April 12, 2022
Happy almost Easter, church family and friends!
What a wild couple of days here at Epworth! After a beautiful and deeply meaningful service for our beloved Jeanie on Saturday, and Palm Sunday worship on Sunday, we are now in the midst of Holy Week, while all of the ordinary weekly things still have to happen. We have met and served a BUNCH of new guests at the Pantry, and folks who were so glad to have laundry and showers available. Our unhoused and inadequately housed neighbors tell us how especially glad they are for a place to be warm and dry and clean and fed. And we are so grateful for our friends from the Churchill Community Coalition, who have been present every week to meet our guests and connect them with the services they need.
And in the meantime, HERO Club is on Spring break, so we are cleaning and organizing and painting Wilson Hall! Tracy Runnels, our friend from the Coalition, is full of energy and ideas and experience with early elementary education. We are so blessed to have her expertise and passion for providing our HERO kids with a warm, safe, fun place to be. All of that is added to the incredible dedication and love of our directors, Steve Russell and Lorri Freeman, AND the awesome teenaged employees that help make the program possible. We are working to improve our program and differentiate it from what other programs offer. We are so blessed to provide another high-quality after school program to our community, along with the amazing Fallon Youth Club and CARES, which just moved in across the street at the old Cottage School.
My own faith tends to be lived out in prayer, study, proclamation, and service. These are the things that make Jesus come to life for me, that I’ve always been drawn to. I’ve always loved to talk about my faith, to dive deeply into scripture and really study it and talk about it with people. I love to hear folks' different perspectives on it, and learn with them. I’ve always loved to serve, too, but privately and quietly. The things that move you might be different. Maybe you love to encourage people, or be at someone’s side when they are hurting. Maybe you love to be a big ol loud mouth prophet in the name of Jesus. Maybe you love to spend quiet time in prayer. Maybe you love to cook or clean or organize, as a gift to others…the youth group and I did some of that this past weekend, praying over our work and those who would be touched by it. We all have different ways to express our faith, and be the body of Christ.
This week, I pray that you are able to take extra time to worship, and rediscover the source of your faith in Jesus’ teaching, his sacrifice, and his glorious resurrection! I pray that you are reinvigorated, reinspired, refreshed and renewed in powerful ways. I pray that I am, too! And that then we go forth together into this wonderful community and spread the Gospel wherever we go.
In Jesus’ name,
Worship Any and Everywhere!
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SUNDAY
If you are worshiping with us from home, either via the radio broadcast or video, we are so glad! If we can pray for you, or if there is anything you need, we would love to help. You can call the church office at 775-423-4714, or you can call Pastor Dawn on her cell phone any time, 775-671-5553.
Maundy Thursday Tenebrae April 14 at 7pm
Your worship team is preparing a Tenebrae service to remember the Last Supper with prayer, scripture, and music. The choir is preparing a beautiful song, too! Tenebrae is a special service reminiscent of the lighting of candles at Advent, but the opposite: as the service progresses, candles are put out as darkness gathers. It’s a beautiful way to prepare our hearts for the glorious morning of Easter Sunday. Hope to see you there.
Good Friday Prayer and Walk to the Cross
April 15 at 12pm
In Matthew 27, as Jesus is on the cross, we are told that darkness covered the land from noon until 3pm. So our Good Friday prayers begin at noon. The sanctuary will be open from noon until 3 on Good Friday, and you are invited to stop in for a few minutes or the entire time to pray. At the same time, for those who prefer, we will meet at the cemetery parking lot to pray and then walk (or drive) to the cross at the top of Rattlesnake Mountain, where we will hear the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, sing, and prepare our hearts for the miracle of Easter Sunday. All of that takes about an hour. Tell your friends, absolutely everyone is welcome.
Easter Sunday Worship 7am and 9am
And then it will be Easter! We will sing God’s praises shortly after sunrise at 7am, then share a potluck brunch together, and then worship again with praise and thanksgiving at 9am. Wear something that makes you feel joyful (hats full of ribbons and flowers are a great option!), bring your hope in Jesus Christ, and be ready to celebrate!
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