Hello, church, 

 

And Happy St. Patrick's Day! The Irish have a wonderful tradition of blessings. Here is one that I especially like, and seems especially right to send to you on this wet spring day:

 

May the blessing of the rain be on you-
the soft sweet rain.
May it fall upon your spirit
so that all the little flowers may spring up,
and shed their sweetness on the air.
May the blessing of the great rains be on you,
may they beat upon your spirit
and wash it fair and clean,
and leave there many a shining pool
where the blue of heaven shines,
and sometimes a star.

 

Pastor Marcella will be preaching this Sunday, and we will be welcoming 14 new members into our congregation! And since Holy Week is just a little over a week away, let me also give you a preview of the services and events that are coming up:

 

3/24 Palm Sunday begins with a procession with palms. Bring jackets and coats to hang on the pew ends, recalling the crowds who strew garments on the road before Jesus. (They will be donated to the homeless.) I'll be preaching; Angels Alive and the Chancel Choir will sing.

 

3/28 Maundy Thursday 7:00 p.m. a multi-sensory, experiential service of remembering the events in the Upper Room with prayer, readings, music, and the ritual actions of hand-washing or foot-washing and Holy Communion.

 

  

3/31 Easter Sunday 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00 a.m. Celebrate the Risen Christ in this festival of worship arts, the "unburying" of the alleluias, sermon, and glorious music with bells, timpani, and brass. "Eggstravaganza" downstairs at the 9:30 and 11:00 worship hours, with crafts & egg hunts for the children.

 

 

Note cards will be available at church this Sunday, listing our Holy Week observances. I hope you will pick up several for your use in inviting neighbors and friends to join us!

 

But for now, back to making green cupcakes for my granddaughter's preschool friends...

 

Slan agus beannacht (bye and blessings),

 

 

Pastor Kathlyn