Dear Friends in Faith,
For this recent Californian resident, I’m thrilled about today’s rains. We all know California is almost always in need of water, especially with wildfire season just around the corner. I’m reminded that, although we are in the middle of this COVID-19 pandemic, the world keeps on spinning; the days and nights pass, as do the seasons. Easter 2020 is sure to be much different than the Easters we’ve celebrated in years past, but I have confidence that, sooner or later, we’ll return to some sense of normalcy—though it may take much longer we’d like. Time marches on, and before we know it, we’ll be preparing for Easter 2021.
As much as we want to put this crisis behind us, we must admit that we are being shaped and stretched in many new ways. Our creative juices are flowing as we use technology to maintain a sense of community, complete our work duties, teach our children, even deliver our groceries. Most importantly, we have been forced to inventory our lives, and in doing so, we are reprioritizing what is most important. We have the opportunity to see so much of what’s all around us with new vision.
Many of you received a palm and a few Holy Week symbols yesterday. Bethany’s Worship and Arts Commission hopes that these will help serve as a reminder of the power of the Easter story even as we celebrate these days of significance apart from our church family. Perhaps we’ll notice new details of this ancient story? Maybe this resurrection story will take on new significance in the midst of these unprecedented days?
Our apologies to those folks to whom we were unable to deliver; some of you are inaccessible at this time due to safety concerns, and a few of our addresses are out of date. I have attached a list of some symbols of Lent and Easter [Bethany Holy Week 2020]; you can feel free to take a small branch from a bush to wave tomorrow, and you can grab some nails, coins, and a sponge and place them on your “holy table” at home. Grace and creativity abound! Click here to see photos of Bethany’s volunteer delivery team.
Rev. Janice Kamikawa has provided an excellent Holy Week resource, full of liturgies for each day of Holy Week. Click here to download it. I’m sure you’ll find it to be very meaningful.
Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
—Jesse
UPDATES:
Please join us for Palm Sunday worship Sunday, April 5, at 10:30 a.m. Have your palm or branch ready to wave! You can even throw sweaters, coats, and jackets on the floor of your home or the sidewalk if the Spirit moves! Click this link to join us live on Facebook.
If you do not use Facebook, you can watch the service later in the day via a Youtube link that will be on the Multi-Media page of this website (in the Resources section).
On Monday, we will be trying another Zoom check-in at 5 p.m. You can click on this link to join the meeting (and if you need directs for how to join a Zoom meeting, please email me or refer to the previous email I sent). And please note, Zoom is now requiring a password for meetings: 282075
Members will be receiving e-mail updates later this week concerning our Maundy Thursday service and Easter service. If you are not currently on our list but would like to be included, please e-mail Jerry in the church office to be added.
