Cleaning House for Easter Glory
We hear a lot of promises in our lives. But only God keeps his promises forever. Walk with us in the Easter life of God’s enduring promise of love!
Lent is like cleaning out our spiritual closet and getting rid of the things that are broken, ripped and worn out. We are getting ready for the glory of Easter – beautiful new clothes and tools that will serve us in our abundant new life with God, here on Earth, and also in heaven after we die.
The reflection of Lent culminates with the emotional roller-coaster of Holy Week. As we walk with Jesus, we pass through earthly triumph, then suffering, and then, at Easter, a transcendent triumph for all time.
HOLY WEEK, 2020
- Palm Sunday – when we remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem at the culmination of his ministry – with palm processions at our Sunday worship service at 10 a.m. April 5. We’ll gather in the Atrium, pick up palm branches there, and enter the sanctuary singing!
- Maundy Thursday – when we celebrate Jesus giving us the Lord’s Supper – will be observed at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 9. This is a dramatic service that ends in silence, with the stripping of all adornments on the altar and extinguishing of the candles. Our last Lenten Soup Supper will start at 6:15 p.m. in the Fellowship Center. In addition, we will share a second ecumenical worship service with Grass Valley United Methodist Church at 12 p.m. Thursday, April 9, at GVUMC, 236 S. Church St., in downtown Grass Valley.
- Good Friday – when we remember Jesus’ crucifixion and death — will be observed at in our Sanctuary. In addition, PEACE participates in an ecumenical service at 12 p.m. on Good Friday at Emanuel Episcopal Church, also in downtown Grass Valley.
- Easter – when we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection & his conquest of death on our behalf. We celebrate with glorious, triumphal music and song at worship services at 6, 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 12. We’ll have delicious baked good between services in our Fellowship Center.
Easter – An emotional roller-coaster
We understand Jesus’ Good Friday death in many ways – including as a sacrifice made on our behalf. Jesus offered himself in the ancient Jewish tradition of offering sacrifices to restore one’s relationship with the Creator. But more importantly, we understand Jesus’ execution on a cross as God opening his arms to all people in loving welcome. We understand Jesus’ life and death as saying “No!” to the world as it was and still is – violent, corrupt, oppressive, filled with fear and hate, people lusting for power, taking advantage of each other and putting material gain ahead of their spiritual integrity.
We understand Jesus’ Easter resurrection as the conquering of death for all who believe. In our new life as believers, as followers of the Jesus Path, we are committed to establishing the Kingdom of God here on Earth by loving God and seeking His face, and by loving and tending to each other and God’s creation.
Join us at PEACE as we say, together, “Yes!” to a new and abundant life, now and always, in God’s enduring love!
