Friends,

When we started this Lenten season, it was still insanely cold outside. Snowcrete was a relevant and hot topic. On the first day of Lent, we reminded each other of our shared mortality by spreading ashes on each other’s foreheads. It was beautiful and solemn. The children’s programming on the first Wednesday Burger Night was inside, and no one would have dreamed of taking kids out into the dark cold. Last night, parents and kids lingered well after the official ending of the program and enjoyed the light and warmth. Regardless of how we frame this season, it only starts off being about death but unambiguously ends teaching us about new life.

As we enter Holy Week, the week when we prepare ourselves to transcend from the dark honesty of Ash Wednesday to the hope and joy of the empty tomb, I commend to you two practices.

The first is to give thanks. Soooo many people are putting forth a ton of effort to make this week special. You will be able to see the efforts of some, but not most. Give thanks for the altar guild, especially Susan Harris and Christine Kelly, the choir and musicians, the eucharistic ministers, Sunday School teachers, education ministers, acolytes, lectors, Bishop, and Kyle, the intrepid seminarian. Give thanks to those whose efforts are discrete. Give thanks to our administrative staff, AV ministry, our facilities manager, sexton, cleaning service, buildings and grounds committee, and trash service. A ton of effort goes into making this season meaningful and beautiful for anyone who walks through the door. Take a moment, and if anything, just be grateful for the copious amount of ministry and love to goes into this place. Thank you all for making this possible.

The second practice I commend to you is to live into the season. Starting this Sunday, Palm Sunday, there will be a series of ancient services filled with spiritual depth and drama. Show up to them and get lost in the story of our salvation. Ignoring the grammatically error the bulletin is required. Heck, put down the bulletin, and just watch the altar get stripped bare on Maundy (not pronounced Monday) Thursday or study the icons of the stations of the cross on Good Friday at noon. Here is a quick list of our Holy Week services. Check them out as you feel called:

· March 29th Palm Sunday: We start the service outside with palm fronds as we hear the story of Jesus’s arrival into Jerusalem. The Gospel is read in parts and tells the story of Jesus’s crucifixion.

· April 2nd Maundy Thursday: This is the last time Holy Eucharist may be celebrated before sunset at the Easter Vigil. The service starts fairly normal, then after the Gospel, we invite you to wash each other’s feet. It will likely just be me and a few others. After the Eucharist, the lights dim, and we take everything off the altar while Kate chants Psalm 22.

· On Good Friday, we observe the Way of the Cross (just like stations of the cross) at noon. This is also broadcast live. At 7:00 pm we meet around the fire pit and say solemn prayers and have a service about absence. There’s no bulletin. No altar. No vestments.

· April 4th Easter Vigil: This is the start of Easter! As the sun sets, we will light the Easter fire, process into the Church, and after hearing stories of God’s faithfulness we will turn on all the lights and sing the Gloria with all our hearts! Bishop Gayle Harris will be there from Richmond to baptize, confirm, receive and reaffirm members of our Church and two other local Churches. It is going to be great.

· April 5th Easter Sunday: Other than some leporine vandalism, a massive crowd and special music, the service is pretty normal. Everyone goes to this service, and for good reason, but don’t forget, this is the last page of Holy Week. Don’t forget the middle bits.

Thank you all. I am grateful for you, and I hope to see you lots this week!

Blessings,

Nick