Pondering With the Pastor
Where will you be for Holy Week? Holy Week is the
week before Easter. It begins with Palm Sunday, April
13, and ends on Easter Sunday, April 20. The disciples
began “Holy Week” right by Jesus’ side, entering
Jerusalem in a parade of palm-waving children. They
continued to stay close to Jesus all the way through
the sharing of the Passover meal later that week. By
Friday, however, they were scattered, in hiding, and
nowhere to be seen. As the cross loomed on the
horizon and things started to get ugly, the disciples
longed to cover their eyes.
Most of us would prefer to hide our eyes, too. The
crucifixion of Jesus was a heart-wrenching sight. Yet,
as the disciples soon discovered, we cannot
experience the miraculous joy of Jesus’ resurrection
without first having to look upon the horror of Jesus’
death.
The full impact of Easter morning cannot be
experienced if we ignore or run away from the cross.
It is important that we tell the whole story so we can
better understand the context in which Jesus died.
I invite you to come contemplate the whole story of
Holy Week here at First Church on Palm Sunday
during our Cantata, at Messy Church on Palm Sunday
evening, on Holy Thursday as we share in the Last
Supper with Jesus and the disciples, and on Good
Friday, the day we remember the crucifixion, at St.
John’s Episcopal at noon.
These Holy Week services will deepen your Easter
celebration on Sunday, April 20. I look forward to
welcoming the news of resurrection at the Sunrise
service at 7:30 am and to joining in the fanfare of
joy at the 11:00 am worship service. We’ll celebrate
with triumphant processions, inspirational music,
spring flowers, Easter bags for children, and a
butterfly release! You won’t want to miss this
beautiful day of resurrection joy! Invite your friends
and family to join you!
Where will you be Holy Week? Will you be by Jesus’
side, or will you, like the frightened disciples, turn
your eyes and look away? Easter is a joyous day in
the life of the church. Make sure you hear the
whole story, so that you may experience the
wholeness of Christ’s salvation.
May the hope of the resurrection become real to
you this season. – Barb
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