Hello Friends,
What a wonderful weekend we have ahead of us as we walk toward Easter Sunday together. Steve and I sure are looking forward to sharing it with you for the very first time. In this last month, many of you have lost loved ones, but the resurrection is a powerful reminder of the hope that doesn't disappoint.
Tonight at 7pm we'll celebrate Holy Thursday with a beautiful service in the round in the Worship Center. We'll remember Jesus' last supper with the disciples and hear the account of the crucifixion as we share in a Tenebrae service, extinguishing a candle after each reading. We'll close with special music offered by Steve Price.
Tomorrow on Good Friday, you'll have two very special opportunities to worship: a noon service in the chapel moving us through the Seven Last Words of Christ and a 7pm service with the Combined Adult Choir Easter Cantata. The music will be beautiful and the lyrics powerful, all with the added gift of dance and visuals.
Finally, on Sunday, we'll celebrate the resurrection with four Easter services: 7:00 Sunrise (in the Memorial Garden) and 8:15, 9:40 and 11:00 in the Worship Center. JJ Joseph, Trinity's Youth Minister, will be preaching at the Sunrise Service and I'll be offering the message at the others. And don't forget your flowers for the Easter cross. It will be across the driveway in a different location this year.
As usual on Easter, there will be many guests with us for the first time or people returning who haven't been to Trinity in quite a while. We want them to have the very best experience they can possible have, so in light of that I give you three invitations to help make them feel especially welcome:
- Please look around and be aware of folks you don't know, especially for the few minutes immediately before and after the service. Say hello and introduce yourself. They may be new and, if even they're not, you'll make a new friend.
- If you have youth in Sonlight or children participating in the Easter Celebration and egg hunt following the 9:40 service, by all means please attend that service. But, if not, then I would invite you to consider attending one of the other services. Last year we had about 250 people at the 8:15 service, 450 at 11:00, and 1,300 at 9:40. Giving up your seat at 9:40 would be an act of hospitality for our guests, many of whom will attend the 9:40 service. You never know how a life might be touched.
- Please follow the instructions of the parking attendants and, if you are able bodied, park as far away from the buildings as possible. Although we have plenty of parking on our property, we want to leave our prime parking open for guests and those coming at 11:00, some of whom cannot walk long distances.
Finally, invite a friend or neighbor to ride with you or meet you and sit with you for Easter worship. It might be the most important invitation they have ever received!
Hope to see you this evening!
Grace and Peace,
