For over a thousand years, Christians have greeted the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday with an evening vigil the evening prior. Inspired by the idea that Easter is the true high point of worship for the Christian, eclipsing even Christmas in its importance, Epiphany began observing the Easter Vigil in 2023. After keeping vigil together, the congregation met afterwards for a celebratory meal of roast lamb, mediterranean food, beer, and wine. It remains one of the high points of our annual worship together.
This year’s vigil features our guest preacher and officiant The Rev. Canon Bill Henry. Bill is the “Canon to the Ordinary,” the churchy title for our Bishop’s right-hand-man. Ordained in 1998, Bill is a Pittsburgh native who was previously the senior associate rector at St. Stephen’s Anglican Church in Sewickley, PA, a position he held for 17 years. His wife of 32 years, Dana, is a licensed professional counselor, and together they have led marriage retreats for the diocese and for churches around the country.
Melissa McKinney also returns this year to lead the congregation in musical worship. Melissa has spent nearly two decades leading music in churches across the Pittsburgh area, and is currently an ordinand in the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh, studying at Trinity Anglican Seminary in Ambridge, Pa. Melissa currently oversees music at Mosaic Anglican Church in Robinson Township.
Everyone interested in matters of faith, Jesus’s resurrection, or good food and drink is welcome to attend.
The vigil begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, with a lamb feast to follow at 9:15 p.m., at the Loyalhanna Watershed Association’s Education Center, located at 106 Old Lincoln Highway West, Ligonier, PA. 15658.