Holy Week

Since this is Holy Week, I thought I would put a hymn on here for meditation. Today is Maundy Thursday, which was the day that we remember Christ's Last Supper with His disciples before He was crucified. At that Last Supper, He washed the disciple's feet, yet another picture of baptism, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." (John 13:8). So tonight during our Holy Week liturgy, we will be washing one another's feet. In our family, we use Doug Jone's Easter Liturgy. Since Christ the King is here, every night we have chocolate and wine. But tomorrow night, the chocolate and wine will be on the table, but will suddenly be taken away, since it will seem that our hope in the Messiah has perished. On Easter morning, chocolate and wine will abound!!! I like how these tangible things can really drive home the greatest story...the resurrection! If you're interested, here's a link to that liturgy, though you would be starting a little late (but better late than never) http://wmson.wordpress.com/2007/03/28/.

Okay, so here's a hymn:

Jesus Christ, Our Blessed Savior

John Huss

Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior,

Turned away God's wrath forever;

By His bitter grief and woe

He saved us from the evil Foe.

As His pledge of love undying

He, this precious food supplying,

Gives His body with the bread

And with the wine the blood He shed.

Whoso to this Board repaireth

May take heed how He prepareth;

For if he does not believe,

Then death for life he shall recieve.

Praise the Father, who from heaven

Unto us such food hath given

And, to mend what we have done,

Gave into death His only Son.

Thou shalt hold with faith unshaken

That this food is to be taken

By the sick who are distrest,

By hearts that long for peace and rest.

Christ says: "Come, all ye that labor,

And receive My grace and favor;

They who feel no want nor ill

Need no physician's help nor skill.

"Useless were for thee My Passion,

If thy works thy weal could fashion.

This feast is not spread for thee

If thine own Savior thou wilt be."

If thy heart this truth professes

And thy mouth thy sin confesses,

His dear guest thou here shalt be,

And Christ Himself shall banquet thee.

Seder Prep

This Saturday Ben and I are hosting a Seder (Passover) Meal. We decided to start off small this year (but I'm not sure how small 26 people are!), with the intent of doing it church wide next year. So this year is kinda of our practice run. I'll let you know how it goes. Yesterday I made these matzo covers...very Jewish looking don't you think?

I got the idea from Martha Stewart's website to add trim to men's hankies.

The Passover festival celebrates the sequence of events that led to the Israelites' freedom from slavery. While thoroughly based in those historical events, the celebration encompasses much more as it become's a vehicle to celebrate the very nature of God and His gracious work in the world through our Saviour Christ Jesus! This Passover is a remembrance of God's new work of deliverance in Christ; thus as the New Israel, we Christians have every reason to celebrate and rejoice!