Caldwell Family:
On Sunday, we begin Holy Week, the final steps of our Lenten journey, a time of many mixed emotions, ending finally in the great good news of the open, empty tomb as witness to the resurrection.
This year, we will all witness to the resurrection in an additional way as we celebrate the devoted life of faith of our sister Sue Aivaz. Sue died in the early morning hours today. The family has made preliminary plans for a memorial service Tuesday afternoon. I will follow up with further communications once those plans are complete. We rejoice in Sue’s liberation from the ailments that have affected her quality of life in these last years and we give thanks for her unwavering support and love of the church.
As a church family, we will have several other opportunities to experience this holy time together:
This Sunday, we will gather for our annual Palm Sunday breakfast, a festival feast in which we enjoy each other’s company and are nourished for the week, beginning with worship and the Palm Sunday parade. Come, take a palm branch and sing “Alleluia!”
Sunday night at 6 p.m. at St. John’s Baptist Church, the choirs of the Elizabeth Communities of Faith (ECF) will lift up their voices in a joint concert. The choirs will sing individually and together. This first-time event should be a wonderful additional way to prepare our hearts and minds.
Tuesday afternoon, we will celebrate Sue’s life. Again, details to come.
Wednesday at Noon we will host the last of the ECF Lenten Services. Our Intern in Ministry Veronica Rogers will preach.
Thursday at 7:30 pm we hold the Tenebrae Service, one of the most meaningful services of the year, a time of contemplating the darkness and welcoming the light.
As I will explore Sunday in worship, Holy Week is a week of contrasts, at least seeming contrasts, ending in Christ’s “good death” and triumphant victory. Even as we go to work or clean up our yards or enjoy each other’s fellowship, let us contemplate that victory and prepare ourselves for the completion of our journey.
See you soon – and often, I hope, in the coming week. John