to bring small flowers to decorate the cross in the sanctuary. This waist-high cross had been prepared by the Altar Guild under the direction of Margaret Rolfe. It was wrapped in wire ready to receive the gifts of flowers that people placed on their way up to the altar for communion. Another innovative idea initiated by the Rev. Vinal following the custom of several churches was to bring a small bell to ring at the singing of the Gloria. It was fun to look around at all the happy faces enjoying the bells. The musical offerings during the service were enhanced by the trumpet playing of Paul Dubnik and the singing of soprano Mahtab Haghighi to the accompaniment of Annabelle Paetsch on organ, piano and harpsichord. This trio added to the celebratory atmosphere. Following Easter Day worship,  lunch was served in the Pavilion.

The St. Stephen’s Community Singers will be performing “Music of the British Isles” at St. Stephen’s on Sunday April 23 at 2pm with harpist Bess Lu and flutist Nancy Riecken.

IMAGES

• Altar Guild president, Margaret Rolfe decorates the cross Photo: John Ruddick
  
• The trio of musicians: Mahtab Haghighi, Anabelle Paetsch, Paul Dubnik Photo: John Ruddick
  
• A view of the cross in the foreground with Annabelle Paetsch and Paul Dubnik leading the music in worship. Photo: Margaret Stedman