Dear Peace Members and Friends,
What a week ahead! Holy Week begins this Sunday with a festival that has two traditional titles: Palm Sunday and Sunday of the Passion (9:30am). Not one or the other, but both. With palms in our hands; with our youth singing; with hymns and Scripture—we will remember when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last week of his life.
In this same service, we will also take part in the Passion (“to suffer”) of Jesus. Someone will take the role of Jesus; others will take the roles of Judas, Peter, Pilate, the High Priest; and all of us will take the crowd’s part. As we hear and read Luke’s story of the last week of Jesus’ life. Together, we’ll become a part of the confusing symbols and mixed messages of the day. We’ll hear about our fickle, inconsistent ways and about God’s determination to love us anyway. I’ll say more about this confusing day in a message, “Broken Hosannas.”
Following worship, is Adult Education (10:45am). As we enter the most essential commemorations and celebrations of what the church has for centuries called “The Great Three Days”—it’s important, I believe, to have some sense of the background and events of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. I’ll have a review of those events on Sunday.
Also on Sunday, the younger children are invited to an Easter Egg hunt following Sunday School and beginning at 10:45am.
This Sunday is the last day you can contribute to this year’s congregational Lenten service project selected by the Service & Mission Committee–“Diapers and Dollars.” As you will see on Sunday in the narthex, all of you have been wonderfully generous. It’s not too late to add to the pile! Thanks to the many of you who contribute to making a difference in our own community!
As I said earlier, Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week, leading into the high point of the church year: the celebration of the Three Days of Jesus’ death and resurrection. A reminder of the worship schedule:
- Thursday, April 17th, Maundy Thursday
With nightfall, Lent comes to an end and we gather with Christians around the world at 7:00pm to begin the celebration of the Three Days. At the heart of this worship is Jesus’ commandment to love one another and at the Lord’s Table we remember Jesus’ sacrifice of his life, even as we are called to offer ourselves in love for the life of the world. The service will conclude with the symbolic Stripping of the Altar.
- Friday, April 18th, Good Friday
At the end of Jesus’ life, our questions are like those of any grieving survivor in a hospital waiting room: Was he conscious? Did he suffer? What did he say? Did he mention me? From the cross, Jesus preaches his final sermon. And you can imagine the last words being the most important things he had to tell us. He preached his final sermon. With prayers, hymns, and meditations, we will hear Jesus’ “Seven Last Words,” from the cross.
- Sunday, April 20th, Easter Sunday
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” God has raised Jesus from the dead and we join in celebrating the new life Christ’s resurrection brings to us and all the world. There will be two Easter celebrations; one at 9:30am and another at 11:15am.
See you Sunday!
Mark