Reviewing Holy Week

This week, a happy breather from the busy-ness of last week and our preparations, and services, for Holy Week. Isaiah is glad to have his parents home again, though the visit from my family went a long way in soothing his spirit. Apart from the marathon quality of church 4 evenings in a row, (and then back on Sunday morning), Holy Week is kind of a spiritual marathon, too. We go from the introspection of the healing and reconciliation service, to the vulnerability and service of Maundy Thursday, to the sorrow and pain of Good Friday, the watching and listening of the Vigil, and the joyous celebration of the breaking out of Easter as we rejoice in the service. Our preacher, Rev. Christine from St Peter's, talked about having waited vigil in the forest all night when she was growing up in Uganda, waiting for rebels to leave her town-a story not, I think, unlike Jesus' vigil in the garden. Our Vigil really was amazing-there was an element of spontaneity (and only slightly controlled chaos) between Marcia, Paula, Stephen, and me as we prepared for the service. "And WHEN will they light their candles? And HOW will we see?" Happily, it all came together-the Driscoll Scalisi family started us out with a wondrous vigil fire-the new fire of Easter, from which the light of Christ was lit in our paschal candle. And Stephen sang the Exsultet beautifully, and somehow our readers were able to see in the dimly lit church, and Emma led us in and out of the church, processional cross held high. It was, as Marcia said to me afterwards, "the most Easter it's ever felt!" Christ was RISEN!-and Christ STILL is risen. (Alicia Duce also commented to me that it was one of the better days of her life, having both been to the Easter vigil and a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese-pretty hard to argue with that as a perfect day). Many, many thanks to all the altar guild, especially director Paula Tatarunis, for Marcia, and Jeanne, and Jim, and Becky, our Lay Eucharistic Ministers for the week, and all the people who came out to read the lessons and pray with us. Thanks also to Cathy and the fellowship group who arranged for a great Easter Sunday coffee hour, and to Mike and Sarah who helped both on Palm Sunday and on Easter!

This week, the Rev. Norm Faramelli will be our celebrant. My mother had hip replacement surgery (thankfully, successful) and so I am going back to Erie, Pennsylvania, to help her in settling back home. I will just be away Friday-Monday, so your wardens, Marcia and Jonathan, will be able to handle anything that comes up. I will be back for our vestry meeting at 7:15 on Monday night.
Blessings,
Sara+

For our Lent series we talked about our cherished beliefs-- now listen to people who've had to give up their formerly cherished beliefs. On the radio show This American Life this week: "This I used to believe." On WBUR (90.9) Saturday at 3:00.

Join the "Christ Church Waltham" group on facebook! [you can also be our "fan," but to be honest I'm less certain about that helps to create community] We'll be able to post pictures and link up with one another online. After you're logged in on facebook, visit http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=189394425594&ref=mf. It's free and anyone can join, so if you don't have an account and you'd like to, you can make one.

Rest in Peace, Sarah Lefebvre, 1914-2009. Services for Sarah will be held Monday, April 20,at 1:00 at Christ Church, the Rev. Patricia DeBeer, Celebrant. Please keep her husband Norman and their children in your prayers.