Holy
Week and Easter 2007 at Good Shepherd
Below you'll find descriptions of all the special worship
services at Good Shepherd during Holy Week: Palm Sunday
(April 1 st ), Tenebrae (Wednesday April 4 th ), Maundy
Thursday (April 5 th ), Good Friday (April 6 th ), The Great
Vigil (April 7 th ) and Easter Sunday April 8 th ).
Aside
from the services below, there will be Morning Prayer at
8:30am from Monday to Friday.
Palm Sunday (Sunday April 1st)
Palm Sunday is the first worship Service of Holy Week and
it is one of the most important celebrations of the whole
year. Holy Week is the week believers remember and celebrate
the last week of Jesus' life. That week began with Jesus'
triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem . By this time,
Jesus was a celebrity. Everyone knew him and most people
believed that he was the messiah, the coming savior of Israel
. So when they heard he was coming they all rushed out waving
palm branches and crying “Hosanna in Highest! Blessed is
he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Waving Palm branches
was the first century equivalent of those foam “#1” signs
you see at football games. It meant, “This is the king.”
Of course, after they really got to know Jesus and figured
out that he was not the savior they thought he would be
(i.e. that he wasn't going to get rid of the Romans) their
enthusiasm died. In fact, five days later the very same
people who greeted Jesus with shouts of “Hosanna” screamed
for his death with cries of “Crucify Him!”
Palm
Sunday Services at Good Shepherd will be held at 8:00am
and 10:30am as usual .
They will begin with the blessing of the Palms. Then the
blessed palms will be passed out to everyone in the congregation
and we'll process into the church like Jesus' processed
into Jerusalem (except for the donkey). During the service
The Passion will be read and narrated.
Tenebrae (Wednesday April 4th)
Tenebrae means “shadows” in Latin. The worship service called
“Tenebrae” is an ancient rite of the Church. It is a service
of word, light and sound. When you arrive for worship you
will see two groups of candles lit on the altar. As readings
are read the candles on the altar will be gradually extinguished
until the very end of the service when the last candle left
lit is removed from the worship space and the whole sanctuary
is left in darkness. At that point a sudden piercing crash
will shatter the silence of the sanctuary and echo through
the chamber. Then, after a moment, the last candle is returned
to the sanctuary and the worshippers depart. The gradual
darkening of the sanctuary and the crashing noise symbolizes
the apparent victory of death, darkness, and chaos over
Jesus Christ on the cross. The final candle being removed
and returned, symbolizes the truth that through Jesus' death,
God gained victory over all the powers of evil. The Light
was not overcome. The service of Tenebrae will
be held at 7:00pm on Wednesday of Holy Week.
Maundy
Thursday (April 5th)
Maundy Thursday communion celebrates the humility of Jesus.
Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lord's and yet on
the night before he died, during the Last Supper, he knelt
down and one by one washed his disciple's dirty, dusty,
feet. He did this to show his disciples and to show you
and me how to serve one another with humility and love,
being willing even to stoop and wash one another's feet.
The service will be informal and relaxed and it will include
a time for us to wash some willing feet. Maundy Thursday
is the last chance for communion until the Great Vigil.
The service will begin at 7:00pm
Good Friday: The Passion (April 6th)
Jesus died on a Friday. At about noon on Friday of Holy
Week he lifted his eyes up to heaven from the cross and
breathed out his last. “It is finished” he said. He was
not only referring to his life, but he was also referring
to the great battle between God and sin, death, and Satan.
Sin, death and the power of Satan over the people of God
all died with Jesus on that day. By and through Jesus' death
on the cross, everyone who believes is forgiven their sins
and granted an eternal relationship with God, the pure joy
of Heaven. Good Friday Services will be held at noon and
at 7:30pm .
The 7:30pm service will follow a viewing of Mel
Gibson's film The Passion
which we will start showing at 5:00pm .
