PRAYERS: Jon Cook; Millie Mutka; Barb Zima and her friends Alan Foster, Dave Butschli, Mick, Steven and Marilyn Hummel; Gregory Bowens; Laurie Nelson; Amber Ross’s daughter Linda; Randy & Diane Niemczyk’s daughter Julia VanAvery, niece Sarah Joda, and their dear friend Denise Hazel; Dick Volland; Don Akins*; Valeria Hesselberg; Chris Markussen; Anne Verona’s sister/brother-in-law Pat & Woody Woodworth and friends Dennis Peterson and Natalie Madine; Ann Currie; Strong’s friend Erin Molle; Mary Kunau’s brother John Honer*; Debbie Cyrtmus’ mother, Rose Wicker* and sister, Corrie Trittin*; Dawn Gonitzke’s brother Scott Premo; the Ebert’s friends William Charaf, Patricia Kulzick and John Oliver and Gary’s son Matthew; Joyce Leander’s cousin Laurie Nelson; Ashley Clark’s friends Michael Loomis, Keith & Becky Hernandez; the Waggoner’s sister-in-law Cheryl Busse; Karen Engels and her niece Lisa and friends Bob and Dawn; Ann Carlson’s people Enid, Curt, Richard* and Troy; and peace for all nations and comfort for those in distress. Prayers for safe passage for all of those traveling over the next few weeks.
PRAYER LIST PROCEDURE – Submit your prayer requests to the office in writing, by phone, by email or in person. If requesting prayers for someone other than yourself or an immediate family member, please obtain permission – unless the circumstances are public in nature.
WORSHIP ON FACEBOOK – Live on Facebook on Sundays at 9:00 & posted later for viewing.
GUESTS – if you are visiting us today, please sign our book at the entrance to the sanctuary.
QUILTERS –Tie one on with the quilting group as they assemble quilts. Meet every first and third Wed of the month 9:30 to 11:30 am.
GOD’s WORK-OUR HANDS – We will be sharing pictures of the Mountain of Love next week. What a generous response – once again – from our congregation. Knocked it right out the park! Received notification that 291 pounds of food was dropped off at the Vilas Food Pantry. There is an equal amount for Caritas PLUS all of the paper products!
HOLY WEEK
April 17 – Maundy Thursday
Haggadah Meal 5:00 – 6:30 pm
Worship 6:30 pm
April 18 – Good Friday 6:30 pm
April 19 – Holy Saturday – Easter Vigil 6:30 pm
April 20 – Easter Worship 9:00 am
Here is some information for the upcoming Haggadah meal.
The Haggadah is a Seder Service and small meal which will be held on Thursday, April 17th at 5:00 pm, prior to our Maunday Thursday Service (at 6:30 pm). The Haggadah means “telling” and it is the telling of the Passover that has been told for thousands of years – a story of miraculous change – from despair to hope – from slavery to freedom – from darkness to light.
It is no coincidence that Jesus chose the Passover seder meal for the setting of what is now called communion or the Lord’s Supper. For in the story the Passover Lamb, Jesus, could best communicate the course he would be taking over the confusing hours that were to follow.
In this Seder meal and service, all the usual aspects are included. However, ours has a Christian perspective. In the eating of the special matzo called the Afikomen and the drinking of the 3rd cup of wine (grape juice) – the Cup of Redemption, we hear Jesus’ words from Luke 22, “And Jesus took the bread and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to them saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” It was concerning this cup, taken after the meal, the Cup of Redemption, when Jesus spoke the words: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is shed for you.”
Hence, come a bit early on Maunday Thursday and celebrate this ancient service, The Haggadah, with a small meal of lamb, and other traditional Seder foods, as we commemorate that first Lord’s Supper.
FUN FACT: The Pashal Candle – (tho whenever I see this word I think of Pasquale from the “Rose is Rose” cartoon) is a large beeswax candle used primarily during Easter. The candle is lit during the Easter Vigil and continues to be used throughout the Easter Season. Pastor Grant will be talking more about the Pashal Candle during the upcoming services. So if you want to learn more – you’ll have to come to church (or watch on FaceBook)
ANOTHER FUN FACT: As Christians probably already know, the Bible makes no mention of a mythical hare who delivers eggs to children on the day of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. So, why exactly has a rabbit become a prominent part of one of Christianity’s most important celebrations of rebirth and renewal? One theory, according to Time, is that the symbol of the rabbit stems from the ancient pagan tradition on which many of our Easter traditions are based — the festival of Eostre, which honored the goddess of fertility and spring. The goddess’s animal symbol was a rabbit, which has long traditionally stood for fertility due to their high reproduction rates.
Okay – that makes sense – but why does the Easter Bunny bring eggs? Since rabbits are mammals (and give birth to live young), it might seem like a case of mistaken biology to say the Easter Bunny lays eggs on the holiday. Adding another miracle to the festivities, perhaps? The answer may lie in combining iconography. Eggs, just like the rabbit, have long been considered an ancient symbol of fertility, rebirth and new life, all associated with the springtime celebration of Easter!
From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs represent Jesus’ resurrection and his emergence from the tomb. According to History.com, the tradition of decorating eggs for Easter may date back to the 13th century, when eggs were traditionally considered a forbidden food during the Lent season. That’s why people decorated them as the fasting period came to an end, to make eating them an even more celebratory way to feast on Easter Sunday.
NOTES FROM ANN: I will be out of the office on Tuesday, April 15. No – it isn’t for tax purposes. I’m leaving tomorrow on a five day road trip covering 1700 miles. I was asked to be the emcee for a Navy Captain’s retirement ceremony in Ohio. And since I will be two hours away from Buffalo, NY – I’m going to check in with two of my shipmates I deployed with. And since I will be so close to Niagara Falls (which I haven’t seen before) – I’m going to check out the Falls. And then head home through Canada. Pastor Grant made the comment how he respected the commitment he sees within the military – that I would travel so far when I have been retired from the military since 2018. I can say the same about the commitment within this congregation. You only have to take a look at the Mountain of Love to know that this is true.
In order to be better prepared for Holy Week, Pastor Grant and I worked ahead on the bulletins. As I was editing the bulletins, reading the story again, watching it play out on paper – I found tears coming to my eyes. I know there is a fantastic brilliant end/beginning of the Greatest Story Ever Told – in the telling though. I cannot even imagine. So many thoughts. Would I turn my back like Peter? Would I have fought harder for his release? Would it matter – since Jesus knew how his story would go?
The pictures of this week were submitted by Rachel Strong. After the ice storm – she commented the bird feeders looked like chandeliers! She isn’t wrong.
