Pastoral note, from Garrett

Holy Week offers us the opportunity to experience the drama of the journey to the cross. This week, we will have our annual Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. in the Sanctuary. Then, on Good Friday, we will have a short prayer service at noon. 

Sunday is Resurrection Day! On Easter Sunday, we will have worship at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. in the sanctuary. These will be identical services with the choir, except that the 11 a.m. service will have a children's sermon. 

Thanks to all of you who came out to the Church workday on Saturday. We had such an incredible crew that we were able to finish about 90 minutes early. Thank you to our Buildings & Grounds Committee for their work getting us organized.

 Look out for information on the "Cultivating Empathy" event on the Wednesday after Easter (April 23). It's going to be a great night.

Do you want to follow the journey to the cross at home with some devotional readings this week? Vanderbilt Divinity School offers these daily lectionary readings here. PASSPORT Camps provides a great daily devotional series at d365.org. 

Easter offers us the opportunity to see the world again—to take a double look and see through the everyday to the world God wants us to see and experience. W.P. Lemon once said, “Easter is not a passport to another world; it is a duality of perception for this one.” 

The banner outside the church this week quotes the Rev. William Sloane Coffin, saying, “Despite appearances, it is an Easter world.” 

As we face the cross this week, let’s consider how we can live with the Easter hope we celebrate this Sunday, bringing God’s just righteousness out from the tombs within to have its say in this world. 

Grace and peace,
Garrett Vickrey