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Dear MLEPC Members and Friends,
April 9 is Palm Sunday, and we expect to see palms waving, to hear the scriptures that tell us of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and to sing "Hosanna!
Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!" And as you come to worship at MLEPC on April 9, you won't be disappointed; those familiar things will be there. Back in the fourth century, the church started to include readings from the passion, Christ's suffering, on Palm Sunday. These readings are some that we might hear on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and Palm Sunday is known in the liturgica
l world as Passion/Palm Sunday. There's more to Palm Sunday as we reflect on the significance of this day as the beginning of Holy Week, and my premise is that "you can't get there from here!" You cannot fully experience the celebration of Easter and Jesus' resurrection from the dead if you don't take part in His journey to the cross.
Palm Sunday is a celebration, a parade of sorts in that Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a humble donkey and is heralded as a king with coats strewn on the ground and palms waving. Next Sunday is Easter Sunday, and between those two celebrations, much happens in this last week of Jesus' earthly life that is key to our understanding of who Jesus is and what He came to earth to do. With a play on this statement "you can't get there from here," so well known in Pittsburgh with our windy, one way streets and even a "bridge to nowhere", we will be looking at why those events of Holy Week are so important in our journey to the cross with Jesus.
If you are unable to be with us for those services during Holy Week, I would encourage you to read and reflect on Matthew 26 and 27 in preparation for Easter Sunday. These two chapters are packed full of events that took place on those last two days of Jesus' earthly life; and they include Judas' betrayal, the Passover meal Jesus ate with his disciples in the Upper Room, the institution of the Lord's Supper, the foretelling of Peter's denial, Jesus' prayer and arrest in the Garden of Gethsemene, his trial before Caiaphas and the Council, Peter's denial, Jesus before Pilate, and his crucifixion. These significant events are missed if we simply go from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, from Hosanna! to Hallelujah!
And if you are able to join us for our Holy Week services, they are as follows:
- On Maundy Thursday, April 13, our Family Fusion meal at 6 p.m. will be followed by a family friendly worship service. Our Worship Team, led by Pastor Steve, will participate, and Elder Bruce Tenenbaum will bring us a message titled "Let Freedom Ring!" Communion will be served.
- Join with our neighbors at the Good Friday Community Service at Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church, 12-1 p.m. I will be representing MLEPC with a five minute message on Peter's denial of Jesus, and members of our choir will be participating in the community choir formed from the six participating churches.
- Our Traditional Tenebrae Service will be held in the sanctuary at 7:30 p.m., and we will again serve communion. Tenenbrae means "shadow" or "darkness" and as the darkness comes upon us naturally that evening, lights will be dimmed and we will hear reflections on the seven words of Jesus from the cross from seven of our elders.
- He is risen, He is risen indeed! Easter Sunday -we will hold our 9 a.m. & 11:15 a.m services - Pastor Steve will be preaching at both services. Join us for our traditional Easter breakfast in between the services from 10-11 a.m.
This week in worship, you will be hearing a report from the Onward (communication) Team with some updates in our time of transition. Please do keep your leadership, pastors, elders, and deacons, in prayer as we also lift you, our precious church family, in prayer. Pastor Steve and I continue to be grateful for the opportunities we have to serve alongside of you, and please do not hesitate to get in touch with one of us if you have a need for pastoral
care.
Wave those palms! Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!
Linda Pokrajac, 
Director of Congregational Care
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