Love and peace from our brother Jesus. Sunday was Palm and Passion Sunday. I usually like to celebrate Palm Sunday because it is festive, whereas Passion Sunday is full of betrayal, torture, and death. Either way, this week is the most important week of the Christian faith. Our Sunday school lesson was appropriately named “Called to Remember.” The main scripture was Matthew 26: 1-13. We are told that the priests are plotting against Jesus. In this heated atmosphere, an unnamed woman anoints Jesus’ head with expensive perfume, igniting outrage among the disciples, who regret the money it would have fetched to help the poor.
The scripture for Passion Sunday was Luke 22: 14-23: 56. It was a very long scripture because Luke describes in detail all the events of this week: the Last Supper, the agony in the garden, betrayal, arrest, the flight of the apostles, denial by Peter, torment by the Sanhedrin, trials before Pilate and Herod, and then back to Pilate where Jesus is humiliated and tortured. We see Simon of Cyrene carrying Jesus’ cross, the crucifixion, his prayer for forgiveness, salvation of the thief, the death, and then Jesus’ hasty burial. We must wait until Easter Sunday to finally experience the joy.
We celebrated Holy Communion this morning, among the palm fronds we carried up front while listening to “Lord of the Dance.” Roy and Judy Welch of Sunshine Florist are so nice to provide the palms every year. To further decorate the church, I got Easter lilies from them.
My daughter and I were in Ohio last Sunday for my aunt’s 90th birthday and a family reunion. We had a good time traveling together and seeing so many cousins. Larry McNeil filled in for me; Sue told me what he spoke on—a retrospective of Leon Hale, the long-time Houston columnist, including some stories about our old friend, Richard Wharton.
Fannie read a nice letter from Mrs. Ruby at Community Christian Services. The strange thing was that Ruby mailed the card before Christmas 2018, and Fannie received it this week! We collected cans of chili last month, and I delivered them to Community Christian Services last Wednesday. This week Joy heard from Carolyn, who is enjoying her time with her sister. We need to send Carolyn long-distance Happy Birthday wishes. Fannie, Evie, and Margaret also have birthdays in April. Fannie reported that her grandson, Jake, successfully completed Ranger training in the army. That is really some accomplishment!
Last Thursday Mrs. Hilda and folks went to Focused Care for the monthly ministry. Since coming home, though, I was busy catching up with doctors’ appointments. This Tuesday at 2:00 we will head to Holiday Nursing Center. In Joaquin Saturday’s Spring Fling got washed out: They may try it again this coming Saturday.
Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here.” Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:30 and Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist you can send me your email address to the Paxton email address and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed.
