Well, Holy Week is in the books. It was really wonderful, special this year because we know it’s our last Holy Week in exile! Thinking back over four Holy Weeks done in borrowed space – two in a school gym and two at Camp Coast Care – I am very proud of how our folks have come together to make these spaces holy and sacred, and to be able to provide these special liturgies under difficult circumstances.
Our attendance was only fair for Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, but excellent for the Easter Vigil Saturday night and for Easter Sunday. The Vigil was really special. I was worried we wouldn’t have a big crowd since, for the first time, we were not doing baptisms. But they came! It shows this Parish has really adopted this service and looks forward to it each year. The storytellers did a good job, and I was able to tie my homily into my own story telling (Ezekiel – dry bones). We renewed baptismal vows and I sprinkled the congregation with Holy water. Then the lights came on and the bells rang at the 1st Alleluia of Easter!
Easter Sunday was very nice, wonderful music and a lot of dressed up kids! We have an abundance of families with small children now, many of whom have joined us since Katrina and only know us in this borrowed space. Have we got a treat for them!
Speaking of – we believe we will take occupancy of the building mid-May! Keep praying! If so, we will move in just before and after Memorial weekend, and have our first Sunday service on Pentecost! Isn’t that appropriate! There is much left to do, so pray we can make it on time. This is wonderful news! Stay tuned – and join us if you can.
Oh – the pic at the top is about a month old – but all the current work is going on inside…..