Thursday and Friday...... but Sunday is coming!

 Moving on in Holy Week, Maundy Thursday is another unique experience at my church.  Fellowship of Faith gathers everyone together for a Communion meal in their coffee house space.  Family tables are set and everyone crams into a really small space.  This year there were over 240 people gathered.  The most special part of this event is that it is also the First Communion time for many young people.  This year, it was Anna's turn!  

The kids have to stand up and tell their church, why they want to begin communing.  It is a very big deal to hold a microphone and speak your belief out in front of a big crowd.  This year there were 10 kids standing together! 

I was so proud of Anna!  She was able to speak exactly what she wanted to say, in spite of being really afraid!  

The church asked various people to prepare bread for this event.  Different breads were on each table.  Pastor read the Bible passages from that first night when Jesus instituted Communion, and then the oldest person at each table, serves the bread and wine (juice).  

Since I am usually the oldest one present, I get to serve the communion meal. It is a tremendous honor to have been able to give all four of my grandchildren their first communion, gving Anna her first this year.  

I've been thinking a great deal about Spiritual Heritage and leaving a Spiritual legacy.  Events such as these, cement the importance of celebrating these special times.  Gwen and Tim have done an amazing job sharing their own faith with their children.  

Watching Lia, Ellie, Zeke and Anna each walk their own faith journey has given me great joy.  My family has been blessed with a long and deep spiritual heritage and this night was a step into the future legacy.  As I was driving home after this night, I was reflecting on my own first Communion and thinking about what my parents and grandparents (and great grandparents) might have experienced.  Even though this spanned over 200 years (yes I actually stopped and figured that out) each of us heard the same words from the Bible.  Some heard them in German or Swedish, but they were the same words.  What a powerful connection to our past and to our future.  

And then Friday.  Good Friday.  As a kid I couldn't understand why we call this day good.  Sitting in a very dark church, listening to the words spoken and remembering my own thoughts the night before, I was imaging my past generations hearing these same words.  Feeling these same feelings.  I had invited an old friend to attend church with me, something I am not very good at doing!  After the service, we were talking about losing our siblings and parents.  This service gives you a time to reflect on each of the times you have lost a loved one.  Again, knowing that Sunday is coming does change your perspective.  But it is easy to resonate with the disciples and their feelings that Jesus was gone.  They really did not understand the plan.  Trying to imagine all of these events of Holy Week, as a participant rather than an observer, brings a new and better understanding.  Just before I sat down to write this blog, I saw a post about crucifixion.  I knew that it was a terrible way to die.  I knew that there were very few places that it was used as punishment.  However, this morning I learned that the word "Excruciating" actually is derived from the Latin word to torture or torment on a cross.  So using that word excruciating for any other painful thing, seems wrong to me.  Again, I don't think I will ever think about Good Friday the same way again. 

Jesus, thank you for your death on the cross.  You knew exactly what the father was asking of you, yet you allowed yourself to be crucified.  Holy Spirit, give us all courage to grow in understanding of this foundational event.  Help us remember that, although death is a part of our lives, Sunday is coming.  Thank you Jesus for loving us and wanting us to know you - in your life, in your death and in your resurrection!  Amen 

Palm Sunday - beginning of an amazing week!

What a wonderful way to celebrate Palm Sunday!  My church does this amazing thing that they call "Pilgrimage" ever Palm Sunday.  All people are encouraged to walk to church on that day.  Because many live (literally) miles away from church, there are meet up points to walk together from various homes.  The Rock and Boulder (children and youth) walk together and this year, I walked with them.  It was a "brisk" 28 degrees so hats, gloves and cold weather gear was necessary!  Around 65 of us walked together for 2.5 miles, reminding us of all the faithful people in Jesus' day, who walked miles up to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.  I believe over 200 people walked to church that day!

We stopped several times along the way to hear the Psalms read, which are actually songs that the people would sing as they walked together in their own pilgrimage to Passover.  I can not fully describe what it felt like to be welcomed into the church parking lot to screams of "Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" This was accompanied by waving of palm branches and even a real donkey!  The worship service that followed was a true celebration, including flags waving all around the church.  I managed to snap photos of both Ellie and Zeke with flags!

My perspective on Palm Sunday was forever altered when Pastor Dave shared that this was really an insurrection - a rebellion by the Jewish people against the Roman oppressors. I saw this event in a totally new way, and it made sense to me now that the people thought Jesus would be the one to lead a takeover of the Roman government.  There were millions of Jews and a relatively small number of Roman Soldiers.  I was reminded of how often, I am dissapointed when things do not work out the way I thought they should.  It certainly helped me understand better how we get to Thursday night.  

Yes, this year Holy Week took on a whole new meaning for me.  Reading through the last chapters of the Book of John in the Bible felt new and fresh to me.  Even though I know what is just a week away, the words on the pages seemed present to me.  I am so thankful for this set-apart time to really enter into a world changing event.  

Jesus, thank you for making sure that 2000 years later, we have your words to guide us.  The Bible is an incredible gift for us.  Holy Spirit, remind us that we can all learn and grow, no matter how old we are.  Thank you for community, for family and friends.  Thank you for gifted leadership that bring the Bible stories to life in new ways.  Amen