Palm Sunday (Holy Eucharist)

Announcements

Office Hours, Week of March 29

Clergy Office Hours

• Sunday, March 29: 12 p.m.–2 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 31: 12 p.m.–6 p.m. (Tenebrae service at 7 p.m.)
• Thursday, April 2: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (Agape meal at 5 p.m.; Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m.)
• Friday, April 3: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m. (Good Friday services)

Note the office will be closed April 6–7 for a post-Easter break.

Clergy Available by Cell Phone

• 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday and Saturday

On the Horizon (Week of March 29)

• The Sunday 5 p.m. Committee—Anyone interested in planning a different type of service for the 3rd Sunday of the month – We will meet the 3rd Sunday (April 19) at 5 p.m. for Evening Prayer and a discussion.
• Epis-co-Speak—Speaking of Episcopal Things: Sunday Mornings, 9:15 a.m.–10:10 a.m., on Sundays April 12 and 19, and May 3 (no session on April 26).
• The April 5th Celtic service will be moved to April 12 due to Easter.
• Shrine Mont Retreat (April 24-26)—Check with Leslie, Margaret or Ben if you can participate and want to be on stand-by if there is a cancellation.
• Youth Bag Packing for AIM (note date change)—Sunday April 19 due to the conflict with the Shrine Mont Retreat.
• AIM Ministry Update—The white board on the table near the coffee pots lists the most urgent needs. The AIM Work Sessions: Wednesdays March April 1, 15, and 29: 1–2:30 p.m.
• Safe Church Online Training—Please complete it and turn in your transcript or certificates.

Discernment Committee Update

The vestry appointed a Discernment Committee in October 2025 when our previous priest retired. They are guiding the process used by the Diocese of Virginia to seek and call our next priest

• January–February, the Discernment Committee convened focus groups to gather insights and clarify are preparing a parish profile for vestry approval.
• We think the vestry will approve it in April. It will go to the Diocese for official posting where all potential candidates can see it.
• The committee will begin preparing to interview candidates.

Part-Time Administrative Assistant Needed

Job description is available at episcopalvirginia.org/jobs-transitions/staff-positions. Please help us get the word out!

The BMECadassist@gmail.com e-mail is being read by The Rev. Mary L. Staley until we find an Admin Assistant. Send questions or requests about your financial/pledge to bmectreasurer@gmail.com (Doug Smith) who is our acting pledge secretary.

Volunteers for office tasks. There are projects for all abilities—just talk to Mother Mary. We need help for the building inventory and sorting some files after Easter.

Volunteers are the reason we do so much!
Coffee hour, Altar Guild, lawn maintenance, Food Pantry, AIM, Sunday School, maintaining the library, the website update, helping with worship services, and much more! Thank you to everyone who helps with all of these things.

Bookkeeping will be done by a bookkeeping service. Look for an announcement about this next week! We are doing all we can to prevent speed bumps during the transition. Send all financial and pledge questions to our treasurer, Doug Smith, at BMECTreasurer@gmail.com.

Coffee Hour Openings Available

There are openings available for hosting coffee hour after our Sunday services. Please check the sign-up sheet on the long table in front of the kitchen. Thank you Miles and Susan for filling the blanks so many times!

Holy Week Schedule

• Tue., March 31, 7:30 p.m.—Adult Tenebrae
• Thu., April 2, 5 p.m.—Agape Meal (uses the service in the Episcopal Book of Occasional Services)
• Thu., April 2, 7 p.m.—Maundy Thursday Eucharist and Stripping the Altar

Good Friday (April 3)

• 9 a.m.—Good Friday Prayers
• 12 p.m.—Stations of the Cross (outside weather permitting)
• 6 p.m.—Good Friday Liturgy

Easter (April 5)

• 10:15 a.m.—Re-kindling the fire and procession of the paschal candle (begins outdoors)
• 10:30 a.m.—Easter Sunday Celebration
• Following the 10:30 a.m. service—Signs of the Resurrection Scavenger Hunt. All the youth are invited to participate in a scavenger hunt on the church grounds. We need 3–4 adults or kids over 14 to help set this event. See Mother Mary for details. There will be two sections: one for the littles and one for older youth.

The April Celtic service will be moved to April 12.

Please note the office will be closed Monday, April 6, and Tuesday, April 7 for a post-Easter break.

Other Nearby Services

Holy Week

• April 2, 7 p.m.—Maundy Thursday, Washing of the Feet (Piedmont Episcopal Church, Madison)
• April 3, 12 p.m.—Good Friday Service (Grace Episcopal Church, Stanardsville)
• April 3, 6 p.m.—Stations of the Cross (Piedmont Episcopal Church, Madison)
• April 3, 7 p.m.—Good Friday Liturgy (Grace Episcopal Church, Stanardsville)

First/Sunrise Easter Sunrise Services

• April 4, 8 p.m.—The Great Vigil, an Easter service (Church of Our Saviour, Charlottesville)
• April 5, 6:15 a.m.—Outdoor Easter sunrise service (held by Aldersgate Methodist Church at Holly Memorial Gardens). Bring your own chair and blanket.
• April 5, 7 a.m.—Outdoor Easter sunrise service (held by Grace Episcopal Church at Winslow’s Barn, 777 Beazley Road, Standardsville). Bring your own chair and blanket.