We gathered w/4 other parishes of different denominations (that have a council that works together all year for outreach) for blessing of the palms and process to each church, singing. It was glorious.
I spent my morning butchering palm crosses and asking youth families what their summer plans were. Lots of "yes I'm sure u would like to have a job but what if instead u worked for the Lord?"
Beautiful service! Started in our outdoor garden and processed into the church. Hymns included “All Glory, Laud and Honor” and “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?” A dramatic enactment of the Passion Gospel as well.
Last time I was there just a few months ago (sorry we’re always ships in the sea) Stacey drove me to Philly to catch the plane (it was a tight time frame to make) and I finally got to at least drive by St. John’s!
A good day. First time in a few years the weather cooperated and we processed outside around the church. Supply priest who hasn’t been with us for a year or so and it was good to see him again.
Forgot alt text! Pic from above of four people standing together weaving their palm fronds into crosses with little success. The pic does not show their faces, just torsos and hands.
Unbelievable. Bright sunshine. Huge crowds deeply invested in the dramatic recitation of the Passion Gospel. New people. The most kids we’ve had in > 8 years. A fabulous sermon from a lay preacher that this guy is who we claim as Saviour, and this is the way He defeats death itself.
we started in the town square with the Lutheran parish for the Blessing of the Palms and trooped the block back to the church waving palms. lots of people* at the service, including people visiting from other parishes.
*70 is a lot. we're a small parish in a small city. everything is relative.
When the parish’s treasured Palm Sunday set features a fiddle-back chasuble, one wears it. (It is exactly the color of my grandmother’s mohair sofa from my childhood.) There must once have been a maniple, but it hasn’t survived.
We had a very full 10:30 service today! Attendance of 577 in a parish that usually has an ASA of 600 across three services. Blessing of the palms outside on a beautiful spring day, then processed inside. Our guest preacher spoke the spiritual whiplash of doing the Passion reading on Palm Sunday. …
And my whole family was involved today! My wife was one of the Passion lectors, my son the incense boat bearer, and myself as lead verger. Love it when we can do that!
Splendid! I went to WNC, whose procession now starts w/a marching band and the Cathedral choir both in the north porch, resonating, as the people gather. There was donkey! And a Boston Terrier in an Easter-egg-esque sweater. Bp. Gene Robinson presided. Clouds of incense. Huge attendance, incl.+
(cont'd) I was pleased to see, lots of Hispanic immigrant families, which is a new consituency for WNC in recent years. Everything was so welcoming; the ushing, which in the past has tended to be overly officious, was relaxed and helpful.
I noticed lots of security around Bp. Gene + the Dean after the service, but the (sadly necessary) precautions were not at all apparent to the congregation before or during worship. They really do this so well. One of those "makes you glad to be a Christian" days, as Mystery Worshipper would say.
We started our day at a bakery about 3 blocks from the church. A little wobble with confusion about our stat time for the food to be ready, but we had a lovely time and procession to the church. Service felt vibrant, perhaps precisely because of the oddness of the palm and passion liturgies
We walked w/ palms down the street while singing hymns & saying psalms! We line it up with the city so that a police officer stops cross traffic so that we can safely cross the cross streets. We then went to our columbarium garden where more people joined us to do the Liturgy of the Palms
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A very clear delineation between the excitement of Jesus' riding into town and the Passion reading at the end. Left in silence.
*70 is a lot. we're a small parish in a small city. everything is relative.
The full service can be found at this link; the sermon starts at approximately 37 minutes in: https://www.youtube.com/live/UbHdcFxVRII?si=J6Bm5xZrdk_SGCZB
But coffee hour is still a trial. Many people only speak to those whom they know, which is effectively clique-y. (I'm sure they don't mean to be!)
a little something…
like this
(actually it was precisely this)
https://www.youtube.com/live/uXO76rqC040?si=HbkfU5Bbi9tVvVpH