E NEWS 29TH MARCH 2024
The shouts of Hosanna, Hosanna are now but a mere whisper among the crowds that followed Jesus that Palm Sunday. People who were once so confidant in this man who they believed was the Messiah the Son of God are not so sure anymore.
As we approach Good Friday tomorrow, where do you stand? Are there still times in your life when you could confidently shout that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God? This is a question that Christians throughout the centuries have continued to ask themselves and struggle with. All of us sometimes doubt our faith and our once sure and fixed positions on many of the basic tenets of Christianity. Where do you stand today? What is your position and how and why did that change? Questions for you to ponder over this Easter weekend.
I think I dropped the ball this year on us not having a Passover/Last Supper meal tonight on Maundy Thursday. Given that last year’s Passover liturgy was full of traditional Psalms and Lord etc. and some of Jesus words at the last supper as he broke bread and bless the wine saying “this is my body broken for you and this is my blood shed for you? as taken from the bible, I now realise that that’s not everyone’s cup of tea. That here at SAOTT atonement theology is not for everyone. Like I alluded to in last week’s E News, because I had no feedback from last year’s celebration, I assumed it was a big fail. Paralysis by analysis. I’m tiptoeing around people’s different sensitives as I want to appreciate the diversity of our church. Even after two years as your minister, I’m still learning.
Tomorrow Good Friday we will be having a service that is participatory. There will be approximately 8 readings from John 18-1-40, 19:1-42 it is all printed out in the OOS. After each reading the reader or someone who is able will go and blow out one of the tealight candles on the front table, we will sing the Kyrie and I will then read the reflection following. We will use a roving microphone, so people do not necessarily have to walk up to the lectern to speak. As you feel led to read, please raise your hand and someone will bring the microphone to you. Thank you.
Sunday morning is a communion service and even now as I sit tapping at my keyboard a reflection is yet to emerge. I was going to use “Woman why are you weeping?” but I know that even though it refers to the Mary in the Garden, today in that war afflicted region men, women and children are all weeping today in that very same garden. Instead, I have chosen the words from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical “I don’t know how to love him” as a reflection theme. I’m sure it’s a question we have all struggled with from time to time in our faith journeys. Oh, I wonder what’s going to emerge on Sunday morning?
Did you know Gladys Knight is performing her farewell concert at the Michael Fowler Centre on Tuesday night? I’m going and I am so looking forward to it. Let me know if you too are going.
I hope you have a restful Easter weekend and one which looks expectantly to new hope, new life and transformation on Resurrection Sunday morning. Don’t forget to bring Hot Cross Buns to share at morning tea. Nga mihi o te Aranga ki a koutou katoa, Happy Easter to you all. Fei
You can read the full E-news here: https://mailchi.mp/dbf3e7fab2dc/this-weeks-newsletter-from-st-andrews-on-the-terrace-9443335
