NEWS FROM OUR SENIOR PASTOR

Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. And once again, a donkey will be a part of our services. If you are a little uncomfortable seeing a donkey come down the aisle of our worship space, or at least, surprised, you will be just like the disciples and the people in Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday.

Jesus could have found the finest horse, or even a chariot, but he chose to come into Jerusalem on a donkey, to let the world know what kind of King he was. This was confusing for the people who were cheering, “Hosanna”, which means Save Me! They were celebrating a different kind of king.

What these fans didn’t get was that the only way for him to save them was a cross. Their parade of palms was really a pathway to the cross. These fans had no idea what they were asking, and how it was the cross that would give them what they asked.

Every week worshiping with you brings me joy. And each week, I see different things that show me God’s grace in our midst. Some weeks, I notice the music and the God-given gifts of our musicians. Some weeks it’s the way you sing the hymns and songs. Some weeks it’s the greeting time and the way you meet and encourage each other. Some weeks it’s emails I receive throughout the week reporting grace that you saw and experienced. This past week, I had the privilege of meeting with some of our newest members and hearing what brought them to GRACE. God continues to grow our congregation each week. On Sunday, we will introduce you to the newest members. What a privilege it is to invite people to know and show the grace of Jesus Christ.

On Sunday – Palm Sunday, our children will lead our processional at both services (9 am classic and 10:30 am modern) and we will all wave our palms. Click here for more details.

Our Easter Egg Hunt is immediately following the 10:30 service. Click herefor more details.

Join us at BECA at 7 pm for a communion and Tenebrae service at BECA. Our choir, led by Tom Goeman and Mark Crumpler, preaching, will lead us through a powerful service. Childcare will be provided (up to age 5).

On Easter we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ!  We will have 3 services at BECA – 8 am and 9:15 am classic with choir and brass, and 10:30 am modern with our worship band. There will be a special gift for each person attending! We will be expecting big crowds and need your help welcoming them. I can’t wait for people to experience you – such a warm and inviting congregation – in our new worship space. Here are a few details for the day.

PARKING – In addition to our BECA lots, and street parking, we will have an off-campus satellite parking location (Memorial Pool /Municipal Ice-Skating Parking Lot) off Illick’s Mill road. Shuttle buses will run from 7 am – 1 pm. Give yourself some extra time if you are planning to use the off-campus shuttle. You will be dropped off at the front door of BECAHI. Please join the staff in parking at this lot.

FLOWER CROSS – we will have our flower cross in front of BECA. Please bring flowers and plan to take your family pictures in front of the cross.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAM – nursery and preschool classes will be available at both hours. Elementary aged kids will begin in the worship service with their parents and be dismissed for a very special EASTER program designed especially for them.

HOSPITALITY – a special thanks to all the extra greeters and parking lot team members for being on the front lines of welcoming our guests for Easter services. We are all a big hospitality team on Easter (and every week). Due to parking demands and people and car traffic, we will not have our normal coffee time on Easter. Thank you for understanding and making Easter about welcoming our guests and inviting them to join us again.

INVITE YOUR FRIENDS – I hope you will take some of the Easter invitation cards (found at the information table in the Lobby) and invite your friends to join you. People are especially open to a personal invitation.

As we get ready to experience Holy Week and Easter events, I invite you to spend Holy Week reading what Jesus experienced each day found in the book of Matthew:

•       Palm Sunday: Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a colt (Matthew 21:1-11). He is accompanied by crowds of people who create a path for him with their cloaks and branches cut from trees.

•       Monday: Jesus drives the money changers from the temple and spends the night in Bethany (Matthew 21:12-17).

•       Tuesday and Wednesday: Jesus continues to teach in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:18-26:16). The chief priests and Jewish religious elders form a plot “to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him” (26:1-5). Judas agrees to be a conspirator and to hand Jesus over to them (26:14-16).

•       Thursday: Jesus has his last meal during his earthly ministry with the disciples. He washes the disciples’ feet and institutes the Lord’s Supper or Communion. After teaching and encouraging them, he goes to Gethsemane, where he prays in anguish. He is arrested by the Jewish temple police and is taken to the Sanhedrin, where he is condemned (Matthew 26:17-75).

•       Good Friday: Jesus is shuttled between Pontius Pilate and Herod Antipas. Pilate finally orders Jesus to be beaten and then crucified. Jesus dies in the late afternoon on Friday. Around sunset, Jesus is buried in the tomb (Matthew 27:1-61).

•       Saturday: Jesus rests in the tomb (Matthew 27:62-66).

•       Easter Sunday: Jesus is alive (Matthew 28:1-15).

Praying for each of you in your walk with Jesus to the cross. And praying for our church as we together get ready to host the hundreds who will come to experience Easter with us.

In the hope of resurrection!

Dr. Marnie Crumpler