HOLY WEEK that is.....no better time to be a Priest! I live for this stuff.
I became an Episcopalian a few years after I was confirmed, the 1st time I did the "full meal deal" for Holy Week. WOW....I had been missing SO much as a Baptist! Then seminary taught me the wonder and glory of the Easter Vigil and I have been hooked ever since.
We have an ongoing debate down here, and at my Frest Start group, about the Vigil. Most are not in to it too much. Waste of time....no one comes....what's the use? Me, I gotta have it! I have been doing a TON of teaching since I arrived here about the Vigil, and folks are really supporting it.
This year, Holy Week of course takes on a whole new flavor. Doing all the services in a school gym that is the "home" to 125 volunteers makes it...um...interesting. Lots of time management, moving of chairs and tables, decorating, thinking WAY outside the box - it's a LOT and it's a blast!
My poor new secretary is feeling a little overwhelmed as I keep producing bulletins for all these services. But...I have Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday done AND I have done sermons already for the first two. I suspect I will finish the other three tomorrow - it all has to flow together in my book, so might as well write them together.
We will gather outside the gym and parade around with palms on Sunday....Eucharist on Mon, Tue, and Wed (with healing on Wed). MT, two GF, THE VIGIL, and Easter Sunday followed by a fun egg hunt (eggs provided by the Resurrection Rabbit).
The Vigil will include story telling and 5 baptisms by candelight around a font set in the middle of the gym floor, with chairs encircling the font. I still got to figure out how to "instantly" light the place, the gym lights take forever to warm up.
When our Bishop visited last week, he commented how Bishops from all over the country have told him consistently how our Sunday morning worship in the gym had really been a blessing to the volunteers from their respective dioceses. It was wonderful to hear and really great for our people to hear!
So....come on down...there's work to do and HOLY WEEK TOO!
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2 comments:
My friend, this will be an extra special Holy Week indeed. A dear friend of ours is making sure that it will be so from his spot as our angel. Love M
Easter day will be special here as after the service we will be sending our high school youth down to that camp in Long Beach. Nothing better than worshiping the Lord and then getting out and doing something about it.
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