First Presbyterian Church, Evansville

Dear Friends,

In just a couple of days we will begin our journey through Holy Week. The Biblical retelling of the last week of Christ’s life on earth. On Sunday we will celebrate Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem; the Servant King, entering upon the back of a beast of burden - a donkey. Jesus was not the king the people were expecting. He had not come to transform the immediate difficulties the Jews were existing in. He had come to bring them a new and eternal life through his suffering and sacrifice and, ultimately, through his resurrection.

Holy Week should not be two Sundays of triumph (Palm Sunday) and resurrection (Easter), but a week of remembering that Jesus entered Jerusalem resolute to do what was being asked of him. However, that does not mean he was without fear and doubt. That is evidenced in his prayer in Gethsemane. 

On Thursday, we will have our Maundy Thursday/Tenebrae Service. We will break bread together, literally, and have simple soups to remember the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples.  Afterwards, we will have our Communion service and then move into the Sanctuary for the Tenebrae portion of the service. There we will remember Christ’s crucifixion. I hope you will make the time to join us for this very special time of fellowship, reflection, and worship. Our meal and worship will begin at 6:00 in Fellowship Hall.

As you go through this Holiest of weeks, I would ask that you reflect on these words from Rev. Michael Marsh:

“When (Jesus) entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil.”

“Turmoil, it’s in the news. It’s in the air. It’s in our hearts. Today our world is in turmoil. America is in turmoil… I feel the turmoil in my life and I’ll bet you feel it in yours…

Whatever your Holy Week is - whatever it brings you, takes from you, or asks of you - it already resounds with the echoes of Easter. That’s always the tension in Holy Week. It’s the tension in our lives. And it was the tension in Jesus’ life.

So keep awake and be ready. Do not for one minute close your eyes or turn away from your Holy Week, because this one who enters the turmoil of Jerusalem, this ‘one who comes in the name of the Lord’ - this is the one who will rise to new life on the third day.

And he plans on taking you with him.”

Live in that tension as we go through this week, that tension of what is and what is to be. And, join us in worship this Sunday, Thursday evening, and next Sunday as we then celebrate Christ’s gift of new life.

May you find the love, peace, and hope of Christ as you go through this Holy Week.

Pastor Anna