Pastoral Musings

“Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed!”

Are there any words more joy-filled than these? In April, we conclude

our Lenten journey with the joyful pronouncement of Easter morning. The tomb

is empty, and with that realization the world is changed forever. We have the

fulfillment of God’s promise of life eternal.

Of course, before we get to Easter morning, we travel the road of Holy

Week. We journey with the disciples through the final meal they would share

with their teacher. We hear Jesus’ mandate to them, and by extension to us,

to “love one another, as I have loved you.” On Thursday, April 2nd, we will

remember that final meal as we share Communion during our Maundy Thursday

service.

During this service, we will also reflect upon the hours leading up to

Jesus’ crucifixion through readings from our Gospels as the light gradually

dims. During this service of Tenebrae, we recall the events of Good Friday – the

betrayal, the trial, and the disciples’ denial of Jesus in those final hours.

As we walk this full journey of Holy Week, we are reminded that Easter is

part of this fabric. We don’t get to the fullness of the glorious news of Easter

without remembering all that transpired in the hours before. As the culmination

of our journey, Easter is all about the glorious Resurrection. And, because Easter

is on April 5th this year (the first Sunday in April), we will postpone our Com-

munion service to the following Sunday, April 12th.

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I hope you will join us for our journey through the fullness of Holy Week

as we come through the shadows into the joyful light of Easter morning when

we exclaim with Christians around the world, “Christ is risen! Christ is risen

indeed!”

Easter Blessings,

Pastor Linda