Off the Top of My Head: Sr. Minister, Bill Trump

Once again we find ourselves on the brink of another Holy Week.  Beginning with Palm Sunday we will recount the events of the final days of Jesus’ life.  As modern day Christians we do so from a unique perspective.  We know what the final outcome is; we know what happens on Sunday.  Some in this modern day and age prefer to move directly from the triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the empty tomb a week later.  Why bother with all the gloomy, depressing, and painful days that lie between them?  In the protestant church, attendance at worship during this most important week reflects our aversion to these dismal days.

We should make an effort to remember the events of Holy Week in their entirety, as it will add to the depth and significance of this experience for our lives.  We need to know that we cannot have an Easter without a Good Friday and a Last Supper.  It is in these “less joyful” events that Christ shares the struggles of our humanness.  In those dark hours, Jesus went through the pain and anguish that is a part of each of our lives.  In these events God has shown to us the magnitude of his love for all creation.  When we are filled with feelings of distress and anxiety and pray for comfort, we know that God will understand, for in Jesus, God has shared our life and our experience.  Knowing all of this and having remembered these struggles, the victory of Easter morning is magnified and enhanced.

Please make a special effort to be a part of our worship experiences this coming week.  On Palm Sunday we will celebrate the triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  Then on Maundy Thursday we will gather for a simple meal followed by a very special worship service sharing the Lord’s Supper and the Tennebrae.  On Good Friday we will worship in the chapel at 12:30p.m. to remember the crucifixion and death of our Lord.  And finally, our celebrations will climax with our Easter celebrations – our sunrise service will begin at 6:30 a.m. in the garden, followed by a potluck breakfast; then at 10:30 we will gather in the sanctuary for our Easter celebration with special Music and beautiful flowers.  I pray you will be with us for this most special day.

-Bill