Announcements for the Week of Sunday, April 5, 2026
From the Rector
Dear Ones,
Good Friday is the one day of the entire year when we are not allowed to celebrate the Eucharist. This alone should help us feel in our bodies how solemn today is. It is not a punishment, not a withholding in order to teach us a lesson, but an acknowledgment that today is truly not like any other day. Having to fast even from our most reliable form of spiritual nourishment uniquely prepares us for the festival of Easter that is just around the corner…but not quite here yet!
I love the words of poet and artist Jan Richardson about the turn from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday that I saw on Facebook this morning. She writes, “All too quickly the breaking of the bread becomes the breaking of the flesh. All too soon the cup offered at the table becomes the life poured out at the cross. After the rending, after the emptying: an impossible stillness, an aching silence, an incomprehensible hollow for which no word will ever be adequate. On this day that asks us to bear witness to what is breaking, may we not turn away.”
It is an honor and a privilege to bear witness with you, in this beloved community. I hope to see you at our services during these holiest of holy days, and once again to break bread together as we celebrate the Resurrection. Soon and very soon.
Blessings,
Pamela+
Good Friday and Saturday Night Easter Vigil at St. Martin’s
Friday, April 3, Good Friday, 12pm and 7pm: We have Stations of the Cross in the church at 12pm with readings and prayer at each station (in person only). At 7pm, we’ll have the Good Friday Liturgy. Both Good Friday services include an optional veneration of the Cross and are relatively short services with no music or Communion (in person and online). See information below in this E-News about the Good Friday offering.
Saturday, April 4, Easter Vigil, 8pm: The Great Vigil of Easter starts outdoors at 8pm with the lighting of the new fire, then moves inside for dramatic readings and music, and finally ends with a festive Holy Eucharist. After the service, stay for a short reception in the narthex, featuring chocolate and other treats, sparkling cider, and champagne. The Easter Vigil is a feast for the senses and the moment when the Lenten fast ends. Bring bells and noisemakers! In person and online.
Find bulletins for these services on our Holy Week Hub on our website.
This Sunday! Easter Day with Two Services, Egg Hunt, and Brunch
On Sunday, April 5, we’ll have two festive Holy Eucharists at 8am and 10am with music, choir, and preaching at both. After the 10am service, toddlers through 6th graders are invited to bring a basket and join in the annual Easter Egg Hunt. There is no Godly Play on Easter Sunday. We’ll also have an Easter Brunch after the 10am service. What a wonderful way to reconnect with your parish family and welcome all who are visiting our parish for the first time! We invite you to bring sweet or savory items to share for the brunch. The nursery will be open for both the 8am and 10am services for children ages 5 and under.
Easter Plate Offering, 2026
Our Easter Plate Offering goes to the HEART of Davis Safe Parking Program. The Safe Parking Program provides unhoused individuals with an opportunity to park and sleep in their car overnight in a designated church parking lot and receive an evening and morning meal. Safe Parking costs include paying for security, meals, portable toilets, and insurance. To support this program, you may write a check to The Church of St. Martin with “Easter Offering” in the memo line or use the blue GIVE button on our website. All donations at the Easter Vigil and Easter Day services will be given to the above ministry unless otherwise noted.
Good Friday Plate Offering: Every year, the Good Friday offering goes to the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East to support the ministries of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. The funds provide aid to hospitals, schools, orphanages, and humanitarian aid programs. Donate through St. Martin’s with memo line “Good Friday Offering” on a check or by using the GIVE button on our website. Here’s more information along with a letter from our Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe on this annual offering.
“Brewing Stories” with Charlie Bamforth – Support Our Migrant Neighbors through YIIN
Support our migrant neighbors by attending “Brewing Stories” at Sudwerk in Davis (2001 Second Street) on Saturday, April 11, 5:30-7pm, featuring St. Martin’s “Pope of Foam,” Charlie Bamforth. The event is a fundraising evening of beer tasting and banter, with all funds raised going to the Yolo Interfaith Immigration Network (YIIN). Purchase $50 tickets HERE. If you can volunteer to help with the event as a beer pourer, please contact the church office and we’ll put you in contact with the event coordinator, Nick Buxton. Must be 18 years or older to volunteer.
Upcoming Gatherings and Events in April
Flowering the Cross, Sunday, April 12: On the Sunday after Easter, April 12, join children and youth by bringing a flower or two to church to add to our outdoor cross after the 10am service.
St. Martin’s Garden Tour, April 19: Visit the gardens of several St. Martin’s parishioners from 1pm to 4pm on Sunday, April 19. Locations and descriptions of gardens will be available before the event.
Candlelight Prayer Vigil, April 19 at St. Martin’s: In the spirit of remembering our brokenness as well as God’s call to let our light shine, a series of candlelight prayer vigils have been taking place at Davis churches on the third Sunday of the month. The next vigil is Sunday, April 19 at 7pm at St. Martin’s.
LGBTQ+ Hike: Join St. Martin’s and other members of Yolo Interfaith Queer Alliance on Saturday, April 25 from 10-11am for a short hike in Davis, followed by a picnic lunch. This gathering is open to LGBTQ+ folks and allies and is intended as a welcoming space to connect in community outdoors. The walk will be relaxed, with opportunities for reflection as we explore finding spirituality in nature. Please bring your own food and anything you would like for a comfortable picnic. There is ample parking at the trailhead, near (limited) picnic tables. Come as you are and feel free to invite a friend. Please contact the church office for the starting point of the hike.
Church Office Closure
The Church Office will be closed on Monday, April 6, to give the staff an Easter holiday. We will be open regular hours (9am-1pm) starting Tuesday, April 7. Happy Easter to All!
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