We have entered Holy Week, the most sacred stretch of our liturgical year. It is a journey that mirrors our own lives: a movement from the intimacy of the table to the shadows of the cross, and finally, to the breathtaking joy of the empty tomb. Our mission of sharing God’s Unconditional Love and Justice… Continue reading It’s the Season of Journeying through the Shadows to the Light.
Tag: Easter
A Season for Resurrection: Social Justice in Bloom
As spring starts to give way to the heat of April, we find ourselves entering the most vibrant season of our faith. At The Church of the Palms, we believe that Easter is more than a single day on the calendar; it is a movement. In the words of Ecclesiastes, “For every matter there is… Continue reading A Season for Resurrection: Social Justice in Bloom
“I have seen the Lord!”
I’ve always felt that Mary Magdalene’s statement in the Gospel of John, “I have seen the Lord!” is more meaningful than our traditional call and response of, “Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!” It’s just that Easter and the resurrection is not a third personal confession, it’s a first-person encounter. To say, “I have… Continue reading “I have seen the Lord!”
Today is Maundy Thursday
It’s Maundy Thursday. Not Monday, but Maundy. The word, “Maundy” comes from the Latin Mandatum which means mandate. On this night, Jesus gave his disciples a mandate: Love one another. We meet at The Palms this Thursday afternoon at 5 pm with our sister churches to remember Christ’s gathering his disciples in an upper room for a special… Continue reading Today is Maundy Thursday
Wow! A lot is going on.
April is upon us! Wow! Where did February go? The only option is to March forward. The Church of the Palms is going all out in April with many special worship services. We hope you plan to attend. Wow! A lot is going on, thanks be to God! I hope you can make the time… Continue reading Wow! A lot is going on.
Easter Pop Quiz
Instructions: This is an “open book” test. The answers are found in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20-21, and Acts 1. You may do it by yourself or in a group. Comparing answers is encouraged. Place an “x” on the line if you think the answer is Biblically correct. Share this with neighbors,… Continue reading Easter Pop Quiz
Can you sum up the gospel in seven words?
“He is not here. He is risen.” Matthew 28:6. In seven words, that’s the Easter message. Several years ago, the Christian Century magazine asked this question: “What would you say is the core of the gospel? Can you state it in seven words or less?” What an enormous task! As Easter people, how would you answer… Continue reading Can you sum up the gospel in seven words?
What broken thing is there too “broke” for God to mend?
In an old poem by John Masefield, entitled “The Widow in the Bye Street,” there is a scene of dramatic agony. A young man is about to be executed for crimes against the state, and in the crowd that is gathered to witness this horrific event stands his widowed mother who is about to be… Continue reading What broken thing is there too “broke” for God to mend?
Holy Week Events
April 10: Palm Sunday, 10:00 a.m. Sunday in the Sanctuary. Choir presentation. April 14: Maundy Thursday Service, 5:00 p.m. Thursday at United UCC, 11250 N. 107th Ave., Sun City. Joint service with United UCC, Church of the Palms, Desert Garden UCC, and Sun City Christian Church. Communion will be served. April 15: Good Friday Service,… Continue reading Holy Week Events
Observations of Easter
I confess to having many sleepless nights leading up to Easter morn. The “what if” detail questions kept bubbling to the surface. What if this…what if that? Then there were the “will the” questions. Will the set up go smoothly? Will people actually show up willing to sit outside in the sun? Will the visitors… Continue reading Observations of Easter