Dear friends:
In preparation for this Easter weekend, I ran across the story of a coal mine disaster that struck the Welsh village of Aberfan in 1966, taking the lives of scores of people, including numerous children. It was a tragedy beyond description.
The event is recalled in an episode of The Crown, and Queen Elizabeth is portrayed as too distant and emotionally reserved to respond effectively to the crisis. Thus, she sends her husband, Prince Philip, to the funeral in her stead.
The villagers gather at the cemetery with an open grave holding a row of coffins of lost children, dozens of them placed next to each other. Prince Philip weeps as the villagers begin to sing:
--------Other refuge have I none;
------hangs my helpless should on thee;
------leave, ah! leave me not alone,
------still support and comfort me.
------All my trust on thee is stayed,
------all my help from thee I bring;
------cover my defenseless head
------with the shadow of thy wing.
It’s a stanza from “Jesus, Lover of My Soul” (Charles Wesley, M.A.), an intimate and utterly plaintive hymn.
When Philip returned to Buckingham Palace, the Queen inquired about the funeral.
Philip responded, “Eighty-one children were buried today…the rage, in all the faces, behind all the eyes. They didn’t smash things up or fight in the streets.”
“What did they do?” asked the Queen.
“They sang. The whole community. It was the most astonishing thing I’ve ever heard.”
Yes, it is, and it’s based on the most astonishing claim ever made: life is stronger than death, hope is stronger than despair, and love is stronger than hate.
We’ll embrace these essential claims of faith this week through a rich tapestry of worship. Tonight, we’ll celebrate the Lord’s Supper in a creative and fresh Maundy Thursday service. Tomorrow, we’ll tell the story of Good Friday through exquisite music, scripture reading, and Tenebrae. On Saturday, we’ll celebrate an early Easter with children and families (though all are invited!) and, of course, animals. Then, on Sunday, we’ll have three Easter services at our normal times. Click here to see the times and details.
We invite you to punctuate your life with the rhythm of worship this week and embrace the strength of our faith.
Warmly,
