A Word for Our Arbor Family
Last year, when Pastor Adam talked about wanting to have a Tenebrae service, I was maybe a little too eager to volunteer to ‘bus-drive’ the event. He wanted a contemplative service, reflecting on the crucifixion story, that slowly got darker throughout the service. My "nerdy-moody-theater-kid-art-student" self was so excited, full of ideas, and totally ready to build an environment that leads the congregation into this reflective service.
But then the actual planning started. The burden of wanting to give proper respect to these events began to weigh on me. I studied our faith’s history and traditions around holy week and Tenebrae. I knew what a death by crucifixion was really like, physically. I had all this intellectual knowledge, but I had never planned a whole church service! I reached out to another Pastor friend for some advice. He is part of a more "traditional" church and a seminary librarian. I was hoping a step-by-step guide… That didn’t happen. The best thing he said to me was, “Let the scriptures do what the scripture does.”
I said, "Okay. I’ll do that… I guess." So I started really digging into the scriptures and the prophecies surrounding that final week of Jesus' life. I’d read it all before. I grew up in church. I watched every "Jesus" movie as a kid. I'd seen all of the church Easter plays...big productions...children’s productions. I knew this story. But this time - more than any other time before - it wrecked me. For a couple weeks, I’d read at my desk struggling to get through it as I put the service together. Wrestling with the tragic beauty of the events of that final 48 hours; and the truth that Jesus did it for me.
This year has been no different.
My prayer for you this year, as you attend the holy week services: Let the scriptures grab you with a new perspective on the magnitude of God’s love for you.
“Let the scriptures do what the scripture does.” - Pastor Roger Peters
But then the actual planning started. The burden of wanting to give proper respect to these events began to weigh on me. I studied our faith’s history and traditions around holy week and Tenebrae. I knew what a death by crucifixion was really like, physically. I had all this intellectual knowledge, but I had never planned a whole church service! I reached out to another Pastor friend for some advice. He is part of a more "traditional" church and a seminary librarian. I was hoping a step-by-step guide… That didn’t happen. The best thing he said to me was, “Let the scriptures do what the scripture does.”
I said, "Okay. I’ll do that… I guess." So I started really digging into the scriptures and the prophecies surrounding that final week of Jesus' life. I’d read it all before. I grew up in church. I watched every "Jesus" movie as a kid. I'd seen all of the church Easter plays...big productions...children’s productions. I knew this story. But this time - more than any other time before - it wrecked me. For a couple weeks, I’d read at my desk struggling to get through it as I put the service together. Wrestling with the tragic beauty of the events of that final 48 hours; and the truth that Jesus did it for me.
This year has been no different.
My prayer for you this year, as you attend the holy week services: Let the scriptures grab you with a new perspective on the magnitude of God’s love for you.
“Let the scriptures do what the scripture does.” - Pastor Roger Peters