April 3, 2009

Dear family and friends of WCPC:

            We move into Holy Week on Sunday.  Holy Week observances began in Jerusalem in the earliest days of the Church, when devout people traveled to Jerusalem at Passover to reenact the events of the week leading up to the resurrection.  Egeria was a Christian who traveled widely between 381 – 385 and wrote about Christian customs and observances in Egypt, Palestine, and Asia Minor.  She described how religious tourists to Jerusalem reenacted the events of Holy Week. 

            On Palm Sunday afternoon, she wrote, the crowds waved palm fronds as they made a procession from the Mount of Olives into the city.  The tourists, who participated, took the customs home with them.  Holy Week observances spread to Spain by the fifth century and to Gaul (today’s France and Belgium) and England by the early seventh century.

  Holy Week observances for over 1600 years have encouraged Christian disciples to reenact, relive, and reflect upon the love and grace of God shown in the passion of Jesus Christ.  As we remember Christ’s sacrifice, we offer to God our lives as “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1).  As we allow ourselves to marvel at the depths of God’s love during Holy Week we are readied to serve joyfully our resurrected Lord.

This Sunday, in addition to our morning Palm Sunday observances at both worship services, at 7:00 p.m. the Sanctuary Choir will present “The Colors of Grace.”  This Lenten Cantata, presented by our choir, with an orchestra, will help prepare us as we look to the cross.

During Holy Week, Monday through Friday, from 7:00 a.m. till 7:30 a.m. we will hold morning devotions in the Prayer Garden.  There will be time for meditation, prayer, scripture reading and reflection.  Christa and I will be using the Lectionary passages for Holy Week. 

On Maundy Thursday, at 7:30 p.m. we will gather as a community in the sanctuary for our Maundy Thursday worship service.  In this service we remember the Last Supper of our Lord, as well as Jesus’ command to his disciples, and to us, that we are to “love one another.”  Jesus demonstrated, illustrated his love for as he died on the cross for our sakes.  As found in the prophet Isaiah -- “… he was wounded for our transgression…. and by his bruises we are healed.”  (53:5). Christa Brewer will be delivering the message on Maundy Thursday.

I hope that you will consider these opportunities next week as we prepare for the good news of Easter morning!

Your pastor,

David Jones