Reflection onThe Morning After...
I am spending a wonderfully sunny morning on the deck made of old church pews, having breakfast, reading the paper, picking up good quotes for a sermon and wondering if I did all the "right" things for the Lenten season. Ok, that's it no more wondering can't do much about it now! (for those who know how I could have done things differently, please email me bethelcommunitypcusa@gmail.com)
What surprised me most about the Holy Week experience and Easter is how energized I am. I am very excited about what's next and believe it or not after a good night's sleep, I am energized spiritually and physically. I can't wait to see where God leads the faith community of Bethel and me.
I am thankful for the faith community of Bethel for participating in new and different ways to celebrate the sacred holy days and worship in the ordinary times. For every Sunday of Lent, the congregation wrote on rocks their greatest passion and their regrets/sins and laid them on the communion table before taking communion (Yes, we celebrate commmunion every Sunday of Lent). Most thought writing down their sins six Sundays in a row was a bit much, but the exericise was intended as a moment of personal confession. Oh, well...most participated. Don't most churches have a couple "perfect" people in the pews?
Maundy Thursday, we served a wonderful soup and bread dinner (Thank you to Carol T., Lauren and Carrie) and then went into the Sanctuary for the re-living of the Last Supper. On the communion table, were 12 vases with candles in them, representing the disciples with the cross at the head of the table. The "disciples" were placed in the midst of the rocks, placed earlier. (pictures will be posted later when I find my camera!) A narration of the night with scripture and music provided by the Choir, Praise Team and the Band helped all of us reflect on that evening (Thank you to Mark Unbehagen and all the gifted and talented folks at Bethel who read and shared their music). We ended the service by having 12 people come stand next to a candle and serve each other communion, we did this till all who were able to come to the table. For those not able to come to the table, were served communion by one of our children. We left knowing the the next day would be Good Friday.
Good Friday, we built a tomb for Jesus! We formed a cross made of rectangle glass vases that represented the disciples on Maundy Thursday and placed battery lit tea lights in them. The sanctuary was dark so the center of the sanctuary was a cross that was both beautiful and eery. The cross was placed in the midst of the rocks that were placed in the weeks before. At the end of the scripture reading, people were asked to place the rocks on top off the cross representing their actions in their daily lives that deny Christ and part of the crowd that screamed "Crucify Him." Also they were asked to write on a paper to write down what they are asking forgiveness for on Good Friday. They also placed these papers on the cross. After all was done, the cross's light was dimmed with enough light to reflect, "No matter the darkness, Christ's light always prevails!"
Easter Saturday was a day of cleaning out old stuff, selling usable stuff, and preparing the sanctuary for Sunday. Thank you to all the people who helped! (Nikii, Dina, Don, Uriik)
Easter Sunday a group of Bethel folks came to help fill baloons with helium! We filled the sanctuary with balloons! (Thank you to Don, Uriik and Jonelle). A trombone, coronet, bass guitar, violin, saxophone, dulcimer and djembe welcomed us into worship. We also had a litany and special art work with balloons representing the moving of the Holy Spirit. We had a full house with many visitors! I asked, "Why do you come to church on Easter?" A few good responses but a lot of blank stares. Then went on to talk about transformation. I also asked them to think that every Sunday is Easter! I invited to come next week without the baloons! We affirmed seven people who decided to formally join Bethel. Celebrated communion with the largest loaf of bread (I think it weighed five pounds) baked by Carrie. Then the moment came that all were waiting for! The Easter Egg Hunt - I called all the children from the nursery into the sanctuary and with other children gathered around the communion table in eager anticipation of the Big Hunt. I dismissed them according to age starting at just a year to those over 10. I did this while the adults stayed in place and watched the children get excited and impatient for their turn. Then the adults with a sigh of relief got to leave and go to wonderful spread provided by Monika and Robert.
The generosity of the faith community of Bethel was overhwelming with the eggs! (Thank you to everyone especially Karin and her girls and Kathie who coordinated the hunt and putting candy in eggs!) Every child got at least 20 eggs! The hard-boiled ones were thrown on the walkway in the front of the church! (so we didn't see them until we left!) Next year no hard-boiled eggs! Somebody remember to remind me of that!
Thank you Bethel for accompanying each other on the journey to the cross and tomb!
Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen, Indeed!

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