The Messenger
April 7, 2014 Volume XXIV, No. 4 Nationalchurch.org
From passion to darkness to joy… Experience Holy Week at The Metropolitan Church
Palm/Passion Sunday Worship at Metropolitan Memorial* 9am & 11:15am - Procession with EcoPalms and Children’s Choirs Worship at Wesley* 9:30am & 11am - Breakfast & Worship 5312 Conn. Ave., NW Worship at Crossroads* 5:30pm - St. Luke’s Mission Center 3655 Calvert St., NW Maundy Thursday Worship at Metropolitan Memorial* 7:30pm Worship with Communion Good Friday Services Worship at Metropolitan Memorial* Noon–3pm “Seven Last Words” Worship at Wesley* 7:30pm - 5312 Conn. Ave., NW Easter Vigil 9:30pm - 12am at St. Sophia 2815 36th St., NW Meet at Metropolitan at 9:15pm Easter Sunday– April 20 Sunrise Service at Kay Spiritual Life 6:15am - 4400 Mass. Ave., NW Worship at Metropolitan Memorial* 9am & 11:15am - Festival Choirs, Brass, Timpani, and Handbells Brunch after each service Rockin’ Gospel Worship at Wesley* 11am - 5312 Conn. Ave., NW Worship at Crossroads* 5:30pm - St. Luke’s Mission Center 3655 Calvert St., NW *Free Childcare Available
Dear Friends,
Seven Days, Seven Holy Week Services, 12 Different Worship Styles, Opportunities in 3 Locations. The week begins with Passion/Palm Sunday and ends with the “three days” (also called the Triduum, from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Easter Day) which mark Jesus’ trial, death, and resurrection. These days feature not only the drama of the triumphal entry, trial, last supper, and crucifixion but also poignant prayers and prophetic teachings of our Lord. John’s gospel devotes eight of its twenty-one chapters to this week alone! Worship throughout Holy Week invites the congregation to think of themselves as participants in a dramatic reenactment of scriptural events. Thus, on Palm Sunday our children process while shouting “Hosanna!” and waving palms. Or, in the reading of the passion narrative, the choir or congregation may be invited to speak the words, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” These participatory acts help the congregation sense the significance of the narratives for what they teach us about Jesus’ ministry, about God’s being and character, and about the nature and scope of redemption in Christ (adapted from The Worship Sourcebook, Calvin Institute). Maundy Thursday at Metropolitan with Foot Washing and Holy Communion: When we worship on Maundy Thursday, we remember the last evening that Christ spent with his disciples in the upper room. Three major events make up this evening: he washed the disciple’s feet, he instituted the Lord’s Supper, and he gave them the “new” commandment to love one another. “Maundy” comes from the Latin “mandatum novum” referring to the new commandment in John 13:34. There will be a dramatic enactment of a foot washing during the scripture reading and the congregation will be invited to participate in the side chapels, if they wish. We also share Holy Communion as part of this worship. We end worship in silence as the cross is dragged to the altar and Jesus kneels in the garden. Good Friday: This Friday is called “good” because Jesus’ death provides redemption for the world. We gather at the cross to remember his sorrow and give thanks. Historically, Good Friday worship drew on three themes: recalling the events of Jesus’ suffering and death; opening up the meaning of these events and increasing our understanding of the grace of God, the atonement for sin, and the redemption made available; and, deepening our devotion and love for Christ who paid the ultimate price for us and our salvation. (cont. on pg. 2)
Reflections from Charlie on his Upcoming Sabbatical
In May 2014, I am embarking on the experience of a lifetime – a four month Sabbatical from May 4 to September 7. I have been at Metropolitan for seven years, and am tremendously excited to have this opportunity and grateful to Metropolitan for submitting a grant to support my Sabbatical through the Lilly Endowment 2013 Clergy Renewal Program Grant (see story on page 3 for an explanation of this Program). I wanted to let you all know something about my summer plans, and also talk about the exciting opportunities that the grant has made possible for you over the summer. As many of you know, two of the disciplines that have fed my soul over the past 10-20 years have been playing a Japanese flute called the shakuhachi and practicing a martial art called aikido. Our Lilly grant is giving me the opportunity to richly explore both of those disciplines. My Sabbath will begin with a month in Japan, the core of which will be a two week trip with my shakuhachi teacher, grandmaster Ronnie Nyogetsu Seldin and several fellow students. I will be in Tokyo a week before this trip, practicing with two other grandmasters, and will stay an additional week in Kyoto after Ronnie leaves, practicing with a third grandmaster. Throughout this month, I will also practice aikido at dojos around the country, including the birthplace of aikido – Hombu dojo in Tokyo. There will be other shorter excursions throughout the summer. I will have two weeks in a shakuhachi meditation retreat at a Buddhist monastery outside Vancouver led by shakuhachi maker and player Al Ramos. There will be a week of aikido camp at Catholic University, and a week of shakuhachi camp in Philidelphia, as well as traveling to NYC for some shakuhachi practice with my teacher. (Cont. on pg. 3)