Dear First Pres,
It’s Holy Week. Have you changed your daily rhythm at all to lean into it? One thing I started this week was to dust off my prayer journal. It’s always been such a helpful practice for me to write out my prayers in the morning. I feel more centered on Christ and more focused on the important things of the day. I know some are choosing to fast, others are starting a daily Bible reading, and others have added some long prayerful walks into their week. Our high school students have added Christian service to their schedule this week. What about you? Even these next four days (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Resurrection Day) can be used by God to bring renewal and revival to your soul. Will you find a way to lean in? I am praying that you do.
For me, tonight’s Maundy Thursday service has become an incredibly important part of Easter weekend. During the service we remember that holy meal that Jesus had with His disciples in the upper room. We remember the way He showed them “the full extent of His love” by washing their feet. We remember His faithfulness to submit his life to the Father’s will. And we worship Him, Jesus, the Son of God who died in our place. The service starts at 7:00 p.m. I strongly encourage you to be with us in person for this special service of worship. And, remember to come early so that you can spend some time in our ArtHop exhibit. Doors open for ArtHop at 5:00 p.m.
On Friday morning, via Zoom, I’ll be hosting our weekly prayer gathering from 6:30 - 7:15 a.m. I can’t think of a better way for us to start Good Friday. During the time of day when the crowds were gathered before Pontius Pilate and shouting, “Crucify him; crucify him,” we will be gathering to pray for God to glorify Him. We’ll be asking the Lord to make fruitful our Easter invitations to family and neighbors. We’ll be asking the Lord to build His Kingdom in Fresno as it is in heaven through our worship and fellowship. Will you join me? You can find the link to join on our website by clicking on the “calendar” tab, and then looking for “All-Church Weekly Prayer.” Here's a link to that event.
Then, on Sunday, it’s celebration day. Our service times are the same as usual: 9:00 Classic and 10:45 Modern. There will be a reception with coffee and goodies in the courtyard after each service. I truly encourage you to stick around and connect with others. Plus, we’ll have an outdoor photo booth set up for those Easter photos.
It’s going to be a powerful weekend. Don’t forget that the Lord can use last minute invitations to draw people to Himself. And don’t forget to consider yourselves hosts on Sunday morning. We don’t come to church, we are the church.
Blessings,
Jeremy
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