The new Hold Steady album has been the soundtrack for my past few weeks of dishwashing and dog walking. If “Spices” doesn’t jumpstart your heart rate, you must not have a pulse. But it’s a line from their previous record that has inspired the invitation (and title) of this email. We are a few days away from Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week. These sacred days rehearse the heart of the Christian Gospel. Jesus is welcomed by the crowds, abandoned by his friends and left to ignobly die outside the city. But his love will not let go. He rises on Easter morning as a fountain of forgiveness, as enlivening to the soul as oxygen to the body.

My simple encouragement to you is this: Make every effort to give yourself to God over these next several days. With your whole self. Something about attending these services takes us out of ourselves and makes our faith come alive. Start this Sunday as (weather permitting) we ‘thrash thru the passion’ at the Redeemer parking lot at 3 pm. Remember, we’re NOT MEETING at the Phillips Event Center in the morning. At least we hope..pray for no rain! We’ll communicate any change of plans via email that morning.

I am amazed how far we have come since March 2020. I am overjoyed that we’re going to worship together this Holy Week. It won’t be back to normal. I am sure there will be a few hiccups and surprises. But it’s going to be a fantastic celebration. To close with another line from the aforementioned rock n’ roll poet-laureates: ‘It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just sort of has to be worth it.’

Worth it, indeed.
Nick