Dear Grace Anglican Church,

When Jesus began his public ministry, the first thing he spoke in Mark’s gospel was “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand…” (1:15). What was true in those days remains true for us, namely that God’s kingdom is here. Its presence, power and advancement are all around us and accessible by faith. Furthermore, the kingdom of God is not in trouble. It’s never in trouble. Jesus is always Lord. He is at work, redeeming the various evils, fear and sickness that we see all around us. Suffering of all kinds is always an invitation for people to draw near to God and the reality of his kingdom.

We are in the midst of Holy Week, but our temporary restrictions and reality can make it easy to miss if we fall into a mere survival mode. I was pleased to see such strong participation in the services we’ve been live-streaming on our Facebook page. One positive outcome that I see from this virus is the much wider reach our church is finding through broadcasting. People who are not typically present with us on Sundays are exploring the church, meeting some of our staff, and most importantly, considering the Lord.

I want to encourage you to participate as much as you can this Holy Week. There are three more opportunities to stay connected to the Lord this week. These are below. Also, Archbishop Foley Beach has announced a special call to prayer and fasting on Good Friday as we face the pandemic together. It is a unique opportunity to join in prayer with hundreds of thousands of Christians from around North America, including faithful Presbyterians. Read more in his letter here.

GOOD FRIDAY:
Friday, April 10th7:30 PM Facebook Live Tenebrae
Service All Day: Stations of the Cross Throughout Campus (opens today)

Stations of the Cross 

We are setting up an outdoor course on the church campus for Stations of the Cross. This will be open today by 2:00 PM and stay in place throughout Friday. You can come on your own anytime this evening or Friday and pray through our Lord’s Passion. A map and station instructions are available below. Hardcopies will be available on a table outside of the church office doors. We recommend printing a copy before you come, or following along on your device. As you journey through each station on campus, please follow our local government guidelines for social distancing. 

Tenebrae

Join us on Facebook Live at 7:30 PM as Jim Hart, Dan Wolf and I offer a scaled back service of Tenebrae. The name means shadow or darkness, coming from the increasing darkness that covered the earth as Jesus was dying for our sins. We gradually extinguish 7 candles until we are in complete darkness, symbolizing the actual death of the Son of God. It is meant to impress upon us the terrible consequence of sin as well as God’s willingness to suffer for us and for our salvation. The relighting of one candle represents the promise of resurrection and points us toward Easter morning. You are encouraged to find 7 candles and light them at home, extinguishing them along with us as we do in the service.

EASTER SUNDAY: Sunday, April 12th

8:30 AM Facebook Live Traditional Service
with Drive Thru Communion 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

11:30 AM Facebook Live Contemporary Service
with Drive Thru Communion 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

We’ll be broadcasting two Easter morning services on Facebook Live. Our Traditional Service will be at 8:30 AM, with Jim Hart leading the music, and our Contemporary Service at 11:30 AM, with Jess Coleman leading the music. I will be preaching on the resurrection account from John’s Gospel, as well as celebrating Holy Communion. Those who choose to venture out can pickup the bread after each service to eat at home. Some will participate spiritually without actually partaking of the elements. “Spiritual communion” is considered a real participation in the sacrament (see the prayer “For Spiritual Communion” on page 677 of the Book of Common Prayer 2019). For those who feel comfortable leaving their homes, we will have a drive thru station set up immediately following each service in the church parking lot. Dan Wolf and I will distribute small bags of consecrated wafers along with instructions for sharing the bread at home. You need only send one person to pick up enough for your household. You will remain in your car as you receive the elements to take home. Dan and I will wear masks and gloves. This is by no means mandatory or compulsory. Please participate only if you feel comfortable doing so.

You are in my prayers every day. I am asking God’s kingdom to come in your situation and that you would be aware of its presence. The second thing Jesus said in Mark’s Gospel after announcing the kingdom’s presence was, “repent and believe in the gospel” (1:15). Holy Week is a natural time for us to consider our sinfulness and our need for God’s grace. Please avail yourself of these opportunities to bring worship into your home through the internet this Holy Week. The Lord be with you!