The 7:30pm service will include the Stations
of the Cross , when we walk through and participate
spiritually in the Passion of Christ Jesus.
The Easter Vigil (Saturday April 7th)
Along with Tenebrae, the Easter Vigil is one of the most
ancient services of the Church. It is the most important
service of the entire year and it is the first service of
Easter. The service is definitely one of the most beautiful
you will ever see. It begins in total darkness. The lights
of the sanctuary are turned out, not a candle is burning.
And then, in the darkness, you will hear a prayer. A fire
is lit; a large flame in the center of the nave and from
that flame all the candles in the sanctuary are lit. Then
there will be readings and psalms, said and sung, by singers
and by the whole congregation. The sermon follows and then
the first Communion of Easter. Jesus is Risen! The light
has overcome the darkness! Death is defeated, sin destroyed.
The
Great Vigil begins at 8:00pm in the sanctuary.
Easter
Day! Jesus is Risen! (Sunday April 8th)
This is the day Christians celebrate and proclaim the bodily
resurrection of Jesus Christ. There will be flowers and
smells and bells.
Service
times are 8:00am and 10:30am Easter Morning!
Then Anne and I will go home and sleep for a week.
UPDATE
CONTENTS:
LENT
CONFESSION
CONCERT
7
PARISH GOALS
REMINDER
TO ACOLYTES AND PARENTS
READ
THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 40 DAYS
CLAM
CHOWDER AND BAKE SALE
RABBI
RON GOLDBERG AND A NEW PARTNERSHIP
THANK
YOU TO TOM AND SUE WOOLSEY
WOMEN'S
BIBLE STUDY
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION: HEROES OF THE BIBLE
NEWS
LENT:
We are well into Lent at this point. How have you
been doing with your Lenten discipline? By now, I imagine
that some may have fallen a little short of their commitments.
If so, there is no shame in admitting it and, with the Lord's
help, picking yourself up and trying again. We are not Christians
because are perfect. We are Christians because we have acknowledged
to ourselves and to the world that we are sinners in need
of the grace and mercy of God that comes through Jesus Christ.
So we fall, but with Christ we get right back up. And (this
part is important) once we're repented, we leave our guilt
right there on the cross where it belongs.
CONFESSION:
A parishioner reminded me the other day that the
prayerbook does in fact contain a service for private confession
and absolution. Sometimes, especially if you cannot seem
to be rid of feelings of guilt, it helps to confess your
sins to the Lord through a minister. The moment you, with
sincerity, confess your sins to the Lord, you are forgiven
and cleansed by the blood of Christ. But just knowing this
in your head is sometimes not enough. You may need to hear
that truth declared before the burden of guilt and despair
is lifted. God alone forgives sins, but on the authority
of his Word, his ministers can declare the truth of his
forgiveness to all who with sincerity and true repentance
turn to him.
CONCERT:
The Franklin Graham Festival is bringing two Christian
bands to Binghamton on Sunday March 18 th from 5:00pm to
8:00pm at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. The
band “Tait” and Will Graham will perform. Tickets are $10.00
in advance and $15.00 at the door.
7
PARISH GOALS: J ust as a reminder, here are the
7 goals the vestry has set for 2007. We are fully committed
to these goals and with God's help we will accomplish them
by the end of the year. All require the grace of God but
the more ambitious ones may depend on powerful intervention.
You can certainly help fulfill them by joining a bible study,
coming to church regularly, sharing your faith with your
friends and praying for God's Holy Spirit to grow and build
the church. Here are the goals
1.
An active youth ministry in place by the end of the year
2. Quarterly Friends and Family Sunday
3. 100% parish participation in the Franklin Graham festival
(i.e. everyone gets trained and brings a non-believing friend
to the festival itself)
4. The vestry is seeking100% participation in Bible Study.
5 At least 30 new believers by this time next year.
6. An active discipling program by the end of the year with
at least 4 leaders in discipling relationships.
