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We have four opportunities for worship during Holy Week, the annual recognition of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. We began with Palm Sunday, remembering Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem which includes shouts of “Hosanna!” and the waving of palms, but which also takes place under the shadow of the cross.  We continue with a Maundy Thursday service (a name derived from the Latin mandatum which means “command” or “mandate” and refers to Jesus’ last teachings at the table, recorded in John 13) on Thursday, March 28, at 7pm in the sanctuary and on our YouTube channel. This service will include the celebration of communion. And then on Easter Sunday, you will have two opportunities to worship and celebrate the resurrection: the Easter Sunrise Service at the Capitol at 6:30am (music begins at 6:20am) and our worship service in the sanctuary at 11am.

This is a week that defines our faith, one that points to the central mysteries of crucifixion and resurrection, and each part of this story is significant. Thus, we encourage you to participate in as many of the services as possible and to reflect daily on the meaning of this week for your life and the whole world. To experience Maundy Thursday and Good Friday without experiencing Easter is to miss the ultimate joy that is ours. To experience Easter without experiencing Maundy Thursday or Good Friday is to miss the cost of our salvation and to hide from our responsibility. To experience all of the events of this week is to know authentic joy – the joy that comes because love prevails over fear, hope prevails over despair, life prevails over death. Who would want to miss that?

Are you ready to step up to the plate and join our church league softball team? We welcome players of all abilities, ages 18 and up, to come together for some fun and friendly competition. Take a look at the schedule below and get in touch with Michael to secure your spot on the roster. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to bond with fellow community members and enjoy the thrill of the game!

 

2024 Softball Schedule

 

We’re excited to bring you a churchwide retreat t-shirt again this year!  All adult shirts will be long-sleeve, 100% organic cotton, Comfort Colors pocket tees from Philadelphia-based sustainable company, Print Natural. They are the leading supplier of eco-friendly and organic custom apparel in the USA. They continue to be the only screen printers in North America to exclusively use organic, non-toxic, water-based ink, so we can all feel good about these ethically responsible shirts!

How to order – Please email Leah by tomorrow, Thursday, March 28 and let her know your size(s). Adult sizing is available in Small-3XL for $25, and children’s shirts are available in all sizes for $15. You may pay at all the usual places — online, check, or cash, and designate “retreat t-shirt.” We will place a bulk order at the end of this week to ensure they arrive in time. Even if you’re not going on the retreat and want a shirt, feel free to order! All shirts will be sent to the church, and we’ll have them for you at check-in when you arrive at the Blue Ridge Assembly.

On Saturday, families from our two FBC sister churches joined together in our sanctuary with Easter baskets in tow. We sang some songs together and listened to the Bible story about the good news of the empty tomb that we celebrate at Easter. We then proceeded to hunt eggs, and the sogginess of the morning did not deter our fun! We moved our egg hunt indoors and had a ball, with our toddlers finding eggs in the coziness of the parlor, while our older preschoolers and grade-schoolers hunted high and low for eggs throughout the classrooms on the second floor. We all gathered back together in the fellowship hall for refreshments and face-painting, made possible by our wonderful children’s Sunday School teachers.

For centuries, communities of faith have marked the Lenten season with the practice of Stations of the Cross. The traditional model presents a series of fourteen images depicting Jesus on the day of his crucifixion with accompanying prayers. Beginning March 18, we invite you to take a walk down our block of Edenton Street to experience the Stations of the Resurrection by artist Scott Erikson. This art show will be showcased on the side of our building until the Monday after Easter. We hope these images speak to our community, telling the story of the resurrection in a new and fresh way. All posters contain QR codes that link to meditations for further reflection during the days leading up to Easter. Scott writes, “What does it mean to practice Resurrection while we’re here? This art show is an invitation into a whole new way of seeing.”

WEEK AT A GLANCE • March 27–April 3

Wednesday, March 27

6:30pm Handbell rehearsal (S)

7:30pm Adult choir rehearsal (S/310)

 

Thursday, March 28

Maundy Thursday

7am Band of Brothers (Zoom)

7pm Maundy Thursday service/communion (S)

 

Friday, March 29

Good Friday

Church office closed

 

Sunday, March 31

Easter

6:30am Easter Sunrise Service (Capital Grounds)

9:30am JBC worship/Easter reception (301/302)

9:45am Sunday School

11am FBC worship (S/YouTube)

Monday, April 1

Clothing ministry closed

10:30am Clothing ministry volunteer gathering (FH)

6:30pm Music Made in Heaven (302)

 

Tuesday, April 2

10am Staff meeting (CR)

10:45am WMU Group 2 (Springmoor)

1pm WMU Group 2 (Independence Village)

1:30pm Yoga (302)

6pm Properties Committee meeting (Zoom)

 

Wednesday, April 3

5:15pm Meal served (FH)

5:45pm Children’s music (301/307/311)

6:15pm Centerpoint (FH)

6:30pm Children’s missions (PS/CS)

 

 

 

Click here for full calendar of FBC activities

BIBLE VERSES FOR DAILY USE

Wednesday, March 27: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 70; Hebrews 12:1-3; John 13:21-32
Thursday, March 28: Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14; Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Friday, March 29: Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42
Saturday, March 30: Job 14:1-14 or Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24; Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16; 1 Peter 4:1-8; Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42
Sunday, March 31: Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43; John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8
Monday, April 1: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Genesis 1:1-19; 1 Corinthians 15:35-49
Tuesday, April 2: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Genesis 1:20-2:4a; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

 

The clothing ministry will be closed during Holy Week (March 24–31). We ask that you hold donations during this time. We will then switch to our spring /summer season on April 1 and will be accepting spring/summer clothing, adult hoodies and sweatshirts, light jackets, and gently used athletic shoes for all.

Also, if anyone is interested is doing a collection drive, we are in need of toiletry kits (containing travel sized shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, razor, washcloth, toothbrush, and toothpaste).

If you have any questions, please contact Sabrina. Thanks for your continued support!

Our intergenerational VBS will be Sunday, July 28 – Thursday, August 1 from 5–8pm (which includes an optional supper). There will be self-contained classes for babies through rising kindergarteners, and for rising 1st graders through adults, we’ll have age-grouped Bible study followed by the ever-popular craft, recreation, and music electives!

It’s never too early to let Lynn know if you can help teach and/or if you have ideas of fun and engaging elective ideas! Teaching opportunities include:

We hope you can join us! It’s a great time of intergenerational fun and learning!

We hope you can join us! It’s a great time of intergenerational fun and learning!

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