Who's The One?
Last Sunday Grace overwhelmingly voted, 53-1, to accept the Healthy Church Initiative prescriptions. We'll begin the work of forming those teams after Easter, and we'll establish timelines for not only beginning the work, but deadlines for finishing and reporting. It'll be a long process, but I hope we are sufficiently excited about the possibilities for new ministry.
Almost immediately after the vote, people started asking themselves: "Who's the one?" Several people spoke to me this week, claiming they knew the one: a person they were sitting near, they overheard a comment in the hallway, etc. It's impossible for every one of those people to be right. And I hope "The One" remains anonymous-- not because we do not need dissenting voices; we do-- but because the guessing game is fun. And we've voted and are moving forward. I hope The One sees the merit of the process and becomes an enthusiastic supporter.
But we must move on! Holy Week is upon us, and Easter is looming: nine days away! We received our Grace UMC Easter postcard at the parsonage yesterday-- I think I'll attend! I say this every year, but Holy Week and Easter are not the "Super Bowl" of the church; it is the World Series. The slow pace, plus the variety of services and opportunities, makes Holy Week one of the most powerful spiritual observances of the year. Here's the schedule:
Tomorrow: Breakfast at the church and clean up of the grounds. Make the church beautiful for Easter guests.
Sunday: Palm/Passion Sunday. Children's processional waving their palms, always a spectacular sight. A very rare calendar phenomenon makes this year especially meaningful (more on this in the sermon).
Monday: SIMA service. Actually the Sherman Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance has services in various churches all week long, from Sunday evening to Easter Sunday morning, but Monday is Grace's annual night to host.
Holy Thursday: We'll commemorate Jesus' gift of communion to the church, this year with a unique perspective: prayers for healing and forgiveness.
Good Friday: A service filled with powerful music and scripture readings. Experience the last moments of Jesus' life in a meaningful way.
Holy Saturday: Walk through Holy Week and Egg hunt, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Kids from the neighborhood and the church family enjoy a couple of hours learning and experiencing the events of the week.
Easter Sunday: Sunrise service at Pecan Grove West, led by our youth group; morning services here at the building. Please arrive early, leave parking spots close to the church for guests, and be mindful of new people, or folk you haven't seen in awhile. Be a welcoming, hospitable person!
Thanks in advance to everyone who will work to make these days special for everyone who participates. I encourage you to participate in as many observances as your calendar will allow.
Almost immediately after the vote, people started asking themselves: "Who's the one?" Several people spoke to me this week, claiming they knew the one: a person they were sitting near, they overheard a comment in the hallway, etc. It's impossible for every one of those people to be right. And I hope "The One" remains anonymous-- not because we do not need dissenting voices; we do-- but because the guessing game is fun. And we've voted and are moving forward. I hope The One sees the merit of the process and becomes an enthusiastic supporter.
But we must move on! Holy Week is upon us, and Easter is looming: nine days away! We received our Grace UMC Easter postcard at the parsonage yesterday-- I think I'll attend! I say this every year, but Holy Week and Easter are not the "Super Bowl" of the church; it is the World Series. The slow pace, plus the variety of services and opportunities, makes Holy Week one of the most powerful spiritual observances of the year. Here's the schedule:
Tomorrow: Breakfast at the church and clean up of the grounds. Make the church beautiful for Easter guests.
Sunday: Palm/Passion Sunday. Children's processional waving their palms, always a spectacular sight. A very rare calendar phenomenon makes this year especially meaningful (more on this in the sermon).
Monday: SIMA service. Actually the Sherman Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance has services in various churches all week long, from Sunday evening to Easter Sunday morning, but Monday is Grace's annual night to host.
Holy Thursday: We'll commemorate Jesus' gift of communion to the church, this year with a unique perspective: prayers for healing and forgiveness.
Good Friday: A service filled with powerful music and scripture readings. Experience the last moments of Jesus' life in a meaningful way.
Holy Saturday: Walk through Holy Week and Egg hunt, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Kids from the neighborhood and the church family enjoy a couple of hours learning and experiencing the events of the week.
Easter Sunday: Sunrise service at Pecan Grove West, led by our youth group; morning services here at the building. Please arrive early, leave parking spots close to the church for guests, and be mindful of new people, or folk you haven't seen in awhile. Be a welcoming, hospitable person!
Thanks in advance to everyone who will work to make these days special for everyone who participates. I encourage you to participate in as many observances as your calendar will allow.
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