Holy Week and Easter
Holy Week and Easter mark one of the most meaningful and sacred times in the life of our parish. Throughout the week, we invite you to gather with the St. Paul’s community for worship, reflection, and celebration. Below is a guide to important dates and service times—we hope you’ll join us.
Easter Offering: Support Love Literacy
This Easter, St. Paul’s Easter offering will support Love Literacy, a local organization working to ensure every child in our community can read—regardless of race or zip code. With fewer than 50% of third-grade students in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County reading at grade level, the need is urgent.
Love Literacy trains tutors, supports educators and families, and leads community advocacy to address the systemic barriers to literacy. Their new after-school tutoring program, launched in spring 2024, is already making a difference for students who are economically disadvantaged and reading below grade level.
Your Easter gift will help expand this vital work to more students and schools. Give generously and be part of changing the story for children in our community.
To donate, click here, and be sure and select "Easter Offering" under the "To" option.
April 13 | Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday Service at 7:30, 9, 11:15 AM, and 5 PM
The liturgy for Palm Sunday starts with the blessing of the palms and moves into the reading of the Passion Gospel, marking the beginning of Holy Week. All morning services are in the Nave, the 5 PM service is in the chapel.
Holy Week Offerings
Holy Eucharist: Mon, Apr 14 to Thu, Apr 17 | Noon | Side Chapel
Join us for a brief service of Holy Eucharist in the Side Chapel of the Nave Monday to Thursday in Holy Week.
Rite of Reconciliation: Mon, Apr 14 to Wed, Apr 16 from 5 to 6 PM | Thu, Apr 17 at 11 AM
Two of our clergy will be available in the Nave for the Rite of Reconciliation of a Penitent, a sacramental act in which a person confesses their sins to a priest, receives counsel and absolution, and experiences God’s grace found in the Book of Common Prayer on p. 446-451.
Stations of the Cross (indoor): Wed, Apr 16 | 11 am | Nave
Stations of the Cross (outdoors): Fri, Apr 18 | 5:30 PM | Goodheart Entrance
This year, we are excited to offer to different ways to experience the Stations of the Cross. On Wed, Apr 16, we will offer a guided walk inside the Nave and on Fri, Apr 18 (Good Friday) we will continue our tradition of an outdoor walking experience beginning at the Goodheart Entrance. Come to one or both!
The Paschal Triduum
The Paschal Triduum is the three-day period beginning with Maundy Thursday, a service that commemorates the Last Supper and Jesus’ commandment to love one another. Our service includes a time for foot washing and special programming for children. The Good Friday service is a solemn day of prayer and reflection, commemorating the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. Next, the Liturgy for Holy Saturday offers a brief, quiet service of prayer and reflection, marking the time between Christ’s death and resurrection. The Great Vigil begins with the kindling of the new fire and journeys through scripture, baptism, and into the first proclamation of Christ’s resurrection in Easter.
April 17 | Maundy Thursday
5:30 PM, Holy Eucharist with Foot Washing, Nave
Maundy Thursday commemorates the first Eucharist and follows the Gospel reading today with the washing of feet. The 5:30 pm service ends with the stripping of the altar as we prepare for Good Friday and includes a special children's program. This Holy Week, consider deepening your experience of Easter by participating in all the services of the Holy Triduum beginning on this day.
April 18 | Good Friday
12 PM, Good Friday Liturgy in the Nave
Through moving liturgy and beautiful music, the Good Friday service at St. Paul’s commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus. On this day, we hear the Passion from the Gospel of John. The service is solemn, but a powerful part of the Triduum that helps us prepare for Jesus’ resurrection.
April 19 | Holy Saturday
12 pm, Holy Saturday Service in the Chapel
Join us for a simple service in the chapel specifically created for space after Good Friday and before the Easter Vigil. Meant for the time while Jesus laid in the tomb as we await his resurrection, this is a great service to attend before coming to the Easter Vigil later in the day.
7:30 pm, The Great Vigil of Easter in the Nave
The Great Vigil of Easter is a cherished service in the Episcopal Church and a central part of the Holy Triduum. This service is the first Eucharist of Easter and begins in the dark, by candlelight. With lessons and baptisms to follow, this service first begins with the lighting of the Holy Fire. If you have never attended this service, or you have not been in a long time, this is a great opportunity to hear beautiful music, participate in ancient liturgy, and worship in a service unlike any other service in the year. All are most welcome.
April 20 | Easter Day
7, 9, and 11:15 am, Festival Holy Eucharist, Nave
5 pm, Holy Eucharist in the Chapel
He is risen! Easter Day is the culmination of Holy Week and the Holy Triduum and one of the most important Feast Days in the church year. While the structure of each service is similar, each service is a little different. The morning services (7 am, 9 am, and 11:15 am) are all in the Nave (the main worship space) while the more intimate 5 pm service is in the Chapel. Cannot attend in person? The 11:15 am service, which is the only service to feature incense, will also be livestreamed. Questions? Email us at info@stpauls-ws.org. Happy Easter!
The 11:15 am service will be livestreamed.
Flowering of the Cross for Easter: We will again have a cross in the Memorial Garden on Easter morning. All are invited to bring flowers and greenery to both the cross in front of our church and the cross in the memorial gardens. It is our way of declaring resurrection for those we love whose remains are resting in the gardens.