From the Pastor’s Desk – March 2016

MARCH, SCRIPTURALLY SPEAKING

EASTER COMES FROM an old Anglo-Saxon word, eastre, meaning ‘spring”. It is akin to another olde worde, lencten, from which we get LENT, meaning literally “lengthening” as in the lengthening of days associated with increasing light of day and (most recently) the change to Daylight Savings Time. Such seasonal lengthening and Winter’s release of warmth and blossoms encourage rays of hope, relief, joy and health in the coming days. So, our worship reflects Spring’s transitions from dark to light, sobriety to joy, and death to sin with grace-full rebirth in Jesus, the resurrected Redeemer and Lord of all!

MARCH 6, 2016..(MOTHERING OR REFRESHMENT SUNDAY)…FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
Psalm 32 Joshua 5.9-12 2 Corinthians 5.16-21 Luke 13.1-9

MARCH 13, 2016…FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT
Psalm 126 Isaiah 43.16-21 Philippians 3.4b-14 John 12.1-8
Daylight Savings Time Begins—please set your watches, clocks, timers ahead one hour –

MARCH 20, 2016……PALM SUNDAY….SIXTH SUNDAY IN LENT
First-Sunday Service of the Eucharist
You wouldn’t want to miss Sunday School and Church!
Liturgy of the Palms—11:00 AM Worship
Psalm 118 and Luke 19.28-40
Children’s Procession with Palms
Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion—11:00 AM Worship
Psalm 31 Isaiah 50.4-9a Philippians 2.5-11 Luke 23.1-49
PASSION FESTIVAL—7:00 PM“A Journey to Hope” – A Cantata Inspired by Spirituals
Charles Wesley Choir, Guest Vocalists and Instrumentalists
By Joseph M. Martin

MARCH 24, 2016…..THURSDAY OF HOLY WEEK
Psalm 116 Exodus 12.1-14 1 Corinthians 11.23-26 John 13.31b-35
Service of the Lord’s Supper, and Gethsemane Litany—7:00 PM

MARCH 27, 2016…RESURRECTION OF THE LORD…EASTER DAY
Sunrise Gathering, Dan and Jon Bozard’s House, 821 Blue Heron Cove
Breakfast—6:30 AM Sunrise Service—7:00 AM
Festival Worship—Service of Resurrection—11:00 AM, Sanctuary
Psalm 118 Acts 10.34-43 1 Corinthians 15.19-26 Luke 24.1-12

The Feast of Purim (“lots”) occurs this year on March 23-24. It is occasioned by the story of the Jews escaping extermination at the hands of Haman through the intervention of Queen Esther. In fact, this is the Book of Esther in our Old Testament. It is meant to be read with mirth and a sense of hilarity. The Jews make it a rousing feast.

Take and read, enjoy, revel! (By the way, this is the only book of the Bible where God’s name never appears.)

Cordially,

Bruce