Following the Maundy Thursday Agape meal, we will transition into Watch Night, a simultaneously fun and deeply moving experience built around Jesus’ plea to his disciples to stay awake with him in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Starting at 8:00p, we all gather in the darkened sanctuary to hear a short portion of the Passion story and sing “Stay with Me,” a Taizé song recounting Jesus’ words. Everyone leaves the sanctuary except for one person who signed up to stay awake in the sanctuary and keep watch. While keeping watch, you can meditate, play the piano or other instruments, walk and pray, knit, draw, or do whatever is meditative for you.

Meanwhile, everyone else is in Fellowship Hall or outside around the firepit in the church’s front yard. If you’re outside you can roast marshmallows, play Ghost in the Graveyard, or just visit around the fire— often with visits from dogwalkers who are curious about what’s going on. If you’re inside, you can play games, fill plastic eggs with candy for Sunday’s Easter Egg hunt, make bread for Easter communion, do arts and crafts, journal, play the Orff instruments, or any number of things.

On the hour, a bell will toll to bring everyone back into the sanctuary to hear the next portion of the Passion story, sing “Stay with Me,” and then the next person remains in the sanctuary to keep watch.

You can participate as late as you want – even stay-ing all night until 6a. This vigil is deeply moving and makes Good Friday even more real and Easter more joyful. At the same time, it’s a great opportunity to get acquainted with or build closer relationships with others who are keeping watch.