Greeting fellow Easter people,

Today, Monday, marks the beginning of Holy Week, our final week of Lent leading up to Easter. This has been an especially meaningful season of Lent for me as several folks in the Church and I devoted ourselves to fasting, studying the scriptures, and prayer. The Spirit of God has stirred us as disciples to grow in our faith and seek unique ways for service in our community.

Many question the meaning of Holy Week? Even the majority of faithful Christians need a review of the events leading up to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For Christians, the purpose of Holy Week is to relive and retell the passion of Jesus Christ. I know when you hear "passion of Jesus Christ" your mind runs to the movie 'The Passion' which captures and highlights the suffering and death of Christ, (no comments on that).

This week is celebrated all over the world in many different ways. In my hometown of Madison, Fl. the whole community gathers at noon at various Churches throughout the week for ecumenical worship and lunch. Druid Hill UMC where i currently serve will host their annual 'Easter Tableau' on Thursday and Friday where participants will drive through to witness a live retelling of Christ's Passion. Many Churches will hold Sonrise services early Sunday morning at sunrise to celebrate the resurrection.

So I would like to use this post as an opportunity to review Holy Week as it first occurred.

The events of Holy Week (just a minimal outline):
Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday): Jesus humbly, yet triumphantly enters Jerusalem.

Monday: Jesus and His disciples leave Bethany for Jerusalem. During this time Jesus will teach, weep over Jerusalem, cleanse the Temple, leave, and spend the night in Bethany.

Tuesday: Leaves Bethany, teaches, upon leaving Jerusalem gives 'Olivet discourse' on way back to Bethany. Judas bargains with the Sanhedrin. Overnight in Bethany.

Wednesday: SILENT DAY. The scriptures record very little concerning this day.

Holy Thursday: (Maundy Thursday): Peter and John prepare for the Passover meal for Jesus and the other disciples. Jesus shares Passover with His disciples/"The Last Supper." Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. Jesus and His disciples leave for the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested by the Sanhedrin/religious leaders, and many soldiers. Taken to the house of Caiaphas and place beneath in a dungeon. Peter denies Christ. (Churches on this day will strip the Church--remove items from the Altar to symbolize what Christ experienced).

Good Friday: Trials begin (six total). Jesus is beaten and mocked. Judas hangs himself. Jesus carries his cross through the city, is crucified, gives His "Seven last sayings" and dies on the cross. (Churches on this day will drape the Cross with a black cloth)

Saturday: Jesus' body lay in the tomb. Pilate seals the tomb and orders guards to watch over it.

Sunday: The first day of the week, the third day of Jesus' death He rose from the dead! Jesus makes five appearances on this day: to Mary Magdalene, other women, two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Peter, the other disciples.


May you enter into this week once again to relive and retell the story of your risen Lord who lives and reigns in our hearts, and in our world, and in the world to come.

His Peace,
Pastor Brian