Dear redeemed in Christ,
Nascar, school plays, baseball, football, UConn basketball, new release movies, concerts, breaking news reports, favorite tv shows…and the list goes on. We enjoy special events and watch with great care and passion. Sometimes we may get too passionate in our role as spectators, like when I was watching the Patriots in the playoffs and the super bowl, I was much too tense. Blood pressure rising. Nerves being tested. Why? I do not know. I’m just an overly-passionate fan. Some of you might be able to relate as you watch your favorite sports team or as you really engage in a good movie…whatever.
Now the Holy Spirit sets before the Christian Church these words (the words of the GRADUAL spoken by the pastor in our Sunday Divine Services in Lent):
O come, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 12:2 ESV)
Holy Week begins this Sunday, which is Palm Sunday-The Sunday of the Passion. “No other week in the church year has so strong an aura of special devotion inherent in it than this week. That is as it should be, because the eight days from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday immerse us in the central mystery of God’s work of salvation through the Lord’s death and resurrection. This week is rich in grace.” (Proclaim, CPH, 1994, p. 189)
How shall we approach this time in the church year? Casually? Like it is just like any other normal day or time of the year? Shall we present ourselves to observe it, but merely as spectators? Or do we engage it as active participants through the Word of God–embracing this Word of our Lord’s passion, His death, and His resurrection by faith. Dear people of God, let us keep our eyes on Jesus this Holy Week by embracing and holding fast to His Word.
Our Holy Week Schedule:
Sunday, March 29: PALM SUNDAY Divine Service at 9:00AM
April 2: Maundy Thursday Divine Service with Stripping of the Altar at 7:00PM
April 3: Good Friday LITURGY OF THE CROSS at 7:00PM
April 5: Easter Sunday Festival Divine Service THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD at 9:00AM
This will also be a Signed Service for the Deaf.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Palm Sunday Brunch, hosted by the Ladies of Holy Trinity, follows Divine Service this Sunday. Families are asked to bring a coffee cake or breakfast bread to share. Clarification: Please do not bring any pre-cut fruit salads. A free will offering will be gathered to benefit the Rev. Breuer Scholarship Fund. Invite a friend!
Our Week At A Glance
Tuesday: 6:30PM Jr. Confirmation Class
Wednesday: 10:00AM Bible Study
6:00PM Lenten Supper (Come for baked ziti, salad, and homemade bread.)
7:00PM EVENING PRAYER
Thursday: 7:00AM Emmaus Walkers Men’s Bible Study at Immanuel Parish Center
6:00PM Bible Study
7:00PM Choir
Sunday: 9:00AM PALM SUNDAY Divine Service
10:15AM Brunch
Attention Ladies! Maggie Karner Welcomes You
Subject: Women’s Bible Study Starting Again!
HI gals: Can you help me get the word out through your personal contacts that our Immanuel Lutheran Women’s Bible Study will be up and running again beginning TUESDAY, March 31 at 7:00 pm. We will meet in the parish center and I will put a pot of decaf coffee on, so if anybody has goodies, bring em! … Our new study will be taught by yours truly (Maggie) and consider “Community” and what it means to exist in and rely upon our community of faith as we live out our daily lives in mercy and love. Please take note that our regular meeting time each month is at 7pm on the last Tuesday of each month. Now that I’m no longer working, I am hoping to keep things going during the summer months. I hope to see you there on the 31st! God bless, Maggie
Remember in your prayers:
* Rev. Ingo Dutzmann, who serves as pastor at First Lutheran Church in Boston, MA, and family, lost their home in
a fire.
(If you would like to make a donation to help them, go to www.flc-boston.org to learn how to do that.)
* The family of Janet Zurell (Ray and Walt Lassy’s sister) who was called to her heavenly home this past
Thursday. (Visitation is Friday from 6-8PM at O’Brien Funeral Home in Bristol. Funeral Service is Saturday at
11:00AM at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Bristol. For our newer members, Janet served as pre-school teacher
at Immanuel Lutheran School for many years. She also served as our organist here at Holy Trinity for over 25
years!
* We pray for the families of the 150 people who died on the Germanwings plane crash in France this
morning (3/24). May God comfort them all by His Word.
* We continue to pray for 5 year old Cohen Daveluy who is fighting cancer. Cohen is son of Brendan and Megan
Davuley. Brendan is the grandson of our member Dorothea Morgan, who now resides in Florida.
SERVING THE LORD THIS WEEK:
Ushers: Tom Wollenberg
Dan Wollenberg
Elder: Gene Giblin
Altar: Mary Wollenberg
Acolyte: Ben Lassy
Coffee: Palm Sunday Brunch
May the Lord bless your week in abundance!
Pastor Kotila