Holy Week

[Tim Bonney]

This is one of my favorite weeks of the year (and probably one of the most exhausting.)

We are having worship every day through Sunday evening starting tomorrow. What special services/observances does your church conduct this week?

[Dave Roberts]

On Palm Sunday we had a children's (and families) gathering after worship. Then we had our Holy Week Musical Presentation with orchestra at 5 p.m. on Palm Sunday. Thursday there is a soup and bread supper followed by a communion service.

[Tim Bonney]

[Sandy]

We have a chili supper and a "Blessing Sharing" time on Wednesday evening. Thursday, we do a passover Seder. There is a noon service on Good Friday, and then a Sunrise Service, breakfast and regular worship time on Sunday.

[Haruo]

As far as I can tell Fremont will not be having any special events except a community (all invited) breakfast prior to Sunday worship.

Japanese Baptist (where Mrs Haruo is a member and I make it to worship more often than at Fremont) is participating in a joint Good Friday service (I think; maybe it's Maundy Thursday) at Blaine Memorial UMC, the Japanese Methodist church in town, and is one of the sponsors of the Easter Morning Community Worship Service ("Sunrise", but 8 AM!) at St. Ignatius Chapel, Seattle University. This is cosponsored by JBC, Seattle First Baptist Church, and the Evergreen Region. Then there will be breakfast at the church, followed by a joint Nichigo-Eigo service at 11 AM.

[Tim Bonney]

One of the other Methodist pastors and I had looked at having an ecumenical Good Friday service with the Lutherans and the Presbyterians but it turns out they had long standing commitments within their own tradition that we couldn't work around. All the Presbyterians apparently have a joint Holy Week event for example.

I found it was actually easier to get an ecumenical service together in small towns than it has been in the city. As long as we didn't serve communion we could avoid stepping on each other's denominational rules and make it work. But I've had little luck getting many other city churches to do the same.

I think it would be easier if we had some king of ministerial association in town. But we don't.

[Haruo]

King Jesus. If he's King of kings and Lord of lords, he ought to be able to handle an urban ministerial association.

In some ways the Japanese community is more like a small town than a city. There are several Buddhist and Shinto organizations (some of which are church-like), but only one or two Baptist, one Methodist, one Presbyterian, one Lutheran (Lutheran Brethren, not one of the big outfits), one Episcopal, one Roman Catholic churches, and a couple of nondenominational evangelical ones. Not sure if there are active Mormon, Adventist etc. Japanese groups in Seattle.

[Ed Pettibone]

[Tim Bonney]

Ok, maybe not a King of ministerial association. Maybe just a Bishop would be enough.

Our service tonight includes music and scripture readings leading up to the Last Supper and then we will share in communion together. This week turned out to be spring break for the local school system so I'm seeing it negatively effect younger participation. It doesn't happen every year but when it does, I find it annoying.

[Haruo]

I used to hear complaints when Spring Break (we called it Spring Vacation back then) *didn't* coincide with Holy Week.

[Tim Bonney]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Jerry_B]

Maundy Thursday service, Sunrise service and Easter service. We too have our regular Wednesday night meal and bible study, kids, prayer time.

[Tim Bonney]

[Haruo]

Hope you had fish for breakfast Monday. John 21.

[Tim Bonney]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Haruo]

Here it is Easter again! Christ is risen! Hallelujah! Hope Caswall won't mind if I borrow his hymn for an Eastern occasion.