7. gathering at least 100 people for worship every Sunday.
A
REMINDER TO ACOLYTES AND PARENTS: Please be vested
and ready 10 minutes before the start of the 10:30am service
and please be sure to check the schedule every week and
find a replacement if, for some reason, you will not be
there. THE NEXT PRACTICE IS NEXT SUNDAY AFTER THE 10:30am
SERVICE
READ
THE NEW TESTAMENT IN 40 DAYS: We
are almost 20 days into the 40 day challenge. You can find
each day's reading and reflection linked from the home
page . If you are not online, then I'll have copies
available in the nave (the space just inside big red door
on the sanctuary level). Just let me know.
CLAM
CHOWDER AND BAKE SALE: March 31 st at
Good Shepherd.
RABBI
RON GOLDBERG: As most of you know, Rabbi Goldberg
leads a congregation of Jews who have accepted Jesus as
the Messiah. They are Christians of Jewish heritage. The
Vestry has offered them the free use of our building to
hold their worship services on Saturday morning at 10:30am
and they have accepted. We believe that God is calling our
two congregations into a deeper fellowship and partnership
and we hope that this is just the beginning of our work
together. They will meet regularly in the parish hall but
when we have a bake sale or other events they'll meet in
the sanctuary. May God bless this companion relationship
and build both of our congregations.
THANK
YOU TOM AND SUE WOOLSEY: For serving the youth
of Good Shepherd. Tom and Susan taught Junior High for the
fall semester. Your work is greatly appreciated. Rebecca
Kearey has been appointed to lead the Junior High this Spring.
WOMEN'S BIBLE STUDY: Will meet this Saturday
at 10:00am . All Women are invited. Because the Jewish Christian
group will be meeting in the parish hall, the Women's bible
study is moving up to the library where there will be a
table, table, pastries, and all the usual things associated
with the Women's study. This week the Women's Bible Study
starts the book of Colossians.
ADULT CHRISTIAN ED: HEROES
OF THE BIBLE
Continues this week.
Last
week Anne led a discussion of Gideon, his call and his fleece.
She said that some have never heard of “laying out a fleece
before God.” We'll start this Sunday by talking a little
more about that. One way to test whether or not God is calling
you to something or speaking to you is, in fact, to lay
out a fleece. Ask God to give you a sign that will assure
you of his call. We will move on this Sunday to discuss
the army God built through Gideon and the outcome of their
fight against the Midianites. It is amazing what God can
do if you trust him and do what he calls you to do…especially
when the task seems impossible. God loves impossible situations.
HAVE YOU…. shared your faith with a friend? The vestry has
challenged all of us to share our faith in Jesus Christ
with at least one non-believer each month.
Good News for the Week
Jesus said to them, "I
tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the
bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the
true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes
down from heaven and gives life to the world." "Sir,"
they said, "from now on give us this bread." Then
Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes
to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will
never be thirsty. (John 6:32-35)
Don't
forget to....BRING A FRIEND TO CHURCH!
Daily Schedule for the week of Sunday March 11th, Lent 3
2007
Monday:
Pastor's day off
Tuesday
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
9:00 a.m. Tuesday Morning Bible Study
6:00 p.m. First Light Bible Study
Wednesday
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
Thursday
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
5:30 p.m. Shepherd's Bowl
6:30 p.m. New Beginners Bible Study
7:30 p.m. Choir Practice (temporarily meeting on Thursdays
due to scheduling conflict on Tuesday)
Friday
6:30 a.m. Men's Breakfast/Bible Study
8:30 a.m. Morning Prayer
Pastor's sermon prep day
Saturday:
10:00 a.m. Women's Bible Study
Sunday March 4th 2007 Lent
4: Praise and Worship the Lord!
8:00am Holy Communion II and Sermon
9: 15-10:15 a.m. Christian Education for all Ages
10:30 am Holy Communion II, Music and Sermon
God bless you all
In Christ,
Matt+
