HOLY WEEK AT HOME

In an act of faith and solidarity, we are called to spend Holy Week without the usual presence of one another. Each day throughout this week, though, we can continue to come together in spirit with these daily devotionals as we are called to gather, reflect, pray, and act.As always, reach out! To each other, to your neighbors and friends. Gather your family around the table for a time of reflection or join with others on FaceTime or Zoom to do the same. Allow this experience to transform you in Christ and embolden you to express the love of God in new ways in this new time. While we are, in fact, all in this together, we specifically come together in manifest spirit to gather, reflect, pray, and act, as led by Christ.

GATHER

Have a member of your household lead or, if alone, read it as a silent meditation. If you connect via social media, have two or three people share the reading.

LEADER: I will extol the Lord at all times;

ALL: his praise will always be on my lips.

LEADER: I will glory in the Lord;

ALL: let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

LEADER: Glorify the Lord with me;

ALL: let us exalt his name together.

Psalm 34 (selected verses)

REFLECT

Read the scripture below as a silent meditation, have a member of your household read aloud, or have two or three people share the reading.

Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5: 18-20  NIV

PRAY

As we enter a new week, I ask you to  join me in raising up our thanksgivings.  It can be so hard to see Alleluia moments when we are separated, when we are afraid, and when we feel helpless.  But we have a King who rose from the dead, who is seated at the right hand of the father, and who will come again. 

One thing we are not promised as followers of Christ is an easy path. But in all things we are called to lift up our thanksgivings!  Thank him for each breath we take, for each meal we receive, for our families near and far.  Our Lord has blessed us in so many ways, in our prayer today let's life up our thanksgivings!

Pray for a thankful heart, pray that the Lord with show you things every day to be thankful for. Thank God for all those on the frontlines working to keep us all safe and caring for the sick, may they feel the power of our prayers as well as our gratitude. Pray that our thankfulness overflows!

ACT

Consider these ideas to extend acts of service, mercy, or grace to those around you and for your own well-being. 

• Sew masks to drop off for those on the frontlines or for neighbors. Find a tutorial here and if you can't find a drop-off location we can get you in touch with someone from the congregation in a hospital system.

• Listen to a song that you find particularly uplifting. Sarah's go-to song for the last few months, "Raise a Hallelujah", is perfect for times like these!

• Make a gratitude list of even everyday things that you miss. These are things that you can look forward to taking part in again with renewed thankfulness. It will also give you a chance to look at your current routine with eyes of thanksgiving.