Pastoral note, from Garrett

This Sunday is Palm Sunday. It is the day we remember Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The story has rich imagery and meaning. The excitement and joy of the moment go right alongside the foreshadowing of the cross to come. 

On Sunday, our children will lead us in a palm parade. After worship, there will be a family Easter activity to enrich our Holy Week experience. We will have lunch together in the atrium and then move to Maresh Hall to go through the seven stations of the cross. 

This Saturday is a church work day. Our buildings & grounds committee invites you to come and lend a hand as we work to make our grounds more inviting for Easter Sunday. We will meet in the courtyard at 9 a.m. Saturday morning. 

On the Wednesday after Easter (April 23), I want to invite you to a special event at Woodland. We are going to have a special session on “Cultivating Empathy.” Rev. Christy Edwards will lead us via Zoom. Christy is a pediatric hospital chaplain in Kansas City, MO, where she provides extensive empathic listening and emotional support to families in times of acute trauma and end-of-life situations. 

In an age of loneliness and isolation, we seek meaningful connection more than ever. Have you been in a situation where a friend or church member shared something difficult they were going through, and you weren't sure how to respond? Maybe someone said something bizarre to you after you told them something vulnerable. 

In this class, you will learn simple, practical skills you can immediately put into practice to strengthen both your personal and professional relationships. We’ll gather at 5:30 for pizza and salad. The session goes from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

We want to be empathetic to students who sit in class all day. So, there will be a big game of Capture the Flag for elementary children and teens that night during “Cultivating Empathy.” 

Grace and peace,
Garrett Vickrey