Time to Celebrate

Usually, each year, I feel the need to remind everyone that if we simply celebrate Palm Sunday and then jump straight to Easter then we have missed the point of the resurrection. But this year has been very different. I have to confess that I have missed the stories of Jesus in the Lenten study that has been so focused on the cross. Yet, I appreciate that this prolonged focus on the death of Jesus and what it means has blessed me in a number of ways. This Lent we have dwelt in the crucifixion for weeks and now that Holy Week is upon us, we can finally celebrate.

We can celebrate that the cross holds significant meaning of the restoration of humanity to our creator. We get to celebrate that example of sacrificial love that was a choice that Jesus made to teach us the depth of a greater love. Our rejoicing in the defining story of our lives on Jesus and not Adam sets us free. We are free to celebrate a love that transforms who we are and how we respond to the world. We now have language about atonement that helps us explain why we love and how we love and what we believe. We have become equipped in understanding and in the depth of the crucifixion that the historical church has over simplified. This book that we have studied and this exploration of meaning has deepened my faith and I hope that it has deepened yours as well.

With our focus on the cross this year, we have added “Stations of the Cross” to both campuses beginning Monday. This practice of replicating holy places began to take root in the fifth century and later when many of the sites became outlawed. They have evolved over time to many different versions and interpretations. The Catholic church decreed 14 stations at one point but we will be using a resource that has modern art and the voices of people in our congregation for twelve stations. Since they will be located outside of both of our churches, they are available to you at any time. I encourage you to invite your neighbors and others to enjoy them as well.

This Palm Sunday our children will be singing at the 11 o’clock service in Tulsa. We will work together on Maundy Thursday to love our neighbors literally by serving the meal to our most vulnerable in the community at Night Light Tulsa. And we will have our Good Friday service in the sanctuary in Tulsa with leadership from both churches and the sacrament of communion. For the first time, we will have two Sunrise Services. The Bixby service will be outdoors in the park and the Tulsa service will be inside and led by our youth and serve communion.

Let us rejoice together this Holy Week,