Holy Week and Easter 2023

Palm Sunday — April 2

One Worship Service:

10:00 am—Service opens in the Sanctuary. (View video of opening portion.)
10:15 am—We follow bagpipes and process to the Santa Fe Plaza to celebrate Palm Sunday with the Cathedral Basilica and Church of the Holy Faith. (We were unable to video our processional, but  you can view the processional from 2022.)

Suzanne Aden Kemp, bagpipes.
Anthem: “Ingrediente Domino” by George Malcolm
After the service on the Plaza, we return to FPC to conclude our service with communion in Pope Hall, followed by a potluck lunch (including hot cross buns!).

Morning Prayer—Wednesday, April 5

7:00 a.m. in McFarland Chapel and on Zoom.  Book of Common Worship

Celtic EvenSong—Wednesday, April 5

5:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. A service of justice and peace with Celtic songs and liturgy. Communion will be served.

Maundy Thursday—April 6

5:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary.

On this solemn night we once again hold a Tenebrae service.  Tenebrae comes from the Latin meaning darkness.  Tenebrae is an ancient Christian service where light gradually diminishes symbolizing the darkness of Jesus’ death and the hopelessness in the world without God. The Chancel Choir sings “What Wondrous Love” by David Edmonds.

Good Friday TGIF Concert—April 7

5:30 pm in the Sanctuary.  The Chancel Choir of First Presbyterian Church sings “Requiem” by Luigi Cherubini. (Due to technical difficulties, we only captured the last half of the concert, but it does have some beautiful music. View video.

EASTER—April 9

6:30 a.m. A Truly New Mexican Easter—Sunrise Service on the Caja del Rio.

This Easter we will gather at dawn as the original followers did that miraculous morning where the women went to the tomb of Jesus and found the stone rolled away and tomb empty. We join with the earliest Christians that honor this earth-shaking event celebrated as the sun comes up giving rise to a new day, a new reality, and a new life in Christ. Surrounded by the beauty of four different mountain ranges and the incredible expansiveness of creation on the Caja del Rio, we will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the joy of creation and acknowledge the God who has defeated death and brings us to eternal life.

You won’t want to miss this truly New Mexican Easter Service as we watch the Sunrise over the Mountains, sing hymns, pray prayers, hear the Easter story, and enjoy fellowship in one of the most remarkable cultural and sacred places in all of New Mexico.

Meet at the La Cieneguilla Petroglyph Parking Lot by 6:20 am.  Refreshments will be served following the service. Come for food, fun, and fellowship!

View video.

9:30 a.m. MorningSong Service at Federal Park with a Baptism. Bring your own chairs or a blanket to sit on. View video.

10:15 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt at Federal Park (corner of Federal Place and Washington).

Everyone welcome! Bring your own chairs and basket. Refreshments served.

11:00 a.m. Service in the Sanctuary with Easter hymns, organ, trumpets, and choir.

Anthem: “This Joyful Eastertide” by Vernon Hoyle with Jan McDonald and Jim Toevs, trumpets