Author: Fr. Joel

Lent & Holy Week

Fr. Joel

Palm Sunday
 The first service of Holy Week is Palm Sunday, when we remember the entrance of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem. He was triumphantly hailed as he rode a donkey across palm fronds into the city – to shouts of “Hosanna in the Highest.”

Maundy Thursday
 The Eucharist will be celebrated at 6:30 pm. Micheal Hueschen, is asking everyone to participate. He is putting the service together as part of his fieldwork. After discussion with the Parish, we decided not to have a potluck this year, but to provide a service that reflects the servanthood of believers. The purpose of Maundy Thursday is to remember the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples. This year we will be participating in a traditional foot washing, following the commandment of Christ that we should imitate His loving humility in the washing of the feet. You will not want to miss this special evening service. The service will conclude with the stripping of the altar.

Good Friday
 The origin of the term ‘Good Friday’ is unclear, but the meaning of the day is without doubt – it is the Friday on which the Church keeps the anniversary of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ –where we will experience the dramatic Good Friday readings. Join us at 6:30 pm to hear the story of what Christ went through for us.

The Great Vigil of Easter
 The Easter Vigil is the oldest of Christian holidays. It is a night of watching and rejoicing, the night of transition from death to life, from grief to joy. This year we will be celebrating the Vigil at St. Paul’s Church in St. Joseph. One of our youth will be Confirmed at this service. The Vigil starts at 8:30 pm with the Service of Light – the blessing of the new fire and the lighting of the paschal candle. At this service, we renew our baptismal vows. It is a time of recounting how God has moved through history and is active in our lives today.

Easter Day
 On this day, we will pull out all the stops, literally. The choir has prepared beautiful music that will bring glory to God. It is on this day, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and his victory over death. We come together as a community to celebrate what God has done in our lives.

To get the full Easter experience, come to as many of the services as you are able. I promise, the Spirit of God will move you in unexpected ways.

Peace,
Fr. Joel

Advent is Here

Fr. Joel

Advent is here. The word Advent is from the Latin adventus for “coming” and is associated with the four weeks of preparation for Christmas.

When the church celebrates Advent, she makes present this ancient expectancy of the Messiah, for by sharing in the preparation for theSavior’s first coming, the faithful renew their desire for Christ’s secondcoming. On one hand, we reflect back on Our Lord’s first coming when He humbledHimself, becoming incarnate and entered our time and space to free us from sin.On the other hand, we recall that Our Lord will come again.

To prepare for Christ’s coming, we need to prepare ourselves in heart, soul, strength, and mind. To do that, I invite you to participate in the devotional “Living Well through Advent 2018.” It can be found in the narthex (no that is not a part of an insect; it’s the fancy word for where we enter the church.)

During Advent, we will be slowly transforming the sanctuary in preparation. The first week we will add the Advent Wreath to give us a visual marker to remind us that Christ coming is near.  The second week we will see the crèche (nativity scene) in the church to remind us of Mary and Joseph’s preparing for his birth.  The third Sunday, we will see our church adorned with boughs

to make a festive preparation for Christ’s coming. On December 24, we will decorate the Christmas tree after church for the wonderful Candle light service on Christmas Eve.

In Luke, Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment is. The answer is taken from Deuteronomy. 6:4-5, which any faithful person of that time would have known from their daily morning prayer, the Shema. However, he adds a twist, he adds a second commandment from Leviticus 19:18 to love our neighbor.

Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
And Love your neighbor as yourself.

During each service in Advent, we will be reciting the Jesus Creed to remind us of what Jesus thought was the most important rule for our lives. Please join with me in reflecting how we can better love God and love others, as we prepare for Christ’s coming.