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On Tuesday this week, we were pleased to have Ron Bellamy from Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren provide a handbell concert for our Oaks ministry. Over 30 people attended, including a few from outside the church. The concert was amazing, and Ron was gracious to share his amazing talent and answer questions we had. There is information on the bulletin board across from the mailboxes about an upcoming handbell concert he and his wife will be providing at Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren in May. Thanks again to Pastor Mary Etta and Connie Rutt for the planning the event and providing refreshments afterwards. The next two Oaks events are coming in May and posted on the bulletin board across from the mailboxes.

On Monday this week, Ruth and I attended the funeral of her great aunt in Philadelphia. Ruth’s aunt never married and had children but served as a nurse for many years both in the military and in civilian life. To be honest, living to be 99 I did not expect a large turnout. But I was surprised that there were well over 100 people in attendance and Ruth knew only a few of them. It seems that her Aunt Jenny impacted a whole lot more people than we were aware of. Ruth was grateful to visit with her cousin Diane at the funeral and Ruth’s brother Kevin and his wife Susan were in from Pittsburgh for the service. We enjoyed catching up with them at the meal following the service.

Last night we were in Harrisburg to celebrate our daughter Molly’s 25th birthday which comes on Monday. It was great to be with both girls and have a meal together which is becoming more difficult with distance and changing schedules. Ruth and I are planning to return next Friday and attend the Good Friday service at Molly’s church as she will be singing a solo. We will hopefully be able to celebrate Easter together next weekend as well.

On Wednesday night this week, I concluded our study of 1 Corinthians. Next Wednesday is a Roots night and I am inviting all adults to Room 14 at 6:30 for a special Holy Week Bible study. We will have a Holy Week quiz, read from Mark 14 and share about the some of the famous Holy Week events. We will conclude with a video that will prepare us to come for Love Feast the next night. Yes, Love Feast is happening at 7:00 pm on Thursday, April 17th and if you didn’t get your devotional to prepare you for Love Feast, they remain available for you to pick up in the gathering area.

We will bring Lent to a conclusion and begin Holy Week this Sunday as we remember Palm Sunday and Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. We will have special music and palm branches in addition to a message from John 2:1-11 and John 12:12-16 entitled, “My Time Has Come.” Next week will be busy as well with Commission and Church Board meeting on Monday evening, Roots Meal and classes on Wednesday evening and Love Feast service on Thursday evening. It is the highest, holiest week in the life of the church and so we encourage your participation as we prepare for a great celebration on Easter.

Speaking of Easter, now just over one week away, I want to remind you of the Easter Sunrise service at 6:00 am at Alan and Pam Platt’s home in New Providence. This is a long running tradition and Kay Swarr does an amazing job of planning this very meaningful service. I know it is early, but if Jesus can get out of the grave on Easter, you can get out of bed and come to greet the glorious day of Easter as we celebrate with the sun rising with the greatest news of all—HE HAS RISEN! We of course will continue that celebration with our 8:15 am and 10:30 am worship services. Check out Kay’s display in the gathering area on the Easter sunrise service as we prepare to celebrate Resurrection Day together.

In addition to my devotional reading which focused on Elisha this week, I have been trying to read in the Gospels again about the events of Holy Week. So much of significance happened in Jesus’ final days but one of my favorite stories is of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. In my first trip to Israel, I was asked to bring the devotions for our group when we got to the Garden of Gethsemane. It is a special place for me, and I felt honored. There Jesus begins distancing himself from the disciples. He anguished in prayer to the point that His sweat was like drops of blood. Jesus repeatedly kept falling to the ground and praying while the disciples slept. In the Garden, the Gospel writers record Jesus praying the prayer of a possibility of change, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me” (Mark 14:36). Jesus prays to the Father but calls him “Abba” or “daddy” and asks if it be possible to “remove this cup from me.” The humanity of Jesus is anguishing over his impending death and separation of fellowship from the Father and Jesus is asking for a possibility of change. But immediately he then prays, “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” No sooner after praying the prayer asking the Father to remove the burden of cross from Him, Jesus prays the prayer of acceptance. If you ever question whether Jesus was fully human and fully divine, go to Gethsemane and listen to His prayer again. Chuck Swindoll in his book, “The Darkness and the Dawn” (a book I highly recommend on Jesus’ last week!) says of this moment, “He has gone to the Father in prayer. He has requested another alternative, if that were possible. It is not. Now He sees that the only way is the way of the cross, and He is resigned to it. And in that sweet, submissive spirit, He says, ‘The hour has come…the one who betrays Me is at hand.’ This was God’s plan, and He was ready to accept it (pg. 37).

On Sunday, our journey with Jesus will continue. We will remember His triumphal entry and begin to prepare for the observance of Holy Week. Maybe this week you need to spend time in prayer with Jesus in your own Gethsemane. Maybe you need to be fully engaged in what happened with Jesus and the Twelve the last night of His life as we remember through Love Feast. Maybe this upcoming week is the week you need to say to Father, just like Jesus did, “Lord, not my will, but yours be done.” Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life as we engage in this great week of remembrance and celebration of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Have a great weekend and I am praying that you will have a blessed Holy Week. I look forward to celebrating our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem with you this Sunday. But praise God there is much more to come. Remember it is Friday…but Sunday’s coming!