Holy Week begins

Palm Sunday yesterday. The start of Holy Week. It was quite an intense day, in fact, both in terms of entering the 'spirit' of this time of year, and in 'meeting' various people on line. We were very pleased with the morning service, which included many faces from different churches in our team. There were many words of appreciation afterwards. You can still view it here:  https://youtu.be/3ihPu50n9tY

When we reviewed it later on, one of those who took part commented on how 'un-professional' it was - in a good way. That is, it was all of excellent quality but lacking the polish of a professional production. So somehow, it felt like authentic worship - the offering of gifts, rather than performances. Much of the rest of the day was spent preparing for more online offerings during this Holy Week.

Not forgetting our own walk with God. I awoke on Saturday with an old chorus from childhood in my mind:
Jesus loves me, this I know
for the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong,
I am weak but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes Jesus loves me.
The Bible tells me so.

Where did that come from, after all these years? But actually, this is fundamental to the Gospel story, so a good song to carry through this week! I began reading through the Gospel story of Holy Week, from Matthew 21 yesterday, trying to enter with my imagination into the events described there. Interesting to note how Jesus moves from confrontation with authority to connecting with crowds eager to listen to him, to private space with his 12 disciples.

Today, the first of 3 funerals this week - only one of them Cv related. Today's is for a true 'Browton lass', who had lived in the same house in our village for her entire life. Just so sad that only her husband can be there: her daughters and other family members unable to travel.

And last Friday, another tragedy. A mum, with two teenage daughters, found dead at home, in the village. Unexplained, but she had been very unwell for some years.

The words by Kitty O'Meara I quoted more than two weeks ago (21st March) have now gone viral. Heather, who is a member of our Mission Community and a contemplative Christian, has spent some time meditating on them, and produced a beautiful colour interpretation. She says, 

"There is a peace and hope there I feel. In drawing the world with a rainbow wrapped round I hadn't realised till I finished, there is faith in the purple holding all upward to our connection to the God who loves and cherishes us all..."