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THE WINDOW ONCE MORE WITH FEELING I simply cannot remember a more intense, meaningful, difficult and joyful Easter season than what we have just celebrated.
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I am extremely serious. When the deacons presented the “Living Lord’s Supper,” based on Scripture and the famous painting by Leonard da Vinci, the Maundy Thursday congregation was moved to silence and tears. We possibly will not think of the Lord’s Supper in the same way since we quite literally broke unleavened bread together. As one person stated, “It was as though I were part of the scene.” When we conducted a Tenebrae service on Good Friday, the congregation was moved even more deeply to silence and tears. (Once again, Tenebrae in Latin means shadows. This was a service of shadows, featuring substantial readings from the gospel of Matthew and music that completed those passages.) With the extinguishing of the last candle and the striking of thirty-three chimes in darkness (one representing each year of Jesus’ life), we felt as though we had experienced Jesus’ death. All of which made Easter the more glorious! We went from the breaking of bread
in the upper room to the breaking of bread at E aster br e akfast! (Thank you, deacons!) From shadows into brilliant light! From death to life! From tears to shouts of “He is risen!” May I tell you that it did my heart good to hear so many of you speak “He is risen!” repeatedly, everywhere on Easter morning. And now we move on. The calendar is filling. I don’t have to review it with you here. You know the drill. It’s just that we cannot have done anything we have done except for what Jesus did on the cross and at Easter. Nor can we engage in the bright, busy activities of coming months without His sacrifice for us. Easter is the first and best part of the Christian life. It is what we cannot do without. It remains central every day. We were right to invest so heavily in Holy Week. Absolutely. And now we move on. But always in the light of Easter. Thrilled to serve a living Lord and wonderful body of believers, Dr. Steve
What It Means To Be A Deacon . . .
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Debbie and I came to Winstanley in 1992. At that time we had an AIDS ministry. We are grateful for all of the support the people of Winstanley gave us. We have always tried to serve God in any way He leads us. A few years later I was asked to serve as a deacon. Through prayer I said yes. I, like other deacons, are grateful for the support from our wives at the church. I pray daily for the opportunity to serve our Lord. Every deacons meeting we pray for our people (best part of the meeting for me). I believe that prayer is the greatest opportunity to serve our people. By now many of you reading this have seen the movie, “War Room.” I would encourage all of you to come to the Winstanley War Room on Wednesday nights at 6 pm when we gather to pray for our people. I believe greater things would begin to happen. There is nothing greater than the power of prayer. Thanks, Winstanley, for the opportunity to serve as a deacon. Lanny Downard
Volume 67, Issue 4 April 2016
Bryant Class Lunch April 3 at 12:15 pm
Girls/Guys Night April 8 from 6-9 pm
Mission Trip to Urbana, IL to work on a house on campus June 27-July 1 See Mel Gunter or Dr. Steve if interested