This Sunday, Palm Sunday, we'll begin our annual journey through the week leading up to Jesus' death and resurrection. The stories of Holy Week are vivid and intense, animated by real people:
- The crowd greets Jesus on Palm Sunday with joy and anticipation, but doesn't see the point in a messiah who has an agenda that's different from theirs, who won't solve the problems they think are most important. They fall away and then, perhaps embarrassed to have been "had", they turn angrily against him.
- Peter, alone and afraid and confused, a small town boy all on his own in the big city, has to choose between his loyalty to Jesus and the warmth and security of the little community gathered around the fire in the High Priest's courtyard. All he's being asked is to say, "I do not know him."
- Pilate has more important things on his plate this Passover. He and Herod are familiar figures then and now: self-serving leaders, casual with the truth and with the lives of people who have no power. Jesus is a challenge to be dealt with as quickly as possible, rocking as few boats as they can in the process.
- On Easter morning, Mary Magdalene and a few other women go to the tomb to anoint Jesus. Worried about the practical, day to day details of burial, they find the tomb empty, except for two men in dazzling clothes. The men ask "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen."
The events of Holy Week are the earliest memories of the Christian church. In bad times and in good, our spiritual ancestors told these stories to proclaim how God's power is at work in this world. Come experience them again with us this Holy Week.
Here's our schedule this Sunday:
8am Holy Eucharist, Rite 1
8am Choir Practice
9:00 Coffee available in the undercroft
9:30 Children gather to sing in Upper Varian
(Note: there is Church School this week).
10am Holy Eucharist, Rite 2
11:15 Coffee Hour
11:30 Rite 13, J2A meet
Here's who's doing what:
Cross -- Daniel Jenkins
Torches -- Natalie O'Neil, Catherine Jenkins
Chalice -- Nancy Buford (8am), Beverley Loftus (10am)
Intercessor -- Catherine Jenkins
Oblation Bearers -- C. J. Levy, Justin Levy
Ushers/Greeters -- Jim Beers
Altar Guild -- Pam Walter, Virginia Gledhill
Counters -- Jane Foster, Bill Raichle
Flower Deliverers -- Jane Holloway, Della Deakins
There is still time to donate lilies in memory or celebration of a loved one and to decorate the church at Easter. Please fill out the form when you're in church this Sunday, or call the office by next Wednesday to let us know so that we can get details into the Easter bulletin.
Lord Christ,
behind us in all our yesterdays,
with us today,
before us in all our tomorrows,
you deliver us from fear and death and sin;
Bring us a new beginning and an empty tomb;
and grant us the vision and the humility
to enter into the life you offer
as our new day dawns. Amen.
Peace,
Fr. Mark.
- The crowd greets Jesus on Palm Sunday with joy and anticipation, but doesn't see the point in a messiah who has an agenda that's different from theirs, who won't solve the problems they think are most important. They fall away and then, perhaps embarrassed to have been "had", they turn angrily against him.
- Peter, alone and afraid and confused, a small town boy all on his own in the big city, has to choose between his loyalty to Jesus and the warmth and security of the little community gathered around the fire in the High Priest's courtyard. All he's being asked is to say, "I do not know him."
- Pilate has more important things on his plate this Passover. He and Herod are familiar figures then and now: self-serving leaders, casual with the truth and with the lives of people who have no power. Jesus is a challenge to be dealt with as quickly as possible, rocking as few boats as they can in the process.
- On Easter morning, Mary Magdalene and a few other women go to the tomb to anoint Jesus. Worried about the practical, day to day details of burial, they find the tomb empty, except for two men in dazzling clothes. The men ask "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen."
The events of Holy Week are the earliest memories of the Christian church. In bad times and in good, our spiritual ancestors told these stories to proclaim how God's power is at work in this world. Come experience them again with us this Holy Week.
Here's our schedule this Sunday:
Here's who's doing what:
Cross -- Daniel Jenkins
Torches -- Natalie O'Neil, Catherine Jenkins
Chalice -- Nancy Buford (8am), Beverley Loftus (10am)
Intercessor -- Catherine Jenkins
Oblation Bearers -- C. J. Levy, Justin Levy
Ushers/Greeters -- Jim Beers
Altar Guild -- Pam Walter, Virginia Gledhill
Counters -- Jane Foster, Bill Raichle
Flower Deliverers -- Jane Holloway, Della Deakins
There is still time to donate lilies in memory or celebration of a loved one and to decorate the church at Easter. Please fill out the form when you're in church this Sunday, or call the office by next Wednesday to let us know so that we can get details into the Easter bulletin.
Lord Christ,
behind us in all our yesterdays,
with us today,
before us in all our tomorrows,
you deliver us from fear and death and sin;
Bring us a new beginning and an empty tomb;
and grant us the vision and the humility
to enter into the life you offer
as our new day dawns. Amen.
Peace,
Fr. Mark.
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