Dear friends in Christ,
Last Sunday our Palm Sunday service was wonderful! Our attendance was strong
and the enthusiasm with our Hosannas and palm waving was inspiring. The palm crosses that
everyone wore were similar and yet unique. Unique and beautiful! Thanks to everyone who
participated from the choir, the acolytes, the lectors, the Passion narrative readers, servers, and
ushers!
This week we celebrate the Holy Triduum – the three days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday,
and Easter. These three days are theologically thought of as one day as the mystery of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ occur as one continuous act. This is the highlight of our Christian calendar!
Our Maundy Thursday service, at 7p.m., follows the “mandate” or command from Jesus to love and serve one another. The way he demonstrated this to his disciples was by washing their feet like a servant. We will follow in this tradition of foot washing for all who wish to participate. We will share Holy Communion together as is our usual custom. And as a part of our Eucharistic Prayer, we will bless the communion elements of bread and wine that will be reserved and used on Good Friday.
Our Good Friday service, at 7p.m., is our time to focus on the cross that Jesus carried and was crucified on. Easter is coming, but we must get through Good Friday to get there. We will have a time to pray at the foot of the cross and take communion from the Reserve sacrament that has been kept on the altar in the chapel during a time of holy vigil between the end of the Maundy Thursday service to Good Friday.
Our Easter service, at 10a.m., will be the pinnacle of the Christian year as Christ is Risen is said by all! The “Alleluias” return and the dissonance that we knew over Lent and most of Holy Week turn into a noted resonance in song and scripture.
Easter is traditionally the beginning of the baptismal season. We are blessed to have a baptism of little Noah Micheal Campbell. Noah will become our newest member! His parents are Kellie Grenney and Ryan Campbell who is Lyndi Lowman’s brother. They live in the DFW area although Ryan grew up in Lexington and has worshipped at Calvary several times before. They are entrusting their son to us for this baptism and our ongoing prayers of support. We will stay connected with them and they with us in the future. We are honored to share in Noah’s baptism and certainly look forward to supporting this family in their spiritual journey.
For those about to be Baptized or to renew their Baptismal Covenant
O God, you prepared your disciples for the coming of the
Spirit through the teaching of your Son Jesus Christ: Make
the hearts and minds of your servants ready to receive the
blessing of the Holy Spirit, that they may be filled with the
strength of his presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Remember that God loves you and please remember to invite someone to Calvary!
Blessings, Fr. Jon
